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NEXT STEP TO HOST INTERNATIONAL PILOT OF 'YOUR GAME'

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Tim Crooks 06 September 2007

The Next Step conference hosted by UK Sport and its Southern African partners this September will offer youth throughout Namibia the chance to both influence policy and participate in sport, with the help of the BBC and the international pilot of ‘Your Game’ which was launched yesterday evening.

At a reception hosted by the Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, the BBC’s Director of Your Game, Caj Sohal, introduced the ‘Your Game All-Stars’ who will attend the conference to learn new skills from young people like them from all over the world. The launch was also supported by UK Sport’s Chair, Sue Campbell, and the Rt Hon Tessa Jowell, Minister for the London Olympics, who will also attend the conference in Namibia.

Your Game is a partnership between the BBC and the Football Foundation, with support from Barclays Spaces for Sports. This year thousands of young people took part in ten street-football festivals around the country. As part of a Youth Festival to be run in conjunction with the Next Step conference, Your Game will feature as an activity for hundreds of local youths and school children in the area.

The All-Stars have been selected for the outstanding contributions they have made to Your Game and their communities; as coaches, volunteers, referees, DJs and journalists. As part of the launch the All-Stars were introduced to Prime Minister Gordon Brown to discuss the challenge ahead.

Hosted by UK Sport in partnership with the Namibian Government, the Next Step conference on international sport and development and will bring together international organisations such as the IOC, FIFA and the UN, alongside grassroots projects which are using sport to address social issues such as HIV/Aids.

Sue Campbell welcomed the involvement of both Your Game and the All-Stars in helping to deliver the social development goals of Next Step:

“It’s a fantastic partnership that UK Sport and the BCC have worked hard to develop as we continue to seek new ways of reaching out young people from all backgrounds through sport. We are excited to be taking the Your Game All Stars to what will be an all new learning experience in Namibia. They will see first hand the difference that sport coupled with positive role models can make to every day life.”

The conference is a major element of UK Sport’s International Development Programme, and is part of UK Sport’s long-term strategic commitment on creating a lasting legacy by building capacity and skill development for those young leaders from Namibia, the Zone VI region and worldwide. Former leading athletes Edwin Moses, Frankie Fredericks and Dame Kelly Holmes will all be in attendance to speak on the use of sport as a tool for social change and inspiration.
 

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