After watching the film Invictus, I learned a lot about methods for community development. The movie stars Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. The movie takes place in South Africa and Morgan Freeman place the role of Nelson Mandela. The movie begins when Nelson has recently been released from jail, law has recently been passed allowing blacks to vote, and he is struggling to balance racial tensions within the South African community. When at the springbok’s game Nelson notices that the colored folks in the crowd cheer against their own countries team due to the white dominance within the team and its racist past. Nelson identifies this as an opportunity and works through this sports team to unify the countries separated community. Nelson starts by meeting with Matt Damon the captain of the national South African rugby team vaguely hinting his intensions to use the Springboks to bring this country together, and that he wants the Springboks to win despite strongly despising them years ago.
Aside from the primary goal for the Springboks to win, Nelson requested the Springboks preform community outreach within the schools. Working with the nation’s youth, and gaining their support is a great way to begin reshaping a community. Starting community development with the youth is a great place to start. It shows both to the parents and the children that you care, and also changes the attitudes of the up and coming generation. Nelson intended to use this to help remove some of the color barrier since the large majority of the team was white it would gain the support of the country to rally behind the team in unison before the upcoming rugby tournament which would be hosted in South Africa.
Sport is a great way to create friendships and bonds regardless of color. When playing on the same team as another person, it doesn’t matter your differences because you need to work together to succeed. A team needs to work as a single unit and doesn’t have time to worry about issues like the color of your skin. They must be one big extended family.
Another way that sport is a great way to develop a community is it can be used as a common interest or goal. Nelson knew the country was hungry to win, and it didn’t matter what color your skin was. If you supported the same team you were practically best friends. They showed this effectively throughout the film near the end when the South African team won the tournament and the white man celebrated with the black body guard, as well as when the white policemen celebrated the victory with the little black boy. With the introduction of a common interest or goal a community can develop. It can be a long process, but slowly and surely the color barriers were removed.
Great post Matt! I didn't even cross my mind how it would look to the parent of the children who participated in the rugby clinic put on by the Springboks! You're so right that it would look good to them and even help them to support the Springboks, and their parents are very likely the people who were cheering against the team. Great insight! It goes to show that not only do kids benefit from sport and recreation programming directed at them, their parents are swayed in their opinions to support the community and cause.
ReplyDeleteVery precise on the principles of community development that are shown in the movie. I abosolutely agree with you on community outreach and using sport as a bonding activity.
ReplyDeleteGreat view on how quickly sports can push issues aside in order to look at the bigger picture Matt! Great referance towards being on big family!
ReplyDeleteI never thought of the youth being the future but its so true and blatantly obvious now. You are right, it is an excellent strategy to work with the kids as it "changes the attitudes of the up and coming generation." They were more easily influenced and open minded to the new government and where South Africa was heading as a nation. Well done Matt!
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with the examples and points you made about sport being a great way to create friendships and build communities. A large portion of my friendships have been through sport. Good Blog Matt.
ReplyDeleteGreat observations Matt. Particularly liked the quote 'a team needs to work as a single unit and doesn’t have time to worry about issues like the color of your skin. They must be one big extended family'. Very true. Not only do the kids get to learn the importance of teammwork with others of different ethnicity and skin colour, but it also provides a good example for parents and other community members of the importance of acceptance. It shows that parents are not the only teachers of tolerance.
ReplyDeleteWay to go bud!
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