What is it?
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‍The Oceania Sport Education Programme (OSEP) is an innovative Pacific-led sport education programme that has transformed and complemented capacity and capability development within the sports sector in the Pacific region.  

An independent evaluation in its twelfth year stated that it stands without equal as the only community-based sport education programme of its kind within the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Continental regions. This is a significant achievement on a global scale.

Why was it created and by whom?
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‍OSEP was created to address a gap within the sport education space as identified in the key findings of the Pacific Sporting Needs Assessment conducted in 2004 by the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), and subsequently constructed through the collaborative efforts of the Australian Sports Commission the Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) and the Organisation of Sports Federations of Oceania (OSFO). 

The establishment of OSEP as the first regional sports education programme offered a cost effective solution to build the capacity of Pacific based coaches, administrators and trainers utilising a regional approach of collaboration. It is currently delivered across 15 Pacific island countries which are: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Objectives

Understanding the needs of its member National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and countries has been a core function of ONOC, and its overall vision for OSEP is for it to be recognised as the benchmark in sport education throughout the continental regions of the Olympic world. Currently, its key objectives are:

• Improving the governance and management of sport organisation operations
• Improving coaching expertise to assist athletes to qualify on merit for the Olympics
• Improving games preparation of athletes and officials
• Creating training pathways for administrators, coaches, team managers and trainers
• Improving the coordination of the sport education system.

OSEP has established pathways from foundational to masters’ levels, frameworks, policies and procedures. These have supported the development and growth of NOCs, National Sports Federations (NSFs/NFs), Pacific-based sports coaches, volunteers, athletes, team managers, technical officials, administrators, teachers and relevant others.

As demand for courses has increased across the region, the OSEP Regional Office has innovatively transitioned through a significant growth period to meet demands and up-scaled accordingly. This has included the design and evolution of the OSEP course portfolio to meet the dynamic requirements of the region and ensure learners can progress their learning and apply these skills in contextually relevant settings.

Pathways

What courses comprise the Programme?

The Programme is made up of a portfolio of courses responding to the needs of the sporting sector in Oceania, in 15 Pacific island countries, excluding Australia and New Zealand.

The portfolio includes courses in Administration; Coaching; Strength and Conditioning; Team Manager; and Trainer streams further categorised as follows:

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Training Providers

OSEP has a decentralised system of Training Providers spread across the Pacific islands in demarcated Zones. This ensures capacity building is readily available for stakeholders in the various islands and communities.

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Trainers

OSEP also has Trainers spread across the Pacific islands. This system falls within the intention for decentralisation and equity of access to capacity building among diverse and isolated stakeholders.

Regional and National Staff

‍OSEP has fulltime and part-time staff who lead the delivery of programmes in-country. Where National Olympic Committees (NOCs) do not have dedicated staff, they can still be contacted for further information.