【Project Activities】

The Rugby Empowerment Project (REP) utilizes the spirit of rugby to help participants learn the values of the sport from those active in society and the rugby world. By broadening their horizons, participants examine their own potential, explore careers and dreams, and develop as individuals who contribute to a better future. In this 6-session project, the 4th session featured exchange with overseas youth, while the 5th session involved conducting English interviews with overseas rugby stakeholders, providing an opportunity to experience global connections through rugby and reflect on the link between rugby and society, as well as their own career paths.

【Project Background】

REP was launched in FY2021. It evolved from the dispatch-based international exchange programs under the “2019 Rugby World Cup Promotion Project” (entrusted by MEXT/Japan Sports Agency from FY2015 to FY2019), adapting into a human resource development project utilizing online platforms.

【Project Objective】

To develop next-generation leaders who contribute to a better future by utilizing the spirit of rugby, learning its values from those active in society and the sport, broadening their perspectives to realize their potential, and exploring their careers and dreams.

【Project Area】

Education through sports

【Methods】

Hosting seminars and forums

【Outcomes】

In the 4th session, participants learned communication skills by interacting online in English with Filipino rugby players of the same age. They recognized the importance of non-verbal communication, such as facial expressions, and developed a proactive mindset toward English listening and speaking. Building on this, in the 5th session, they conducted English interviews with overseas rugby stakeholders and communicated actively without letting the conversation lapse.

【Voices from Participants and Partners】

・”I was able to feel that Japanese rugby is connected with Asia and the rest of the world.”
・”I joined REP because I wanted to link rugby promotion and its positive values to education, so it was great to hear from someone practicing that in the Philippines.”
・”It was fun to hear opinions on rugby and answers to my questions that were slightly different from those of Japanese people.”
・I would love to be involved in youth empowerment activities as much as I can.

【Challenges and Lessons Learned】

・We realized that ensuring a stable communication environment during online sessions with developing countries significantly impacts the quality of the project.

【URL】

https://www.rugby-japan.jp/RugbyFamilyGuide/news-topics/15244/

https://www.rugby-japan.jp/RugbyFamilyGuide/news-topics/15274/