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About us
History
Youth Sport Trust logo1994-1997
  • 1994: The Youth Sport Trust is established. Sir John Beckwith commits to improving sport for young people with an investment of £1m each year for four years.
  • Developed TOP Play and TOP Sport.
  • Employed three area staff.
  • Secured BT as first sponsor and Lottery Funding.
  • Action-based vision beginning to make a real difference.
  • Demand for more brings need for an infrastructure.
 
1997-2000
  • 1997: First 11 designated Specialist Sports College become operational. The Youth Sport Trust is appointed as a support agency to DfES.
  • Rapid growth of TOP programmes – more schools, more teachers, more young people.
  • Sports Colleges become successful and appealing.
  • Need to create a national infrastructure involving all schools.

2000-2002
  • Increasing awareness of the power of sport in improving education, health, socialisation, citizenship, creativity, key skills, physical development and sporting success among young people.
  • Prime Minister launched the Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links (PESSCL) strategy.
  • Joint DfES/DCMS PSA target – 75% of pupils to have two hours of high quality PE and school sport per week by 2006.
  • £459m new investment over three years.

2002-2007
  • Systematic roll out of PESSCL strategy.
  • Continued innovation, programmes include Sky Living For Sport, Secondary Playgrounds and TOP Activity.
  • Demonstrating the difference – research and evidence.
  • 2006: Dame Kelly Holmes becomes National School Sport Champion, a role supported by the government, the Youth Sport Trust and Norwich Union.
  • 2007: Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell becomes Sky Living For Sport Ambassador and Olympic heptathlete Denise Lewis is appointed Zoneparc Sporting Ambassador for the Youth Sport Trust.