From Cardiff to Lusaka: Gethin Smart reflects on Volunteer Zambia
Cardiff Met students and staff have once again been part of Volunteer Zambia, an international sport development programme bringing together universities from across the UK to work alongside Zambian sports NGO Sport in Action.
Run through the Wallace Group, Volunteer Zambia uses sport as a vehicle to engage, educate and empower young people, with volunteers working alongside local coaches and communities across Lusaka. Each year, around 30 to 40 students and staff from the Wallace Group universities take part, supporting sustainable programmes across sport, education, leadership and community development.
This summer, six Cardiff Met students travelled to Zambia as part of the programme, supported by staff from across the University. Gethin Smart, Sport Development and Workforce Manager at Cardiff Met Sport, travelled as a staff lead and reflects on the experience below.
Gethin Smart: My Volunteer Zambia experience
This summer, I had the privilege of travelling to Zambia as part of the Wallace Group international sport development programme, leading a group of 17 students from universities across the United Kingdom. Among them were six Cardiff Met students, who represented the University with distinction throughout the experience.
The Cardiff Met group included Ellie Place and Devin Pote, who are studying MSc Sport Broadcast, alongside Evie DuCros, Iona Scanlan and Molly Lankston, who supported netball development, and Maisy Cooze, who worked within football. Together, they joined students from across the UK to support sport development initiatives while gaining valuable international experience of their own.
Our involvement in Zambia has also continued beyond the group I travelled with. Angharad Edwards, TNE Partnership Manager at Cardiff Met, is currently in Zambia undertaking the staff role until 20 September, continuing the University's contribution to this year's programme.
Having the opportunity to experience Volunteer Zambia first-hand gave me a completely new perspective on the impact of the long-standing Wallace Group partnership with Sport in Action. In my role as Operational Lead for Cardiff Met, I had previously heard about the programme through reports, student feedback and conversations with colleagues, but being in Lusaka allowed me to see that work taking place every day.
The partnership is built around using sport to create sustainable opportunities for young people, with volunteers working alongside Sport in Action staff and local coaches rather than simply delivering short-term activity. Across the programme, students can contribute in areas including sports coaching, development, media, events and education, while community hub sites are designed to support opportunities throughout the year.
One of the most rewarding parts of the experience for me was visiting the students on their placements and seeing their work first-hand. They adapted brilliantly to unfamiliar environments, developed meaningful relationships with coaches and staff, and contributed positively to local communities through sport alongside wider development projects including the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award and enterprise initiatives.
As a member of staff, I also lived alongside the students throughout the programme. Sharing accommodation, meals and the day-to-day experiences of the trip gave me a unique insight into their individual journeys and allowed me to see the development taking place away from their placements as well.
Over the course of the experience, I saw students grow in confidence, embrace challenges and become increasingly comfortable operating in completely new environments. They developed communication, leadership and problem-solving skills that will stay with them long after returning to Cardiff and will undoubtedly benefit them throughout their future careers.
Away from our placements, we also had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in Zambian culture and experience more of the country. The landscapes, wildlife and vibrant communities were incredibly memorable, but what stood out above everything else was the warmth, kindness and generosity of the people we met.
The hospitality shown to our group throughout our time in Zambia left a lasting impression on everyone involved. For me personally, it reinforced why opportunities such as Volunteer Zambia are so valuable, not only because of the contribution we can make alongside our partners, but because of the experience, perspective and development our students bring home with them.
Having previously understood the programme from an operational perspective, I returned to Cardiff with a much deeper appreciation of what Volunteer Zambia represents. Seeing the relationships, learning and development taking place first-hand demonstrated the value of a partnership that continues to use sport to create opportunities for young people in both Zambia and the UK.
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