Dame Kelly Holmes Trust
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust is a youth development charity founded on the belief that every young person needs a champion.
The work of the Trust has been driven by Dame Kelly’s own vision of getting young lives on track using the unique skills of world class athletes. By training athletes to become inspirational mentors and role models, they can help young people develop the positive behaviours and skills they need to succeed in education, work and life; and ultimately tackle disadvantage they may be facing due to inequality in their everyday lives.
All Athlete Mentors have experienced challenges in their own lives and careers, and young people often see similarities to their own lives, helping our athletes to quickly connect to them.
Today, the Athlete Mentor and education programmes devised by Kelly Holmes Trust continue through LTSB.
We are passionate about Dame Kelly’s vision and the incredible legacy of the Trust, and we are delighted that Dame Kelly has now joined LTSB as our valued Patron.
Together, our work continues.
Amalie’s story
When Amalie first joined Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, she admitted that low motivation and low confidence were really holding her back.
She wasn’t alone in feeling this way. A Trust survey showed that more than half of young people (51%) said a lack of confidence was a holding them back from doing the things they want to do. Programmes are designed to boost wellbeing, increase confidence, strengthen resilience and build self-esteem so individuals can fulfil their true potential – and that’s exactly what it did for Amalie.
Speaking about the start of the programme, Amalie said:
“I really struggled with my motivation and lack of self-confidence, it was a big issue.”
She shared that there were also contributing factors. Aged just five, she was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome and the following years were difficult as she experienced anxiety, depression and isolation which led to her getting help for her symptoms. Amalie explained that life revolved around just managing her symptoms.
During the programme, Amalie connected with Athlete Mentor and former professional badminton player Liz Cann, who won two Commonwealth Gold medals in her career. She began finding the courage and confidence to make some big decisions, such as continuing to follow her passion for dance by switching to a different dance school, which led to new friendships. At school, Amalie rediscovered her love for physical activity and reignited her passion for art, a talent that was noticed by her peers and teachers within the college.
Speaking about her time with Amalie, Liz said:
“It was great to work with Amalie, across the whole programme you really saw how she developed from session to session – that was a real highlight for me. Her journey reflects remarkable personal growth, and she now stands as a confident, capable young person with a bright and promising future.”
Michaela’s story
20-year-old Michaela took part in a Trust programme with former Commonwealth Gold Medallist fencer and Athlete Mentor Claire Bennett.
The programme was designed to give young people the tools and support to take control of their futures. It was a positive experience for Michaela as she learned to ‘open up’ more and connected with others going through the same experiences.
Through weekly sessions, the group that included young parents set personal goals, reflected on daily challenges and developed practical skills in communication, teamwork and decision making.
With help from Claire, Michaela took many learnings from the programme, from building those all-important relationships with her peers to being open about sharing her journey which also helped the others in the group.
Claire is one of Dame Kelly Holmes Trust’s most experienced Athlete Mentors. Speaking about the programme and her relationship with Michaela and the others on the programme, she said:
“The most impactful part of the programme was connecting with their peers and speaking honestly and openly about their shared experiences. By the end of the programme the residents have improved relationships within their own community and supported one another in achieving their wellbeing goals. There was a sense of togetherness and community felt in each session, which I think was the most important part of the programme.
I am so very proud of my (young people), they have turned up to each session, and remained committed from start to finish. I can’t wait to follow their progress, and I am grateful to have spent such a positive time with them all.”
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