“The main purpose of volunteering is to help people, and that is the reason I got into volunteering, to help people,” says 21-year-old national footballer and UWI Geomatics Engineering student Malaika Dedier.
In February of this year, Malaika - who has played for Trinidad and Tobago as the goalkeeper for the under 15, under 17 and under 20 teams - was chosen to represent T&T at the Fédération Internationaledu Sport Universitaire (FISU) Volunteer Leaders Academy (FVLA) in Russia.
A highly accomplished student athlete, this young woman from East Trinidad was the captain of her high school football team, athlete of the year for Bishops Anstey High School East and Trinity College East (BATCE), a church youth leader and co-captain of the St Augustine team that won first place at the UWI Games in Mona, Jamaica. She has been a consistent member of national teams since her early teens and has trained with the senior national team.
The FISU was founded in 1949 and is the sole recognised governing body for International University Sport. The FVLA is an educational event that serves as a key part of the international sports and volunteering movement.
Malaika was chosen by the Tertiary Sport Association of Trinidad and Tobago (TSATT), the local representative for FISU. TSATT selected her after a competitive interview process and her outstanding record as a national sportsperson.
“Ecstatic and elated!” was how she described her emotions upon being selected. “I was extremely excited because it is a great opportunity.”
Malaika first heard about the programme when she was nominated by her football instructor and the head coach of The UWI St Augustine women’s team, Jenelle Noel. However, she was already a seasoned volunteer. Malaika started volunteering in secondary school while a student at Bishops Anstey High School East.
The programme is geared towards training individuals through various sessions. At the FVLA, emerging sport management leaders receive an intensive offering that includes lectures, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities. Academy attendees are also given “behind-the-house” experiences at many sports facilities used for top level events. The aim of the FISU Volunteer Leaders Academy is to create a volunteering community around the world that can share the best global practices in volunteer projects for various types of sports events.
“My main goal is to impart the knowledge gained from this academy unto others so they can in-turn share this knowledge throughout the world. This should increase the number of people learning about university sports, ways to be healthy and [how] to live a balanced lifestyle.”
Originally, the event was scheduled for June 2020 in Kazan, Russia. However, because of the COVID-29 pandemic the programme has moved to the virtual space. Participants took part in a preliminary on-line session in June and began the full programme in the first week of September.
After the programme, Malaika will be working alongside TSATT to promote volunteering. This includes planning and executing two university sporting events.
“I want to put on two quality events that will encourage others to become volunteers. I am sure it will be a great experience,” she says.
