30 Jan Premier League Youth Summit ensures young people from Huddersfield Town Foundation have their voices heard

A participant from Huddersfield Town Foundation will join hundreds of young people for a special Premier League Youth Summit on Tuesday (30 January), as part of the Premier League’s commitment to supporting youth voice.

Delivered via the Premier League Charitable Fund, through the national Premier League Kicks and Premier League Inspires programmes, the event will see 16-to-18-year-olds from 39 professional football club community organisations come together to share their views on the issues that are affecting them and their communities.

Held at Burton Albion Football Club, the in-person summit will be presented by DJ Kennedy Taylor and will encourage young people to engage in discussions around gender equality, anti-racism, LGBTQ+ issues, environmental sustainability and career pathways.

With the theme of Empowering Future Leaders, participants will have the opportunity to hear from inspirational young people, including Sky Sports News reporter, Fadumo Olow, and former FA Youth Panel Chair, Nayim Ahmed, alongside interactive workshops and sessions devised to support the development of key employability and leadership skills.

Premier League Charitable Fund Chief Executive, Ruth Shaw OBE, said: “Children and young people are at the heart of our work and the purpose of the Premier League Charitable Fund. We believe in the power of youth to drive positive change, and we use the appeal of the Premier League and professional football to create platforms like the Premier League Youth Summit. This day is about giving young people the chance to thrive with the support of trusted and skilled adults. I’m excited to hear directly from young people about the issues affecting them, and how football can play a positive role in their schools, clubs and communities.”

One young person from Huddersfield Town Foundation Premier League Kicks activity will be taking part in this year’s Premier League Youth Summit.

Huddersfield Town Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Siobhan Atkinson, said: “Youth voice is at the heart of the work we deliver to support children and young people in the Kirklees District.

“We are keen to ensure that when young people speak, they are heard. Ultimately, it’s their voice that informs our practices and guarantees that what we do provides opportunities to genuinely progress their ambitions.

“The participant representing Huddersfield Town Foundation at the Youth Summit is an extremely committed individual who is focused towards a sports coaching pathway. Through the delivery of weekly activities, we have been supporting him to achieve this ambition and I’m confident that today’s event will broaden his horizons of what a career in sport could look like.”

Premier League Director of Community, Nick Perchard, said: “The Premier League is committed to promoting equality and giving young people from all backgrounds the opportunity to have their say. Football is more than a game and events such as the Premier League Youth Summit offer young people the chance to come together to discuss the topics that matter to them, to help shape their communities.

“It is vital that we continue to support and empower young people from every part of the community to tell us how the Premier League can best support them with the challenges they face in their everyday lives.”

The Premier League Youth Summit began in season 2020/21, with the aim of involving and supporting young people in positive conversation, while empowering them to tackle issues that affect their communities. More than 1000 young people have contributed to the discussions to date.