Youth Charter Celebrates 32 Years

The Youth Charter is proudly marking its 32nd anniversary, celebrating over three decades of using sport as a catalyst for social change.

 

As we reflect on our journey, we reaffirm our call for greater support in advancing the Youth Charter Community Campus model—providing safe, inclusive, and transformative spaces where young people from disadvantaged and disaffected communities can thrive through sport, art, culture, and digital engagement.

This milestone comes at a historic moment for global sport. With the election of Africa’s first woman IOC President, we witness a groundbreaking shift towards greater equity, representation, and opportunity in international sport leadership. This is further reinforced by the evolving IOC-UN Accord, which strengthens the role of sport as a tool for sustainable development, peace, and inclusion.

The Youth Charter stands ready to build on these global commitments by driving grassroots change. The Community Campus initiative offers young people and their communities the resources, mentorship, and structured pathways they need to develop skills, confidence, and resilience. However, for these efforts to reach their full potential, we call for:

• Increased investment from policymakers, businesses, and governing bodies to expand our Community Campus network.
• Stronger partnerships with national and international sports organisations to embed sport for development at every level.
• Greater recognition of sport’s role in addressing social inequality, mental health, and economic opportunities for young people.

“At a time when global sport is embracing diversity, inclusion, and development, we must ensure that these principles translate into tangible action for the most marginalized communities,” said Geoff Thompson, Founder of Youth Charter. “We urge all stakeholders, governments, private sector leaders, and the international sporting community to support initiatives like the Youth Charter Community Campus and truly unlock sport’s potential as a force for good.”

As we celebrate 32 years of impact, the Youth Charter remains committed to ensuring that every young person, regardless of background, has access to the life-changing opportunities that sport can provide.

Join us in shaping a more equitable future, one where sport transforms lives, communities, and society as a whole.