The Youth Charter SCLP Stakeholder Introduction Workshop was the third in an engagement series of individuals and agencies that reflect the youth and community public, private, third and voluntary sector eco-system of presence on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (QEOP).
 
This year is an Olympic and Paralympic year and provides a further opportunity to see the ongoing legacy of major games.  The London 2012 pledge to ‘inspire a generation’ and now more than a decade on, a reaffirmed pledge to inspiring generations through the Float Like a Butterfly Social Coach Leadership Programme to realise a mental, physical and emotional health and wellbeing participation of physical activity for all.
 
London is a unique landscape of many cultures, identities, backgrounds and beliefs and the QEOP is an ongoing symbol of the diverse institutional presence and growing diversity of young talent and potential. However, there are still barriers of social, cultural and economic challenges that need to be overcome to see a #legacyopportunity4all realised. 
 
Since our #Call2Action in 2019 and during the pandemic, the post-Covid consultation has continued with the four boroughs that will be responsible for the QEOP in 2025. That will be a legacy year of Olympic and Paralympic achievements that will provide the London Youth Games with the ability to interact with the 33 boroughs of London and the diversity of young people and communities that can enjoy a Festival Finals experience that can go beyond London nationally and globally.
 
The Youth Charter London Community Campus provides holistic and integrated evidence of youth and community engagement and through the LLDC’s inclusive economy, a shift and growth hub of Youth and Evolve Boards that will give the games of the streets real and sustainable impact for future generations. 
 
I have had a unique insight from streets to stadiums and the occasional rostrums reflective of my respective roles that sees sport for development continue to represent a fundamental human right of access to sporting, cultural and artistic activities. 
 
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who contributed to this workshop and all other consultation activity over the past number of years. 
 
 
Prof Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA DL QP JM
Founder and Chair, Youth Charter
Chair, London Youth Games
Board Member, London Legacy Development Corporation