From Young Ambassadors events in Cornwall to youth summits, conferences and Youth Voice Practitioner Training, Team Leaders are connecting with young people, representing Youth Sport Trust and developing their own leadership along the way.
Here are a few reflections from Team Leaders who have been out on the road recently.
Supporting Young People to Lead Change
Some of our Team Leaders have recently had the opportunity to attend Young Ambassadors events local to them, getting involved in the day and supporting young people as they develop their leadership and share ideas for change in their schools.
Aidan recently joined a Young Ambassadors event in Cornwall, where young people from multiple secondary schools came together to develop their leadership and explore how they can represent the voice of their peers and lead positive change in their schools through sport and physical activity.
Reflecting on the day, Aidan shared:
“The positive attitude from everyone involved was amazing to see. The activities helped young people explore key leadership qualities like courage, resilience, empathy and problem solving. By the end of the day, every young person I spoke to rated themselves higher in these areas than they had at the start.”
In Dorset, Team Leaders Poppy and Vito supported a series of workshops where students worked in groups to design and deliver activities to one another.
Poppy reflected:
“It was great to see the difference in attitudes between the start and end of each session. Watching students work with people they had never met before and successfully deliver activities to each other was brilliant.”
Building Trust and Confidence
Ruby recently attended an 'Ambitious about Inclusion' workshop in Newcastle, hosted by the Centre for Young Lives and Mission 44. The event brought together education leaders, youth advocates and community partners to explore practical actions to support vulnerable young people and improve school attendance.
“One of the biggest discussions we had was around the importance of trusted adults in schools. It made me reflect on the value of my role as a Team Leader in building trust with young people and helping them feel confident to share their voices.”
At the Generation Charnwood Conference, Katie found herself supporting conversations between current college students and younger pupils exploring their future pathways.
“Students went from being quite shy to really coming out of their shells. By the end of the day, we were having great conversations about college, sport and volunteering. It was really rewarding to help bridge that gap.”
Contributing to Wider Conversations
Team Leaders are also representing Youth Sport Trust and contributing to wider conversations about education, youth voice and inclusion.
Uly recently attended the Fair Education Alliance Youth Summit, where young people and organisations came together to discuss the future of education and how to rebuild trust between young people and government. During the summit, Uly heard from speakers including Zack Polanski, Deputy Leader of the Green Party, and joined discussions focused on improving opportunities and outcomes for young people.
“The event brought together passionate young people and organisations committed to making a difference. It reinforced the importance of collaboration and ensuring every young person has access to opportunities that help them thrive.”
Meanwhile, Lucy attended the Youth Sport Trust’s Youth Voice Practitioner Training at the University of Hertfordshire, exploring how youth voice can be embedded more deeply into decision-making.
“It was inspiring to be surrounded by practitioners who are committed to putting young people’s voices at the centre of their work. I’m excited to take some of these ideas back into my grassroots coaching and continue developing opportunities for young leaders.”
A Growing Network of Young Leaders
These experiences highlight the role Team Leaders are playing across the country – connecting with young people, contributing to events and continuing to develop their own leadership along the way. As the network grows, these opportunities help ensure Team Leaders are gaining the experiences and confidence needed to support and inspire the young people we work with.