"Leave it better than you found it, even if you didn't make the mess because it makes it easier for the next person."

Those were the words more than 500 teachers and changemakers were left with at the annual Youth Sport Trust Conference by keynote speaker, US award-winning author and rower Arshay Cooper as they connected to discuss the power of PE, play and sport to tackle a generational crisis of children's mental health.

Across the day, thought leaders shared knowledge, passion, and research to look at how more young people can be supported with their mental wellbeing in education.

Arshay Cooper took to the stage at the Telford International Centre on 2 March to share his life experiences of growing up in west Chicago surrounded by 'gunshots' and 'gangs'. Sport was his saviour. He found rowing and supported by role models he started on a journey to change his life. Arshay shared extracts of his book, and film 'A Most Beautiful Thing' to help teachers and educators in the UK to apply learnings and help more young people at risk of falling into gang crime.

As the Government also published its SEND and Alternative Improvement Plan, a virtual address was made by Minister for Schools Nick Gibb about the importance of prioritising PE, play and sport in the curriculum and how his office would look at lessons learned by schools placing PE at the heart of the curriculum so that best practice could be applied across the country. The Youth Sport Trust responded to the long-awaited plan here.

See the Full story Here - YST Conference Summary