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ST EDWARD’S
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F E A T U R E S
Since leaving university, Helen has worked
extensively in sports and volunteer
project management at the Youth Sport
Trust, London Youth Games and with
Young Games Makers at the London 2012
Olympics. Here she is interviewed by Becky
Drury, Head of Physical Education.
(Since completing this interview, Helen's feet
haven't touched the ground . She summited
Kilimanjaro in January, and just started a new job
at the charity Spirit of 2012 as a Programme
Manager after nearly 8 years at LYG - Ed)
What was your experience ofTeddies
like? Any particular memories or
stories?
Teddies seems like a long time ago!
Nevertheless, it was an incredible time and
centred around sport - I was in the school
team for hockey, netball and tennis. However,
there was so much more on offer outside
the classroom - I was involved in the choirs,
plays and musicals, dance, school trips abroad
and community outreach with the Duke of
Edinburgh award. I was always off doing
something somewhere - which I continue to
do today. I've got so many memories that I
still share with my friends - frequently chatting
about this time or that time, whether on the
sports field, in class or around the school
grounds. The times we had in Mac's were a
big highlight - on a Saturday night after coming
back from town we gathered over bread and
cheese with our housemistress Wilko or Mrs
Kirk, often topped up with wine, pizza, games
and giggles or sneaking around the house or
the quad after hours.
How did you first get involved with
theYouth SportTrust and what was
your role?
It evolved from conversations in my
university sports centre - I definitely spent
more time there than the Geography
department! I built up a great network
of friends in the sports department and
one pointed out that if I loved sport that
much I could build a career around it. He
pointed out an internship opportunity with
the Youth Sport Trust based in London
which was focused on getting young
people volunteering at major national and
international sports events in the capital.
London had just won the Olympics and
everyone wanted to 'inspire the next
generation'. Through building connections in
the industry and knowledge of the network,
I moved on to London Youth Games (LYG),
Europe's largest youth sports festival, to set
up a young volunteer programme there.
How important is theYouth Sport
Trust in providing opportunities for
young people to access sport?
I heard about the Youth Sport Trust (YST) at
the end of my university life so wasn't able
Helen (left) and her team at The London Youth Games
Sports andVolunteer Management
Helen Killingley (D, 1999-2004)