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Executive Summary

Since its founding in 1993, the Youth Charter has worked across the Commonwealth to promote the role of sport, arts and culture in advancing youth development, social inclusion and peace.

Through a combination of policy advocacy, community-based programmes, international partnerships and major sporting event legacies, the Youth Charter has contributed to the evolution of the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) ecosystem across Commonwealth countries.

Key milestones include:

• Engagement with post-apartheid South Africa during the mid-1990s

• Contributions to the legacy of the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games

• International youth leadership initiatives linked to global sporting events

• Community engagement work connected to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

• Development of the Community Campus Model, a global framework for youth engagement through sport, education and digital innovation.

Today the Youth Charter’s work supports the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contributes to the Commonwealth Secretariat’s growing recognition of sport as a tool for sustainable development.

1. Foundations: Early Commonwealth Engagement (1993–2006)

The Youth Charter was established in 1993 as a social legacy organisation dedicated to promoting the use of sport, arts and culture for youth development and community empowerment.

From its earliest years, the organisation developed strong links across the Commonwealth, particularly through initiatives addressing youth exclusion, education and community regeneration.

One of the Youth Charter’s earliest international engagements occurred during the mid-1990s, when the organisation began working with partners in post-apartheid South Africa. These initiatives sought to support reconciliation, youth participation and social development through sport.

A key milestone occurred in 1997, when the Youth Charter participated in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Edinburgh, presenting its vision at the“Building a Nation through Sport”. This event helped position sport as an important tool for youth engagement and nation-building within the Commonwealth context.

During this period the Youth Charter also developed a number of pioneering community programmes, including:

• Connecting Communities, a youth engagement initiative linked to the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games

• Spirit of the Streets, a youth sport and cultural exchange programme involving South Africa and the United Kingdom

• Policy research including the report “Sport as a Contributor to Social Regeneration”

In 2006, the Youth Charter launched the Youth Charter ‘12’ Commonwealth Report at the Commonwealth Secretariat. The report proposed a strategic framework for youth development through sport and community engagement, helping to shape emerging dialogue around Sport for Development and Peace within the Commonwealth.

2. Expansion of the Sport for Development Agenda (2007–2017)

Between 2007 and 2017 the Youth Charter expanded its international work, supporting youth leadership initiatives and major sporting event legacies.

In 2007, the organisation delivered a Social Coach Leadership Programme (SCLP) workshop with the Namibia Sports Commission and provided support and advisory input to the youth legacy of the Nigeria 2007 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

The Youth Charter also contributed to advocacy surrounding major football tournaments. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, it supported youth engagement initiatives associated with England’s bid for the 2006 FIFA World Cup and South Africa’s successful 2010 FIFA World Cup bid, helping promote the social legacy potential of major sporting events.

The Youth Charter later delivered Social Coach Leadership Programme workshops linked to the Future Champions International Youth Tournament in Gauteng, South Africa, bringing together youth teams from across the world for competition and leadership development.

In the United Kingdom, the organisation implemented a range of community initiatives, including the Carbonwise Sport and Arts Programme, which engaged schools in environmental education and sport.

The Youth Charter also supported youth leadership development through partnerships with universities and international organisations. Commonwealth scholarship students from institutions such as the University of Salford participated in internships and placements with the organisation, contributing to youth programmes and research projects linked to community sport and development.

In 2017, the Youth Charter worked with the Muhammad Ali Centre in Louisville, USA, delivering Social Coach workshops under the “Float Like a Butterfly” (FLAB) programme and Project Greateness, which integrates the Ali Centre’s Six Core Principles into youth leadership training.

These initiatives strengthened the Youth Charter’s role within the wider global Sport for Development and Peace movement.

3. Renewed Commonwealth Engagement (2018–2020)

In 2018, the Youth Charter renewed its engagement with the Commonwealth Secretariat through a series of youth leadership initiatives and events.

These included participation in the Commonwealth Youth Roadshows, which brought together young leaders, policymakers and development practitioners to discuss youth empowerment and international cooperation.

Key events included:

• Communities Youth Network event, held at the Royal Overseas League in London

• Glasgow Commonwealth Roadshow, hosted at the University of Glasgow

• Model CHOGM Manchester, organised and delivered by the Youth Charter.

During this period, Youth Charter Founder and Chair Geoff Thompson also met with Commonwealth Secretary-General Baroness Patricia Scotland KC, to discuss opportunities for collaboration on youth leadership development and sport-based social change initiatives.

The Youth Charter’s work increasingly focused on the development of its Community Campus Model, a place-based framework designed to integrate sport, education, culture and digital innovation in local communities.

In 2020, the Community Campus model was presented at the Council for Education in the Commonwealth and the Association of Commonwealth Universities 60th Anniversary Conference, titled “Fit for Purpose: Health, Sport and Play in Education”.

4. Major Games Legacy: Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games represented a significant milestone in the Youth Charter’s Commonwealth engagement.

The Youth Charter became a United by Birmingham 2022 partner, supporting youth engagement and community legacy initiatives connected to the Games.

Activities included:

• Presentations to the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee on youth development and sport legacy opportunities

• Delivery of Social Coach Leadership Programme workshops in Birmingham and Wolverhampton

• Participation in community engagement initiatives, including the Birmingham Rockets Open Day

• Attendance at the Queen’s Baton Relay launch at Buckingham Palace

• Cultural engagement activities, including a Windrush Day screening event in Birmingham

During the Games, the Youth Charter also hosted representatives from Uganda and Canada national teams as part of its hospitality and cultural exchange programme.

5. The Community Campus Model: A Global Framework

Following the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the Youth Charter expanded its Community Campus network, establishing campuses in Birmingham and Kampala.

These campuses form part of a growing international network designed to support youth development through integrated sport, education and community programmes.

The Community Campus model operates through three core principles:

• Engage – Equip – Empower

Key activities include:

• Social Coach Leadership Programme (SCLP) training

• Youth education and employability programmes

• Community sport and cultural engagement

• Digital innovation and data platforms

• Partnerships with universities, NGOs and local authorities.

The Birmingham Community Campus is now part of the Sport England supported Youthwise Community Campus Project, alongside campuses in London and Manchester.

This model has the potential to be replicated across Commonwealth countries as part of a coordinated international approach to youth empowerment through sport.

6. Sport, Development and the SDGs

The Youth Charter’s work aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly:

• SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being

• SDG 4 – Quality Education

• SDG 5 – Gender Equality

• SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth

• SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities

• SDG 11 – Sustainable Communities

• SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals.

Through its projects, programmes and initiatives, the Youth Charter contributes to a growing international recognition of the role of sport in addressing social challenges and supporting sustainable development.

7. Future Opportunities for Commonwealth Collaboration

In 2026, the Commonwealth Secretariat launched “The Global Sport and Sustainable Development Goals Baseline and Initial Impact Report”.

This report marks a significant milestone in recognising the role of sport as a development tool across Commonwealth countries.

The Youth Charter’s Community Campus framework provides a practical mechanism through which governments, civil society organisations and international partners can implement many of the report’s recommendations.

As the Commonwealth continues to explore the potential of sport to support youth development and social inclusion, organisations such as the Youth Charter can play an important role in supporting policy implementation at the community level.

Conclusion

For more than three decades, the Youth Charter has contributed to the development of the Sport for Development and Peace agenda across the Commonwealth. 

Through community programmes, international partnerships and major sporting event legacies, the organisation has demonstrated how sport can support youth empowerment, education and social cohesion.

As the Commonwealth looks to strengthen the role of sport in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the Youth Charter’s Community Campus Model offers a scalable framework capable of delivering meaningful impact for young people and communities across the Commonwealth.