The latest cohort of the Commonwealth Games Federation’s eqUIP paid internship programme – comprising young sports leaders from England, Isle of Man, Mozambique, Northern Ireland, Tanzania, Uganda and Wales – are meeting in Botswana to put the final touches to their business projects that will support their host Commonwealth Games Association in the lead up to Gold Coast 2018. 

This is the fourth intake for the regional eqUIP programme which started in 2014, but the first ever to bring together interns from two different Commonwealth regions.

European eqUIP intern Delia Bute, supporting Commonwealth Games England, is an international hospitality and tourism management graduate who joined the eqUIP programme six months ago as part of Team England’s Games time HQ team. Her role as an Event Operations Executive enabled her to utilise and develop skills across multiple projects such as accreditation and visa, kitting out and procurement. 

Delia said: “Throughout my Commonwealth Games England experience I've learnt to value and focus more on the journey rather than the end goal as many opportunities for personal growth could present themselves along the way.”

Commonwealth Games Federation Regional Development Manager Ellen Barwise, who oversees the programme and is based alongside the team at the Commonwealth Games Association of Botswana said:

“It’s so exciting to see the impact these young adults are having in their Commonwealth Games Associations and watching them learn and develop from each other’s experiences. Their projects are directly supporting their organisations back home, whilst also showcasing their growth and skills development. The different countries and regions are collaborating, working and learning together, and sharing ideas. It’s a fantastic indicator of the strength of the Commonwealth family and what the Commonwealth Games Federation’s development programme is all about.”

Commonwealth Games Federation Chief Executive, David Grevemberg CBE, said:

“The Commonwealth Games Federation aspires to be a leader in international sport development, and so we are delighted to announce the latest phase of our eqUIP programme. We wish all of the interns every success with their projects which will add enormous value to their host Commonwealth Games Association and the wider Commonwealth Sports Movement”.

The Commonwealth Games Federation’s eqUIP programme aims to build capacity in Commonwealth Games Associations through a paid internship programme, developed in partnership with local universities as part of the Commonwealth Games Federation's global development programme. It creates mutually beneficial opportunities for the intern and the host Commonwealth Games Association - developing the skills of young leaders in a national sporting organisation, who deliver special projects which directly benefit the host Commonwealth Games Association.

The Commonwealth Games Association and the local universities work together to identify the Commonwealth Games Association's development objectives and projects that the intern can complete to help them achieve their goals. The programme looks to strengthen the capacity of the Commonwealth Games Association in a number of areas, such as: Games preparations, stakeholder relations (eg national Government and governing bodies), branding, social media, management and governance.

The eqUIP meeting took place at the Mokolodi Conference Centre in Gaborone, Botswana between 1-3 February 2018.

African eqUIP intern Deborah Namusoke, supporting Commonwealth Games Uganda, graduated from Kyambogo University with a BSc in sports and leisure Management in December 2017. Her work as a Commonwealth Games Association intern focuses on preparing Team Uganda for the upcoming Games in Gold Coast 2018. 

Deborah said: “It’s been a great time for me at the Commonwealth Games Association of Uganda. I have learnt a lot from working in a dynamic sporting organisation – developing my efficiency, accountability, confidence and prioritisation skills and responding to many given tasks.”