The FINANCIAL — Lord Sebastian Coe, Chair of International Inspiration and London 2012, revealed that, two years on from the home Games, the UK’s pioneering International Inspiration Programme, a sporting and social legacy initiative that underpinned the British bid to host the Games, has exceeded all expectations in reaching over 25 million children and young people across 20 countries around the world, according to British Council.
Conceived from a promise made by Lord Coe in Singapore in 2005 to ‘reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to choose sport’, the programme has far surpassed its original ambition to inspire 12 million children and young people in 20 countries around the world.
The final evaluation report on the International Inspiration programme, undertaken by the independent evaluation and monitoring organisation Ecorys UK explored whether the programme had achieved its objectives, the impact of the programme and the extent to which it had delivered a sustainable legacy. The report found that the programme contributed to positive change at three levels of society:
• over 25 million children and young people have been inspired
• over 250,000 practitioners (teacher, coaches and leaders) have been trained, giving future generations around the world a stronger, more sustainable foundation to build local and national sporting systems and structures
• 55 national policies, strategies and legislative changes have been influenced
“It’s nearly ten years ago that I made a promise to ‘reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to choose sport’, and nearly a decade on we will have inspired over 25 million children and young people around the world by providing education and sporting opportunities that they otherwise wouldn’t have had,” Lord Coe, chair of International Inspiration, said.
“I am incredibly proud that we managed to make a difference, using sport as a tool for development, for so many children and young people all over the world, as a direct result of hosting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games here in the UK,” he added.
“The UK is a nation that cares passionately about international sport at all levels, and it has been our privilege to have been involved in this unique partnership delivering sport, and the associated benefits, to so many children and young people throughout the world. The International Inspiration Programme has far surpassed all that we imagined it could achieve, and the foundations laid will continue to ensure an enduring international legacy from the London 2012 Games. UK Sport will take the experiences, relationships and friendships created through this programme to continue to champion sport as an important tool for development around the world,” Liz Nicholl, Chief Executive of UK Sport, said.
“The British Council is proud to have played a part in what has been a true success story for the UK. Through International Inspiration we and our partners have not only helped to inspire millions of young people around the world to take part in sport and PE, we have also supported a vision of how sport can be used as part of education. This vision has been embraced by Ministries of Education and Ministries of Sport the world over, helping to create a truly international legacy for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Sir Martin Davidson, Chief Executive of the British Council, said.
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