January
The Youth Charter started 2018 with the presentation of cheque for £245 by Cording, the owners of our old headquarters in Anchorage Quay where we were located for 21 years.
University of Salford students, Celestine Oziri and Jay Banner-Jee, continued their internships with the Youth Charter.
With the escalating youth violence seeing scores of young lives lost in London and across the UK, the Newham’s Youth Movement’s ‘Addressing Safety through Active Participation’ (ASAP) Conference which was hosted at UEL. Within his respective roles as Chair of the University of East London and Chair of the Youth Charter Geoff Thompson was part of a panel that included the local authority, a local councillor, Chair of Local Children’s Safeguarding Board and the Metropolitan Police.
During this conference a number of young people presented the issues of anxiety and fear following the shooting of their friend Corey Junior Davis, a 14-year-old schoolboy gunned down in a park in Newham on September 4th 2017. Geoff Thompson pledged to provide:
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Somewhere To Go (where they would be safe and taken off the streets),
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Something To Do (with sporting, artistic, cultural and digital activities) and
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Someone To Show Them (how to develop their mental, physical and emotional life skills resilience)
February
In February, the YC contributed to two conferences:
1. Why Sport Wales “Getting Wales Moving”
The Why Sport Wales conference represented an ongoing relationship between Why Sport and Youth Charter with the YC Chair, Geoff Thompson Chairing Why Sport conferences in 2016, 2017 and now 2018. As well as Chairing the Getting Wales Moving conference, Geoff presented how the Youth Charter’s Community Campus and Social Coach Leadership programme can support the implementation and delivery of the 2005 Welsh Assembly’ ‘Wellbeing of Future Generations Act’, which is focused on the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales and which see’s Public Bodies expected to:
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work together better
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involve people reflecting the diversity of our communities
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look to the long term as well as focusing on now
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take action to try and stop problems getting worse - or even stop them happening in the first place
Co-chairing the conference was UK’s record medal winning Paralympian, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, one the YC’s original ambassador scroll signatories. Also present at the invitation of the YC was Olympic champion Darren Campbell MBE, who was supported by the Youth Charter throughout his athletic career.
2. Coaching in Islamic Culture
The Youth Charter delivered a presentation at the launch of Coaching in Islamic Culture - Ershad Coaching - book by UEL psychologist Professor Christian van Nieuwerburgh and executive coach Raja’a Yousif Allaho. The Youth Charter’s presentation linked it’s work with the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Ali Six Core Principles.
March
The Youth Charter celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a gathering of past, present and future YC associates and young people, including a visit by the Thailand National Karate team to the YC Offices in MediaCityUK and the National Taekwondo Centre in East Manchester.
The YC reconnected with the Commonwealth Secretariat in 2018, and contributed to, and helped to organise, their Commonwealth Youth Roadshows. The roadshows started in March with:
The YC’s Chair, Geoff Thompson, was invited to present to the Commonwealth Youth Leaders at the CommonTies Youth Network event which was held at the Royal Overseas League.
The Glasgow Commonwealth Roadshow was held at the University of Glasgow, where Geoff Thompson led the panel discussion on a Common Future for young people in the Commonwealth and around the world.
This work culminated in the YC organising and delivering a Model CHOGM Manchester in September. The YC is also in the process of producing its Commonwealth Report focused on its Sport for Development and Peace work with the Commonwealth
since the ‘Building a Nation through Sport’ conference, which was held at Edinburgh 1997 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
The Youth Charter’s latest international student, Julien Baud-Grasset, from Université of Lyon, France, started a three-month internship, contributing research material to the YC Commonwealth Report and learning about the Youth Charter’s 25 Year contribution to the Sport for Development and Peace movement/sector.
“I believe in sports and the arts and believe in Commonwealth Youth. You will shape the world you inherit, so dream big and contribute to it with meaningful and sustainable work.”
Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA DL, YC Founder & Chair, Message to Commonwealth Youth Leaders
April
Following the hosting by the Youth Charter of HAN University students in April 2016 and May 2017, the Youth Charter hosted a further group of HAN University students in April 2018. The group consisted of 12 Students and 2 Lecturers.
They visited Manchester as part of a three-day study trip, which included visiting community sport projects. The visit provided students with further insights and progress in the development of the Youth Charter Community Campus project.
A group of 21 academics from the Kenniscentrum Sport (Knowledge Centre for Sport Netherlands) also visited the Youth
Charter, providing the academics with an insight into the development of the Youth Charter Community Campus and Social Coach Leadership Programme.
YC Chair, Geoff Thompson, was also invited to meet with pupils from Manchester Grammar School and discuss his experiences as a World Karate Champion and the work of the Youth Charter.
May
The Youth Charter’s Founder and Chair, Geoff Thompson MBE FRS DL, was recognised for his 25 years of social and human development work at the 2018 Institute of Director North West Awards Ceremony, winning the Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Director and Board Practice.
Whilst our international intern, Julien Baud-Grasset, from Université of Lyon, France, completed his three-month internship with the Youth Charter.
June
Following the Institute of Directors (IoD) North West Awards ceremony, YC Executive Chair, Geoff Thompson MBRE FRSA DL, was asked to deliver a presentation on Purposeful Leadership at the IoD North West Annual Conference at Kings Dock in Liverpool.
As one intern leaves another arrives, this time it was local student, Elijah Kalamby, 16, a Year 11 pupil from Cedar Mount Academy in Gorton, Manchester. This was Elijah’s second internship with the Youth Charter having completed his first in in 2017, when he helped deliver the CBBC Summer Social FREE Schools event.
July
The Youth Charter’s 21 years of work was presented at the Salford CVS VCSE 2018 Annual Conference.
August
YC Chair and University of East London (UEL) Chair, Geoff Thompson, met with Baroness Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary-General, to discuss how UEL and the Youth Charter can help develop future commonwealth leaders. This was part of the Youth Charter’s ongoing work with Commonwealth Youth programme.
The Youth Charter was provided with boxing and combat sport equipment by Why Sports, which we redistributed to 5 junior combat sport clubs working with 280 children and young people in Salford and Trafford:
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Salford Lads Club - 35 young people participating in boxing sessions and is delivering boxing sessions with Oasis Academy MediaCityUK
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Salford City Boxing Academy – 80 children and young people participating in sessions and is delivering sessions in local schools
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Eccles Boxing School – 50 children and young people participating in sessions and is delivering sessions in local schools
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Salford Muay Thai – 50 children and young people participating in sessions and opening new venue in Swinton
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Fighting Fit 4 Fitness - 65 children and young people participating in sessions and is delivering sessions in local schools
The clubs were each provided with access to the Youth Charter Digiwise Project Portal and the Digital Passport for Social Coaches and Young People.
September
The Model CHOGM Manchester provided students from schools in Greater Manchester with the opportunity to learn about the Commonwealth, its politics, history and much more.
The Model CHOGM Manchester event included: 7 Schools; 60 Pupils; 14 Teachers; 12 Event Staff, Volunteers and Guests.
The overwhelming response from pupils, teachers and event staff, volunteers and guests was very positive and is something that can be built on in the delivery of future Model CHOGMs.
The Model CHOGM Manchester provided an excellent \ opportunity for young Global Citizens to be engaged, equipped and empowered through debate, discussion and lobbying on issues that are impacting on all the youth and communities of our 21st Century Global Society.
October
YC Office Move to East London
The Youth Charter moved its headquarters to East London after 22 Years located in Salford Quays/MediaCityUK. This represented a significant move for the Youth Charter in its 25th Anniversary Year as it plans for its next 25 years.
YC '25' Salford Report
The Youth Charter ‘25’ Salford Report reflects the agency’s work in Salford, as part of its Greater Manchester birth, growing pains and coming of age, as a corporate social responsibility legacy of the Manchester 2000 Olympic bid and successful hosting of the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games.
Please see link to download the Youth Charter '25' Salford Report.
November
The IoD North West Leadership Passport delivered its first session to encourage young potential leaders from Greater Manchester’s African Diaspora. The Leadership Passport was developed in partnership by IoD North West, Youth Charter and Bolton CPD.
The IoD North West Leadership Passport will comprise four bespoke events over the year:
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Building your personal brand.
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Politics is important - and why you should get involved.
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Starting up your own business - turning your idea into a business, social enterprise, charity or project.
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The Big Community Pitch - young people’s ideas for tackling a local problem or opportunity.
In addition, as part of the Leadership Passport, our participants will also have access to relevant IoD (and IoD partners’) events in Manchester and across the North West over the year.
December
The year came to an end with YC Founder and Chair, Geoff Thompson, presenting at and chairing the Combatting Gangs, Violence and Weapon Crime Conference at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. The conference couldn’t be more timely and imperative as the UK experiences increasing violence and weapon crime.
At the same time the Youth Charter further developed the East London Community Campus in partnership with the University of East London and the London Legacy Development Corporation.
