This year’s Youth Charter End of Year Report reflects a major milestone of the last three decades that has seen the tragedy of a 14-year-old schoolboy’s life lost on the streets of Moss Side during the bidding of an Olympic and Paralympic Games that inspired a social movement over 30 years of sport for development and peace.
 
Over those three decades, many projects, programmes and initiatives and experiences have been faced in challenges and opportunities in the lives of young people and communities locally, nationally and internationally.
 
Our vision, mission, objectives and values are enshrined in our belief that it is a fundamental human right that young people have access to sport, arts and cultural activity as part of their mental, physical and emotional health, wellbeing and development. When this right is denied, the disadvantage and disaffection leads to antisocial behaviours, gang related activity and in some cases extremism. This impacts on the quality of life, not only of the young person, but their victims, families, friends, communities and society as a whole. 
 
This report provides a reflection of our work and continues to see our fight for the streets for peace, a #call2action and a #legacyopportunity 4all as outlined in our Community Campuses, Social Coach Leadership Programme, Youthwise offer and Sport For Development for Peace Impact Fund.
 
2023 saw one of our busiest years ever and the consequences of not working in true collaboration and partnership saw 85 lives lost (under the age of 21) on the streets of the UK. This worrying trend of lives lost, not only in the UK but globally continues to see us advocate, campaign and present hope and opportunity for our future citizens. 
 
Despite this fact, our work continues to be a volunteer effort and is only supported by the goodwill of individuals and organisations. We would like to thank our Vice Presidents, Trustees, supporters and friends for their time, effort, energy and donations. 
 
Finally, we pay tribute to those who now remain with us in spirit and leave us with their wisdom, knowledge and understanding: Kate Nagle, Mike McFarlane, Sir Bobby Charlton and Violet Thompson.
 
Geoff Thompson,
Founder & Chair,
www.youthcharter.org