United By 2022 Legacy Charity, the organisation dedicated to maximising the long-term positive impact of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, is thrilled to announce the continuation of five highly successful legacy programmes. This follows a decision from the West Midlands Combined Authority Investment Board relating to the Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund.
The Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund, made possible by the underspend from the Games, aims to extend the positive outcomes of the Games and create a lasting legacy for the communities involved. This fund represents an opportunity to invest in projects that will drive social change, improve well-being, and foster inclusivity for years to come.
Building on the impact of the Games, we are delighted to confirm the continuation of five legacy programmes that have already proven their effectiveness in making a difference to local people and communities:
- Volunteers Collective: Volunteers played an integral role in the success of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The Volunteers Collective programme aims to harness the spirit of the Games volunteers and continue to provide opportunities for individuals to make a meaningful impact in their communities. This digital platform will match keen volunteers in the West Midlands to new and exciting opportunities.
- Gen22: Gen22 recognizes the potential of young people to drive change and shape the future, and empowers young people aged 16-24. Through 30-hour assignments, mentorship, leadership development, and community engagement, this programme empowers the next generation to become catalysts for positive transformation in their communities and young leaders.
- Bring the Power: Bring the Power focuses on empowering young people aged 5-25 through the sport, arts, and digital sectors. Focused on women and girls in sport, SEND opportunities, and youth voice, Bring the Power seeks to address the imbalance of female representation within the sports sector and to improve access to opportunities for young people with disabilities.
- Critical Mass: Originally part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival, Critical Mass is a high-profile dance and movement project that engages hundreds of participants aged 16-30 years old from the West Midlands who are representative of the diversity of the region. The programme brings together young people with disabilities, and without, to encourage them to move more and perform as a united dance group.
- Social Value: The Games pledged to benefit local businesses and communities, and it generated £300 million in Social Value impact. UB22 aims to continue this legacy by facilitating organisations to embed Social Value, to measure their impact, to build capacity and skills in the region’s community organisations and to catalyse radical collaboration by bringing together community organisations and corporate partners.
United By 2022 Chair, Sir David Thompson QPM DL said:
“On behalf of United by 2022 Legacy Charity, we celebrate the announcement of the Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund which will strengthen the legacy of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Through the continuation of our successful Trailblazer legacy programmes, we are committed to making a lasting difference in the lives of individuals and communities. The Games were just the beginning, and with the collective effort and support from our partners, we will continue to create positive change. By investing in projects that harness the transformative power of sport, communities, arts and culture, we are building on the momentum that was generated by the Games.”
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said:
“It was always our intention that – beyond the summer of sporting spectacle – the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games would leave behind a lasting legacy by delivering a meaningful impact on the lives of local people right across our region for months and years to come.
“That’s why I’m delighted to see that vision now bearing fruit. It’s great to see the impact these trailblazer legacy programmes are already having – supporting 1,000 young people to enact change in their own communities, facilitating one million hours of volunteering, and working with 2,000 schools to improve sporting opportunities for females and young people with disabilities.
“As we approach the first anniversary of the Games, it’s wonderful news that – with this new legacy funding – these programmes can continue to change lives for the better right across our region, improving the health and wellbeing of our residents and overall quality of life here in the West Midlands.”
Nicola Turner MBE, Executive Director for the Legacy Charity said:
“We are thrilled to announce the continuation of five successful Trailblazer legacy programmes, supported by the Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund. United By 2022 is purpose-built to extend the legacy of the Games and bring it to communities across the West Midlands, especially to those who may not have felt the magic of the Games last summer. The Trailblazer programmes have already demonstrated their value and extending them will create more legacy, for more people in the West Midlands until 2025.”
United by 2022 Legacy Charity is grateful for the ongoing support of its partners and collaborators whose dedication has made these initiatives possible. Together, we can build a legacy that extends far beyond the games themselves.
