Young ambassadors look to 2012

Hundreds of Young Ambassadors from across England have been chosen to promote sport, physical education and healthy living to build on the excitement of the London 2012 Games.

To launch the nationwide Young Ambassador programme, double Olympic gold medallist and National School Sport Champion Dame Kelly Holmes and Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell joined 150 youngsters at the home of English Premiership champions Chelsea, in West London.

This first Young Ambassador conference is one of five taking place at famous sporting venues throughout England during June and July with Olympic and Paralympic medallists delivering the workshops to help and inspire more than 800 young people to fulfil their role.

The 16 to 17 year olds, who were specially selected by their schools for showing either outstanding sporting talent or excellent leadership and volunteering skills, will act as role models over the next 12 months to inspire other young people and help identify the opportunities available to schools following Britain’s successful bid for the Games.

The Young Ambassador conference at Chelsea also saw Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell announce that the UK will host the 2007 ‘Next Steps Conference’ in Namibia.

The Culture Secretary said: “London 2012 will inspire new generations, and so who better than our young people to motivate the wider population to seize the opportunities presented by the Games.

“Those nominated today are the first accredited Young Ambassadors and I hope they will be at the very heart of the Olympic project. Their enthusiasm and commitment to promoting sport and the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games will play a vital part in ensuring that, whether you are six or sixty, from Streatham or Stranraer, you do not miss out on the greatest show on earth.

“Sport can deliver many benefits for young people - good health, social development and education. How we realise these benefits was the focus of last years’ international ‘Next Steps Conference’ in Zambia. I am delighted to announce today that the UK will host the 2007 ‘Next Steps Conference’ in Namibia and I very much hope that some of our own Young Ambassadors will be involved.”

Dame Kelly Holmes said: “I am delighted to be at Chelsea Football Club to welcome the Young Ambassadors and wish them, and all the young people taking part, every success in their new and exciting role.

“I was inspired throughout my sporting career by some amazing people and as Young Ambassadors, these youngsters have the opportunity and the talent to help us build on the huge buzz created by Britain’s successful 2012 bid.

“They will become role models to other young people and promote the benefits of sport and a healthy lifestyle – and also hopefully inspire a new breed of medal winners and sporting champions.”

The Young Ambassador programme, which is being managed by the Youth Sport Trust on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Education and Skills, has been welcomed by London 2012 Chairman Seb Coe.

He said: “We know thousands of young people across Britain supported London’s bid and we want to build on that enthusiasm over the next six years. These Young Ambassadors can use the fantastic opportunities the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will present to help inspire more young people to take up sport.”

Young Ambassador conferences will be held at Lancashire County Cricket Club on Thursday 22 June, Taunton Racecourse on Tuesday 27 June, the National Hockey Stadium, in Milton Keynes, on Thursday 29 June, and Leeds United Football Club on Tuesday 4 July.

School Sport Partnerships - groups of schools working together to develop PE and sport opportunities for all young people - nominated two Young Ambassadors, one boy and one girl, based on them being either a gifted and talented sportsperson or engaged in leadership and volunteering through the Government’s Step into Sport programme.

The first ‘Next Step Conference’ took place in Amsterdam, in 2003, as an international Expert Meeting on sustainable development in and through sport. A follow up conference was held in Zambia in June, 2005 which was staged as part of the United Nation’s International Year of Sport and Physical Recreation.

The UK will co-host the conference in 2007 in Namibia with the Supreme Council for Sport Zone VI. Dates and themes for the conference will be announced shortly.

The Young Ambassador programme is just one of the initiatives Dame Kelly Holmes is supporting in her Government (DfES and DCMS) backed role as National School Sport Champion, in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, Sky through the Living For Sport programme and Norwich Union.

Related links:
Specialist Sports Colleges and School Sport Partnerships
Kelly Holmes official website
Department of Culture, Media and Sport
Chelsea FC