Hello, my name is Aidan, and I have recently been appointed as a Team Leader with the Youth Sport Trust. As part of this role, I attended the Youth Leadership Residential 2025 on 17 - 18 October, where I met my fellow Team Leaders, Youth Board members, and other amazing Youth Sport Trust staff.

How did I feel about attending?
Leading up to the residential, I was both nervous and excited about what the experience would bring and the people I would meet. I wondered whether we would bond as a team and whether I could align my values and skills with others from such a range of backgrounds. Any anxiety I felt quickly disappeared as soon as I arrived, when I was greeted with smiles and enthusiastic energy from both Youth Sport Trust staff and the other Team Leaders and Youth Board members. I felt welcomed and valued all weekend through icebreakers, team building, and problem-solving activities.

What did I enjoy?
I really enjoyed connecting with my fellow Team Leaders and the Youth Board, working together on tasks and having meaningful discussions about our motivations to volunteer with the Youth Sport Trust, the qualities we saw in each other, our career aspirations, and our experiences in sport and physical activity. I enjoyed expanding my network with these inspirational individuals and beginning our journey together to achieve the purpose statement we drafted and agreed upon as a group.

I also enjoyed collaborating through thoughtful discussion and fun team building and problem-solving activities while building up a bank of resources to use when delivering Youth Sport Trust projects to engage young people through sport, physical activity and play. It was great to connect on a personal level during our downtime, too, where we continued to bond through light-hearted games and conversations over meals.

What did I learn?
I learnt about the key roles and responsibilities of an effective and engaging Youth Sport Trust Team Leader and which qualities and skills are important to develop to achieve the charity’s aims of youth empowerment and inclusion through sport, physical activity and play. Through conversations with Youth Sport Trust staff and experienced Team Leaders, I learnt that when working on projects and camps, I will need to be flexible and able to adapt to different challenges and the varying needs of individuals to ensure safe and inclusive delivery. I also learnt that the more I put into the role, the more I will get out of it. Although it may sometimes be challenging, I will be rewarded by seeing the young people we work with thrive, express themselves and build confidence, skills, and connections through sport.

My key takeaways
My key takeaways include the purpose statement we created as a group, which will help us focus our efforts on a shared objective and keep us working together in the same direction. I also learnt that I can effectively connect, communicate, and collaborate with a wide range of people from different social, ethnic, cultural, and geographical backgrounds. I will continue to focus my personal development on improving the key attributes needed to be an effective Team Leader.

I really enjoyed my time at the Youth Leadership Residential 2025 in Doncaster and found it a fantastic way to kickstart my journey as a Team Leader with the Youth Sport Trust. My only feedback would be to make it longer, as I enjoyed it so much I didn’t want to leave!