School of Hard Knocks
In partnership with NPO, School of Hard Knocks, we’re using sport to teach underprivileged youth valuable life skills, how to deal with trauma and improve emotional wellbeing.
Keep readingWatch the power of sport in tackling childrens' trauma head-on
Using touch-rugby to grow and repair
The School of Hard Knocks (SoHK) programme combines sport and mental health interventions to help South Africa’s youth deal with varying degrees of trauma and find coping mechanisms so that they are better placed to realise their potential.
Not being able to deal with trauma in a healthy way leads to high-risk behaviours.
SoHK’s coaches form trusted relationships with the learners to teach a range of behavioural and coping skills and where necessary, provide additional specialised mental health support by experienced professionals.
"The coaches are 100% relatable because they recognise your circumstance and make it a point to understand your perspective - they don’t break you down but rather focus on building you up. For the first time, I feel heard as a person and this has really helped to build trust and allowed me to open up more and more about my struggles."
Anonymous Gr 10 pupil
SA’s youth have poor mental health
According to the latest UNICEF South Africa U-Report poll, some 60% of children and youth felt they needed mental health support over the past year, with 48% of young respondents most anxious about the need to build their skills for future employment. What’s more, the global average for adverse childhood events is five in a lifetime, compared to South African youth who experience an average of five to eight per year.
Percentage of participants who feel their relationships have improved
Amount of participants who use SoHK’s tools to calm themselves down
Percentage of participants who says they can now make better decisions
We really want to create a safe space that encourages sharing, learning and support, deconstructs gender norms that contribute to harmful behaviours and provide the youth of today with the tools and support they need to thrive.
Investec’s involvement
Over the last 25 years, Investec has supported many rugby properties, with the most recent being the title sponsor of the Investec Champions Cup. This partnership expands on the focus of creating transformational value but at school-level, with a strong focus on supporting young impressionable minds. The partnership will provide the necessary funding to allow SoHK to not only deliver on this year’s curriculum and retain the current coaches, but also the capacity to scale and upskill new coaches to reach more learners.
We recognize the potential of sports-based programmes to deliver long-term and tangible benefits to our youth. We believe this partnership will drive meaningful change in underserved communities.
