The Youth Charter marked 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.
Voici un résumé concis en français :
La Youth Charter célèbre son 32e anniversaire, soulignant son impact social grâce au sport. Elle appelle à un soutien accru pour son modèle de Campus Communautaire, offrant aux jeunes défavorisés des espaces de développement via le sport, l’art, la culture et le numérique.
Dans un contexte de changements positifs au sein du sport mondial, avec l’élection de la première femme présidente du CIO africaine et le renforcement de l’accord CIO-ONU, la Youth Charter demande :
* Des investissements accrus pour étendre son réseau de Campus Communautaires.
* Des partenariats renforcés avec les organisations sportives.
* Une reconnaissance accrue du rôle du sport dans la lutte contre les inégalités.
Geoff Thompson, fondateur, insiste sur la nécessité de traduire les principes d’inclusion en actions concrètes pour les communautés marginalisées.
La Youth Charter reste déterminée à offrir des opportunités transformatrices à tous les jeunes.
