In August, we delivered a Multi-Skills Activators course to 19 young people – a group who, not too long ago, were participants themselves on a Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. Now, they’re trained and ready to step into the role of peer activators – supporting other young people on the very camps they once attended.
That’s not just progress. That’s a full-circle moment. And it's worth pausing to take that in. More Than Just Meals...
We all remember the powerful campaigning Marcus Rashford led during the pandemic – challenging government decisions and ensuring that no child went hungry during school holidays. The HAF programme was born out of that movement, a recognition that food insecurity, isolation, and lack of opportunity don’t take time off just because schools do.
What often gets missed, though, is what happens next. After the sandwiches have been eaten and the dodgeballs put away, what stays with those young people?
That’s where this Multi-Skills course came in.
Let’s be honest – not all 19 were easy breezy to work with. Some were challenging. Some were challenged. But all of them showed up, and that matters. We explored inclusive delivery, multi-skills games, and what it means to make sport accessible to everyone. But what we really did was hold up a mirror and say: You’ve got value. You’ve got something to offer. Let’s find it together.
For a few, this was the first time anyone had expected them to lead anything – to step up, take responsibility, and imagine themselves as someone other people might look up to. That’s a powerful thing. Uncomfortable at times, sure. But transformative too. There’s something deeply moving about watching a young person – who once hung back or acted out – now setting up cones, explaining rules, and encouraging others. It's more than a skills course. It's about showing young people who they could be if someone believes in them enough.
The beauty of this particular cohort is that they’re not your polished, PE-loving kids. They’re real, raw, and relatable – and that makes them perfect peer leaders for the next wave of HAF participants. They know what it’s like to be overlooked, underestimated, or written off. This makes them more empathetic, more creative, and more authentic in their leadership.
Whether you’re a Coach, Teacher, Mentor, or Volunteer – take a minute to ask yourself:
- Who have I helped move from participant to leader?
- Whose potential am I still sitting on because they don’t fit the “perfect” mould?
- What barriers are we accidentally upholding – and what small changes might break them down?
Because inclusion isn’t just about designing the right games. It’s about creating the conditions where young people can see themselves as capable, valued, and important. Especially the ones who’ve never been told that before.
Those 19 young people now have a qualification under their belts. But more importantly, they have a sense of purpose, a new role in their community, and a lived understanding of what it means to make sport more welcoming.
If that’s not a legacy of the HAF programme – and Marcus Rashford’s advocacy – I don’t know what is.
Let’s keep asking: How are we building stepping stones, not barriers?
Let’s keep turning participants into leaders. Let’s keep helping young people rewrite their story – through movement, community, and a little bit of belief.
