The Youth Charter (www.YouthCharter.com) has today issued a call for a transformative Commonwealth Youth Legacy Programme to be launched in the lead-up to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, urging Commonwealth leaders to seize the opportunity to invest in young people across the Commonwealth.

The call comes as youth delegates from across the Commonwealth gather this week at University of Oxford for the Commonwealth Youth Summit, where discussions are focusing on youth leadership, opportunity and development across the 56 member nations.

Representing more than 2.5 billion people, with young people accounting for over 60% of the population, the Commonwealth is one of the largest youth communities in the world.

The Youth Charter believes the upcoming Glasgow Games present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a lasting social, cultural and economic legacy for young people across the Commonwealth.

A Global Youth Legacy Framework

Through its newly proposed “Commonwealth Youth Legacy Declaration, Glasgow 2026,” the Youth Charter is calling for the establishment of a global network of Community Campuses, designed to support youth development through sport, education, arts and leadership programmes.

The initiative would see the creation of:

• 50 Community Campuses across Commonwealth nations by 2030
• 10,000 trained Social Coaches supporting youth development
• 1 million young people directly engaged through sport, education and cultural programmes
• 5 million young people indirectly impacted through community outreach and digital engagement

These campuses would operate as local hubs connected through a global Commonwealth youth development network, supporting young people through structured programmes that promote leadership, wellbeing, employment pathways and community cohesion.

Sport for Development and Peace

The Youth Charter’s proposal is grounded in the internationally recognised principles of Sport for Development and Peace, which use sport and cultural activity as tools to address social challenges including youth violence, inequality, poor health outcomes and economic exclusion.

According to the Youth Charter, the Community Campus model provides a practical framework capable of delivering long-term impact locally, nationally and internationally.

Geoff Thompson MBE, Founder and Chair of the Youth Charter, said: “The Commonwealth represents one of the greatest youth opportunities in the world. Glasgow 2026 must become more than a sporting event, it must become a catalyst for lasting social change.

Through the Community Campus model, we can create a Commonwealth-wide movement that empowers young people through sport, culture and education, providing pathways to leadership, employment and community development.

The real legacy of the Commonwealth Games should not be measured in stadiums or medals, but in the lives of young people whose futures we help to transform.”

A Call to Commonwealth Leaders

The Youth Charter is calling upon governments, sporting bodies, educational institutions, corporate partners and civil society organisations across the Commonwealth to collaborate in delivering the proposed legacy programme.

By harnessing the power of sport, education and community engagement, the initiative aims to strengthen social cohesion, promote youth leadership and unlock economic opportunities for young people across Commonwealth nations.