Netball New Zealand has launched its netGO programme in neighbouring Pacific island nation Vanuatu to further develop the sport across Oceania.
Starting with its first Oceania Foundation Coach workshop in May, the netGO programme was developed to help deliver the Pacific Sporting Partnership (PSP) which is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
PSP has been running for three years in Fiji, the Cook Islands, Tonga and Samoa, with Vanuatu now also joining the group.
NetGO Vanuatu country coordinator Virginia Taravaki claimed she was excited about bringing the programme to the nation.
"The PSP programme in Vanuatu overall is a blessing - in the sense that this allows us to spread the love of netball through to our rural schools and communities and hopefully our outer islands," she said.
Taravaki delivered her first Oceania Foundation Coach workshop to six participants over two days, after following an adapted coach training session, led remotely by former Samoa netGO country coordinator Ruta Tai.
Madeline Bau who attended the course, will be starting her role as the netGO development officer in Espiritu Santo soon, delivering netball to her local community.
The Vanuatu Netball Association, through PSP, will support the growth of training through training new coaches and starting new competitions.
"A big part in the PSP programme that helps the netball development in Vanuatu is providing health awareness through partnerships with health stakeholders to address the rise of non-communicable disease's among young people," Taravaki added.
There are due to be further partnerships in future with the Vanuatu Ministry of Health and the Vanuatu Family Health Association to give netball players the correct materials to develop through workshops.