2022 has been another action-packed year for the Access Sport Youth Board, full of a range of activities and opportunities for the Youth Board to contribute to Access Sport’s work. With the launch of Access Sport’s 2022-2027 Growth Strategy, Stand for Inclusion, the Youth Board is excited and continues to be very committed to supporting the organisation in ensuring that no one is excluded from the transformational benefits of community sport.

Here is my recap of the last year.

March 2022
On 8th March, Helen Rowbotham, (CEO of Access Sport) and I were invited to travel to Birmingham to be part of different panels for the ‘Include Summit’. This conference focused on equality and diversity in sports with the following objective: “to get 1 million underprivileged and underrepresented young people taking part in sport”. I sat on the Youth Panel and shared my thoughts about how important it is to engage young people in sport and ensure that there is a breadth of opportunities that are representative of each community. The conference was a thoroughly enjoyable experience which provided the opportunity to gain an insight into the different areas of EDI within sport whilst also networking with a range of individuals across the industry.

I also attended ‘An Evening with Access Sport’ with Ruby (the Vice-Chair of the Youth Board) in London. We had the opportunity to meet several of the charity’s partners, Ambassadors and supporters during the evening, whilst supporting Access Sport to raise vital funds to help more disabled and disadvantaged children and young people to access the benefits of sport.

April and May 2022
The Youth Board volunteered at several Access Sport events including the Southwark Active Together Festival celebrating inclusive sport for disabled people and their families in the borough. We also volunteered at the Lewisham Inclusive Sports Festival and the Waltham Forest Frame Running ‘Have a Go Day’, in partnership with CP Sport and WF Frame Running Club. It was fantastic to get involved in these events, to see inclusive sports sessions taking place and to understand the impact of the charity and its partnerships within the local community. The Youth Board looks forward to contributing to more of these events!

Summer 2022
Over the summer, Youth Board member Sky made history at the Commonwealth Games as Jamaica's first ever female weightlifter, finishing in sixth place! A fantastic achievement! I also took up a volunteering opportunity at Camp America and Ruby did the same at Camp Canada.

Plans ahead
The Youth Board are now busy planning for 2023 with plans including a charity fundraising match against the inclusive basketball club the London Titans, with more exciting projects in the pipeline! We will keep you updated.

 

Dren is Chair of Access Sport’s Youth Board. The Youth Board brings together young people who have an interest and passion in sport and inclusion and want to make a difference to ensure all children and young people have the same opportunities to access and take part in sport and physical activity.

Visit our Youth Board webpage to find out more and meet the members:
Youth Board webpage