As the Youth Charter enters into its 30th year, 2021 has been one of the busiest periods in the agency’s life journey reflected an uncertain world of challenges and opportunities.

Sport and physical activity was impacted by the ongoing pandemic and the mental, physical and emotional health, wellbeing and safeguarding of young people in particular, that saw the resulting rise in anti-social gang related violence on our streets.

As the 2012 London Olympic Games is celebrated 10 years on, Birmingham is now months away from hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The mission aim of ‘A Games for Everyone’ and with a legacy plan that aims to improve the participation of young people, in particular, those from disadvantaged and disaffected backgrounds present challenges and opportunities that only a multi-sport festival can provide.

In order to increase participation, we need to have community-based leaders who will maintain the all-important relationship of trust, confidence and respect. The Social Coach Leadership Programme reflects a diverse and unique 29-year journey that has seen sport for development and peace experiences across the five continents.

In 2019, the Youth Charter launched its national ‘#Call2Action’ with the aim of engaging, equipping and empowering 1 million young people from 10 cities and 10,000 social coaches, recruited, selected and deployed as we attempt to level up our communities and build back
better.

The Youth Charter Community Campus cultural framework and impact matrix brings together true collaboration and partnership that sees real time data and information provided for the first time the all-important information that can inform policy and strategy and above all make more effective and efficient use of resources that for too long have failed in the fundamental provision of sporting, artistic and cultural activity.

The digital aspect of our work is now themed as part of our ‘interactively active and actively interactive’ portals providing local, national and international potential that will be set against the UN Youth Index and Sustainable Development Goals.

The Birmingham Social Coach Leadership Workshop provides hope and opportunity that will not only inspire generations but provide a truly holistic and integrated approach.

Our work will be inspired with a continued commitment to provide young people with an opportunity to develop in life providing them with somewhere to go, something to do and someone to show them.