Sports Coordinator selected for US Youth Leadership Exchange

Sep 7, 2026 | Sports | 0

The national Sports Coordinator, Nancy Patterson, has been nominated by the US Embassy in Vanuatu to join a fully funded exchange program funded by the US Department of State.

The three-week exchange brings together Pacific sports and youth leaders to learn about sports development, youth leadership and community participation in the United States.

The exchange aims to strengthen partnerships between the United States and Pacific countries while helping participants learn more about sports development, youth leadership and community involvement.

Participants are visiting sports and educational institutions in Washington, Boston, Colorado Springs and Los Angeles, with a focus on athlete health and safety, drug-free sports, injury prevention, sports education and league management.

A key focus of the exchange is improving sports systems through better sports education, athlete health and safety, drug-free athletics, injury prevention and league management.

Participants are also examining how sports such as Flag Football are being incorporated into the American education system.

The exchange also highlights the United States’ preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, including the historic inclusion of Flag Football in the Olympic program.

For Pacific participants, the program provides an opportunity to observe how sports can be used not only for competition but also as a platform for education, leadership, health and youth development.

For Patterson, the exchange has provided a broader perspective on what is required to establish a strong and sustainable sporting system in Vanuatu.

“This program has been a truly valuable and eye-opening experience for me,” Patterson said.

She said she entered the exchange hoping to learn more about sports management but had gained a much wider understanding of the different elements required to develop sport successfully.

One of the key lessons she identified was the importance of grassroots sport.

Patterson said she had observed how strong foundations at the community and school levels can create opportunities for young people and eventually contribute to the development of athletes, coaches, leaders and sports administrators.

The experience has also encouraged her to think differently about how sports can be strengthened in Vanuatu.

“One of the biggest lessons I have taken away is the importance of grassroots sport,” she said.

“I have seen how strong foundations at the community and school level can create opportunities for young people and eventually develop athletes, leaders, coaches, and administrators.”

Patterson said the exchange had also reinforced the idea that sports development goes well beyond athletes and competition.

According to her, effective sporting systems require investment and coordination across several areas, including education, leadership, health and safety, facilities, coaching, administration and community involvement.

She said seeing how these areas connect had provided her with a new perspective on sports development and its potential application back home.

“I have also learned that developing sport is not only about athletes and competition,” Patterson said.

“It is about education, leadership, health and safety, facilities, coaching, administration, community involvement, and creating pathways for young people.”

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

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Skills competition brings Pacific nations together in Vanuatu October 21, 2026
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A prison sentence is not a child protection plan The Ministry argues that reports of criminal convictions reveal much less about what happens to the children themselves after abuse is discovered. “The cases reported in the newspapers tell us something about how Vanuatu’s criminal justice system responds to child sexual abuse. But they tell us much less about what happens to the children themselves,” MOJYCS says. Referring to the five-year-old girl whose father was sentenced for sexually assaulting her, the Ministry says the court’s decision explains the consequences for the perpetrator but does not establish what protection was put in place when the abuse came to light, whether other children were at risk or what support was available to help her recover. These questions, the Ministry says, are just as important as the criminal prosecution. The MOJYCS describes a situation in which a girl tells her teacher that someone at home has been sexually abusing her. She is frightened to return home, her mother may be financially dependent on the perpetrator, and younger children in the household may also be at risk. “The police can investigate the crime. But who assesses whether she is safe to go home that afternoon? Who helps her family find a safe way forward? Who ensures she receives medical care, counselling and ongoing support? And who follows up to make sure she remains safe?” the Ministry asks. “These questions cannot wait months or years for a criminal trial to conclude.” Vanuatu already has laws criminalising rape, incest and other sexual offences. Police, prosecutors and courts play an essential role in investigating crimes and holding perpetrators accountable. However, the MOJYCS says criminal investigations and child protection responses serve different purposes. “A criminal investigation asks whether an offence was committed and who is responsible. A child protection response must ask a different, equally urgent question: is this child safe, and what needs to happen now to protect them?” the Ministry says. “Protecting a child must begin when abuse comes to light, not when a perpetrator is convicted.” The Ministry says this is why the proposed Child Protection Bill matters. The Bill seeks to establish a stronger legal framework for protecting children at risk of abuse, neglect and exploitation. It would establish clearer reporting responsibilities, strengthen the authority of child protection officers to assess and respond to abuse, and provide mechanisms for emergency protection, court orders and safe alternative care. The MOJYCS says these measures would establish clear responsibilities and provide the legal authority needed to intervene when a child is in danger. “A child who discloses sexual abuse needs more than a police investigation. That child needs to be safe tonight, tomorrow and in the months and years that follow,” the Ministry says. Parliament has an opportunity to act The MOJYCS recognises that families, chiefs, churches and communities all have important roles in protecting children. However, it says informal arrangements and goodwill are not always enough when abuse occurs within a family or community. Children need a system with clear legal responsibilities, trained professionals and the authority to intervene when their safety is at risk, the Ministry says. It also cautions that legislation alone will not end child sexual abuse. A strong Child Protection Bill must be backed by trained child protection officers, accessible services, effective referral pathways and sustained investment, including in rural and remote communities. Without these investments, the MOJYCS warns, the promise of stronger legal protection risks remaining just that — a promise. For children experiencing abuse, the Ministry says, the issues are not abstract questions about legislation or government responsibilities. They concern immediate safety, dignity, care and recovery. The MOJYCS says a child’s access to protection should not depend on where they live, whom they know or whether someone happens to be available to help when they disclose abuse. “To the MPs who will consider the Child Protection Bill this month: the children behind these headlines deserve more than our concern. They deserve action,” the Ministry says. “Vanuatu cannot undo the abuse these children have suffered. But it can decide what happens when the next child comes forward. “Pass a strong Child Protection Bill. Commit the resources needed to make it work. And ensure that when a read more…

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