The multi-day digital event featured speakers from across sport, as well as from City Football Group, inspiring young people from around the world to take more ideas back to their own projects.
More than 250 young leaders from 23 cities attended the summit – including a number from the US.
We caught up with two of Man City’s Young Leaders from Los Angeles, California, to hear about their experience of the summit, and how they’ve taken the ideas back to their community football projects. The Healthy Goals programme in LA was successfully launched in 2017. With generous support from Nexen Tire, to date the programme has empowered over 40 Young Leaders who have in turn positively impacted the lives of 600 young people in LA using the universal language of football.
Laura Marquez, Los Angeles
Community project: Leadership, healthy lifestyle, and proper hydration
As part of my work with Man City Young Leaders, I volunteered at the organization East LA Rising, and the relationships I built in just a few initial months were incredible.
During community football practice, we played games and talked about the importance of being healthy. I didn’t realize how talking about leadership and giving the children the opportunity for their voices to be heard would have such an impact on them.
If we continue having engaging positive conversations and not making fitness a chore, but a place to let loose, children will have fun learning about adopting a healthy lifestyle.
We especially enjoyed making sure kids as young as five to eight years old got the tools to both stay hydrated, and share the importance of that with their friends.
During the virtual summit this summer, I really appreciated learning how to adapt rapidly to different skill levels and age groups, a skill that is crucial for a Young Leader to develop and improve through each session we deliver.
Yousuf Yamani, Los Angeles
Community project: School supply and safety equipment drive
The skills I learned during the digital Young Leaders summit in July motivated me to organize a school supply giveaway at the end of August.
Our aim for the giveaway was to better equip children for the upcoming schoolyear, by giving away backpacks and school supplies, providing them with all the tools needed to succeed.
We also distributed our program’s Healthy Goals workbook and soccer balls, so we could continue to spread the message of a healthy lifestyle and physical activity, even during uncertain times.
The digital Young Leaders summit also inspired us to start hosting virtual webcam sessions to instruct the children using the curriculum of the Healthy Goals workbook.
Due to COVID-19, families are spending more time outdoors on their bikes, skateboards, and scooters, so we also decided to give away helmets so the children can ride around town safely.
In addition, we distributed face masks, an essential item to use in everyday life, encouraging safety to preserve the health of our community.
