London Scottish and Deutsche Bank have once again teamed up for their life-changing education programme, Game Changers.
The six-week programme aims to encourage and motivate students, nominated by their schools, due to their vulnerability of being expelled.
They will develop confidence, motivation and social skills through a range of rugby-playing and classroom activities, and learn the key values of the game, which the RFU describe as: Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship.
For week two the students headed to Gaucho, a sponsor of London Scottish. Gaucho is an Argentinian steak restaurant, in Richmond, amongst other locations in London, and the pupils were given an insight into the restaurant world with masterclasses in food preparation, cooking and the nutritional values of fresh foods cooking class.
Matt Ford, Group Marketing Director at Gaucho was thrilled to host the students. “It was great to host Game Changers at Gaucho Richmond for the second year running, as well as the young people we learn something new each time!”
He added: “It’s wonderful to see how the program has grown, it feels like it has doubled in size from last year and it’s great for us to be able to support. It’s definitely something different for us, and quite eye opening teaching others what we take for granted as normal skills as an adult. We look forward to being involved again next year, if not sooner!”
Wayne Wedgbury, Head of the Programme has seen plenty of potential in the group after just two sessions. “The young people came to us from a number of local schools and as a group have already started to form a strong team bond. We have worked on identifying their strengths, and using that to best advantage during group work sessions in both the “classroom” and on the playing field. The young people have responded to many new challenges with enthusiasm and we are already seeing changes in the way that the young people work.”
Mark Kemp, Sponsorship Manager of London Scottish is hoping that this year is another successful one for Game Changers, saying “Having made the decision to bring the programme in house this year, and adjusting the structure in line with our conversations with the eight local schools involved, it is great to have had such valuable feedback from one of our loyal sponsors.”
He continued: “It was great to see how well the young people adapted and enjoyed their day at Gaucho. Without the incredible commitment that Deutsche Bank, under their Born to Be youth engagement programme have made to both the club and the Game Changers programme, none of the great work Wayne and his team do would be possible. Putting the boots back on during the Monday afternoon coaching seasons is as enjoyable for me as it appears to be for the young people involved, and the knowledge that we are helping them develop as they enter into a key stage of their lives is incredibly rewarding for all involved”.
