This is the second update from Nick Stevens, reporting from South Africa where the Carlton players are involved in a special pre-season training camp and series of community visits in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Click here to view Stevo's Photo Gallery 

“After the initial fun at Sun City on the water slides, some golf for a few players and then the visit to Pilanesberg Game Park, one could easily have taken advantage of a well-earned rest. But that’s not what we’re here for in South Africa. It’s since been busy with training and development meetings, as well as visits to various community centres.

Training has been terrific at the University of Pretoria and, as mentioned previously, the facilities are fantastic. Monday morning’s session there consisted of weights and follow-up meetings and discussions on the game plan and leadership development. Both discussions were excellent as we all gain a greater understanding of the style of play that we will base our game around in 2008. Obviously it’s not something I can discuss, but we are all keen to play to this plan during the season. It is fair to say it will give all supporters (and no doubt the media and opposition) something to discuss as the season gets underway.

As for the leadership development meetings, these are proving to be very beneficial for all the players. The leadership meetings were held with around 10 players at a time. We may have a young group but there is certainly some very wise heads on young shoulders and it is vital we continue to develop our leadership qualities.

After returning to the hotel for lunch it was back to the University in the afternoon for skills training on the rugby grounds.

Tuesday began with a visit to the Apartheid Museum in Soweto, 15 minutes from Johannesburg. The Apartheid Museum is the first of its kind and illustrates the rise and fall of this oppressive system. It was an incredible experience with over 20 individual exhibition areas, film footages, photographs, artefacts etc. on the seven-hectare site. The visit provided all of us with a greater understanding of what South Africa was really like and the incredible role Nelson Mandela played in the fall of apartheid. This was another moving experience for us.

Next stop was the streets of Soweto with hundreds of children involved in the Footy Wild program. This is similar to Auskick and it was great to see these black children running around having so much fun with the football. While the concept of the game, in particular handball, may still be very different for them, there is no doubting their enthusiasm for football. The opportunity to run around and be involved certainly provides them with a focus away from what can be a very tough life for many of them. There is something very special about being around children when they are enjoying the activities and while they have no idea who we are, or who the Carlton Football Club is, it is the fact we are helping to put such big smiles on their faces that was great.

It is hard to describe Soweto – it is a city of over two million people and was developed as a township for black people under apartheid. Most of the struggle against apartheid was fought in and from Soweto. Homes range from mansions to makeshift shacks in squatter-like camps with corrugated iron sheets as the shelters for families. In these squatter camps there is a lack of water and electricity so it is a tough life for everyone, particularly the children.

To complete the moving day in Soweto we visited Nelson Mandela House before sitting down to dinner in Johannesburg and returning to our hotel in Pretoria. Nelson Mandela’s house in Soweto is very small and is like a museum for the Mandela family. There is an assortment of memorabilia, paintings and photographs as well as awards and honours that have been presented to Nelson Mandela. We were all impressed with the boxing belt that had been presented to Mandela by Sugar Ray Leonard. The visit to this house further emphasised the incredible role and work Mandela has done in South Africa and why he is such a remarkable person.

There was no training on this day, but it was a day we will all long remember, in learning about the history of South Africa and being able to help bring so much joy to so many young children on the streets of Soweto. It was a great reminder of just how lucky we are - even moreso to be involved in AFL and the Carlton Football Club. Not only has it provided us with a chance to visit this area but we are certainly fortunate in the additional privileges we are afforded as AFL players.

Tomorrow, Wednesday is a day of training, similar to Monday with meetings as well as a skills session and weights, ice-baths and swimming. My next report will be later in the week after our visit to the Sparrow Rainbow Village, an Aids Hospital for adults and children. From what we have been told, we are expecting this to be a tough visit as it is a very moving experience visiting with these people who are all HIV positive and in particular the young children. While I am looking forward to the visit I am sure it will also be very sad.â€

Nick Stevens, Soweto