Young Leaders help celebrate the Paralympic Values
The Paralympic Values have been celebrated by young people across London in a series of community projects to engage disabled people in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
London 2012 and BP are delivering the Young Leaders programme in four UK locations.
The young people are part of the London 2012 Young Leaders programme, a personal development programme which gives them the chance to make a positive change to their lives and local communities.
The events held across the city celebrated the Paralympic Values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality. They included a sports day for children with special needs, a fashion show for people with severe learning difficulties and Down’s Syndrome and an Olympic and Paralympic-themed art project.
Paul Deighton, CEO of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: ‘With 500 days to go to the London 2012 Paralympic Games, it’s fantastic that through this project young people are living the values of the Paralympic Games and making a real difference in their community. I congratulate the Young Leaders on their work and encourage them to continue to inspire people in their community using the power of the Games.’
The programme is supported by BP and enables young people to participate in a number of volunteering opportunities based around BP’s four main locations of Canary Wharf, Sunbury-on-Thames, Hull and Aberdeen. The scheme is being delivered in partnership with V, The National Young Volunteers Service, and the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust.
Chosen on the basis of their commitment to the programme and potential to benefit from it, the Young Leaders are taking part in an 18-month training course designed to improve their communication and leadership skills. Those who successfully complete the programme will take on high-profile volunteering roles at London 2012, applying their expertise to ensure athletes and spectators get the most out of the Games.
