The day began with an inspirational introduction, featuring an athlete role model, Ayaz Bhuta MBE, a British Paralympic wheelchair rugby player who won an Olympic Gold Medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, and a current young role model who shared their personal experiences of overcoming barriers in sport.

Students then participated in three key workshops:

1. Empowering Changemakers – Focused on leadership skills and the STEP Model (Space, Task, Equipment, People) to make sports more accessible.
2. Inclusive Youth Leadership – Encouraged students to design and create inclusive activities that cater to all abilities.
3. Making a Difference – Helped students develop action plans to bring inclusive sports initiatives back to their schools.

The event concluded with a reflection session, ensuring every student left with practical strategies and the confidence to implement change in their school communities.

Upon returning to school, we immediately noticed a positive transformation in our young leader students. They embraced their newfound leadership roles with pride, demonstrating a deeper understanding of the importance of youth leadership in promoting inclusivity and engagement in physical activity.

Their behaviour significantly improved, as they recognised that their peers looked up to them as role models. With this awareness, they took initiative and began actively encouraging participation in school-wide activities.

Every Thursday, they now invite the entire secondary school to take part in a variety of physical activities, including tag rugby, hockey, dance, and basketball. It has been incredible to witness students who would not typically interact come together, fostering teamwork, collaboration, and new friendships. Conversations and connections have extended beyond these sessions, with students of different ages and backgrounds engaging with one another more openly and inclusively in the playground.

Our young leaders are thriving in their roles, growing in confidence each week. Many have already expressed a desire to extend their leadership to work with primary students, further expanding the impact of inclusive sports within our school community.