Last week, 460 Young Leaders – who are all football coaches in their communities – took part in our third and final Forum of the season, looking at creating safe, healthy and inclusive spaces for young people to play, connect and learn.
The Young Leaders were joined by Manchester City coaches via Webex by Cisco to discuss the importance of healthy, active lifestyles, and creating safe spaces to play for their local communities.
Delivered in five different languages, this month’s Forum featured a live 90-minute interactive discussion, coaching tips from City coaches, and an educational task for Young Leaders to highlight how they can have a positive impact on the environment.
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The quarterly Forums provide a regular opportunity for Young Leaders to connect with each other to share learning and innovation on using the power of football to uplift the health and wellbeing of young people in their communities.
Brenda, a Young Leader in Mexico City who presented to other young leaders in the Forum, said: “The Forums are a brilliant opportunity to connect with other like-minded young leaders around the world. It’s amazing to take part in the knowledge exchange between projects and make friends in different countries!”
Gareth Hughes, International Programmes Manager at City’s global foundation, said: “It’s been fantastic to see so many of our Young Leaders connecting and sharing knowledge with one another through the Forums this season. We hope they continue to put what they have learnt into practice at their community pitches around the world.”
Over the course of the season, the Forums have facilitated conversation on how football can improve participants’ mental health, physical health and their sense of belonging. The focus on health and safe spaces to play comes as City in the Community has launched its new fundraising initiative - Healthy Goals - aimed at uplifting the physical and mental health of local young people through new community football pitches in Manchester.
The Digital Forums have been a key part of Cityzens Giving’s digital learning network, powered by Cisco, which drives year-round connectivity across projects and Young Leaders globally.
