Press Release 23rd November 2010

School children from across Haringey, North London, today welcomed Olympic medallist Colin Jackson as part of a celebration of London 2012's International Inspiration programme.

Jackson, one of five International Inspiration Ambassadors, has just returned from a trip to Trinidad and Tobago where he saw how the programme was helping to inspire children and young people and give them a chance for a brighter future. Five Haringey schools have been twinned with five schools in Trinidad & Tobago as part of this programme.

International Inspiration is London 2012’s official international sports legacy programme and aims to use the power of physical education, sport and play to enrich the lives of millions of children and young people of all abilities in twenty countries across the world.

At Hornsey School for Girls, Colin met Young Leaders from all the Haringey schools who demonstrated the leadership skills they have learned through International Inspiration.

These Young Leaders worked together to run a primary school dance festival, a classroom based workshop discussing how the Olympic and Paralympic values can be used to address issues such as racial tensions, gangs and aggression and led a cricket session for younger pupils. They also talked to Colin about how International Inspiration is helping them to work in partnership with schools across the borough as well as with their counterparts in Trinidad and Tobago.

In Trinidad & Tobago, Jackson saw how International Inspiration has been using PE and sport as a way to address social, health, economic and development issues, including increasing use of alcohol and drugs in young people, the rise of youth gangs and sedentary lifestyles. These, coupled with a lack of safe spaces for young people and poor PE infrastructure, can mean opportunities for children and young people to engage in sport and play are limited.

Working with the government of Trinidad and Tobago, II aims to reach at least one in 10 children and young people over three years, and leave a lasting legacy by training sports coaches, improving facilities, improving the delivery of high quality and inclusive physical education in primary schools, creating youth friendly spaces and building links between UK and Trinidad and Tobago schools.

Colin Jackson, International Inspiration Ambassador, said: 'International Inspiration is truly remarkable. I lost count of the number of young people I met who are benefiting from the programme and embracing sport. In Trinidad & Tobago the programme is a fantastic way of engaging youngsters and keeping them safe by communicating important messages around HIV and drugs and giving them safe spaces to play sport. It has also really benefited the schools and communities over there in helping to tackle absenteeism and antisocial behaviour and giving young people an after school activity that keeps them off the streets.

'It was clear from all the children I met in London and in Trinidad and Tobago, how the programme has benefited them as individuals, helping them to flourish within a school environment, developing leadership and team work skills and fostering ambition.'

Abigail, a Young Leader from Hornsey School for Girls, said: 'Having an athlete like Colin Jackson visiting our school is really exciting - especially as he can tell us about his experience in Trinidad & Tobago with our link school. Through International Inspiration, and our link with Speyside School in Tobago we have learnt about leadership skills, conflict resolution and how to work as a team. I was also a Hornsey School representative at the UK School Games and worked with a fellow from Tobago, Hakeem Charles in terms of developing our leadership skills as students.'

Seb Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: 'I was lucky enough to see for myself the difference International Inspiration is making to children and young people's lives when I went to India last year to see some projects. I'm delighted Colin Jackson has had the same opportunity in Trinidad and Tobago. Our vision is to reach young people around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games and International Inspiration is helping us achieve this.'

The UK school partnerships are designed so that those involved choose a joint project that addresses priorities in their schools, using innovative approaches to PE, sport and play as the focus. The partnership also represents a chance for the schools to experience and explore each other's cultures, and for the pupils to develop valuable life skills, including leadership, communication and presentation skills.