Celebrate London 2012 and inspire a generation!

London 2012 will go down in history as the seminal event that inspired a renewed sense of collective pride and respect – both for our heritage and culture, and for our Olympic and Paralympic athletes who put in their best performance for over 100 years. And during difficult economic times, the London 2012 Games lifted the nation’s spirits.

Mission accomplished?

Yes, in terms of delivering and celebrating a hugely successful Games. Not yet, in terms of the central aim of the Organising Committee to ‘Inspire a generation.’ That journey has just begun.

We have seen the amazing work that schools and colleges across the UK have done as part of their engagement with Get Set and the Olympic and Paralympic Values. We believe that as teachers you are in the best position to help us keep the spirit of London 2012 alive by encouraging more young people to participate in sport and healthy active lifestyles. This could be through taking part in sport itself or as a coach, volunteer or young leader.

Only a tiny minority of young people will become elite athletes, but inspired by the sporting heroes of London 2012, and encouraged by teachers, parents and carers they can all strive to be the best, the fittest and the healthiest they can be.

Share the stories

Hosting and organising the greatest spectator event on the planet requires the input of a huge number of people all working together as a team. As excellent and inspiring as Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes were at London 2012, without the skills and commitment of the organisers, volunteers, coaches and support staff the Games just wouldn’t have happened.

• Share the stories below with your students to stimulate discussion and ideas about team work, volunteering and organising events.
• Invite them to write or tell their favourite stories from London 2012 e.g. the successes of their favourite athletes or nations, being a spectator in a London 2012 venue watching an athlete they admire and respect or something that surprised or amazed them.

Izzy and Bilal, London 2012 Torchbearers
Lorraine, London 2012 Games Maker
Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Nick Fuller, Head of Education, London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Martin Green, Head of Ceremonies, London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games

Keep talking!

Use the information as the starting point for debates and discussions in literacy, personal development and citizenship programmes, tutor time etc. Try these themes:

• The London 2012 Paralympic Games changed our attitudes towards disability
• London 2012 proved that volunteers can play a major part in helping to run events
• If a sporting hero visited us, which three questions would we ask him/her?
• Have the London 2012 Games inspired us to take on something new in our own lives?
• Spectator power!
• “Look up at the stars not down at your feet.” (Stephen Hawking at the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games.)
• London 2012 were the ‘Girls’ Games’

Or use these great facts and figures:

Values in action
Breaking new ground
Girl power
Young people power
Who could have believed it?