PH International

American Exchange to Georgia

Georgia | Georgian Police as Leaders in Athletics for Youth | 22 Jun 2015



GE PLAY Georgia hosted the American Exchange from June 21 through June 28 in order to reinforce previously established relationships between counterparts in Georgia and in the U.S. and develop new cross-cultural relationships among youth and adults. In support of the follow-on programs and action plans being conducted by Georgian participants, U.S. citizens traveled to Georgia to provide added technical assistance, conduct workshops, seminars, clinics and other events designed in function of the action plans taking place in Georgia. The nine-day exchange of 16 Americans provided additional support and momentum for the program activities that were being implemented in Georgia. The U.S. group included one girls’ and one boys’ basketball teams together with their coaches, two representatives from Police in Athletics League, two Police Officers, a School Resource Officer, and School Athletics Coordinator who visited the basketball events organized locally by police and SROs, played against local Georgian teams, and offered peer-coaching exercises. The U.S. youth athletes had various opportunities to connect informally with their Georgian counterparts and talked about how recreational sports leagues, in addition to school teams, make a difference in their lives

The exchange program activities were set in four cities of Georgia: Tbilisi (Kvemo Kartli), Kutaisi, (Imereti) Zugdidi (Samegrelo) and Batumi (Adjara) and included six main types of activities: 1) Group Orientaiton; 2) Basketball Tournaments; 3) Clinics for coaches and players; 4) Meetings with the representatives of local administrations, schools, police and NGO sector; 5) Meetings with Georgian youth and 6) cultural activities.