Background

In 2016 the England Golf Trust introduced the Young Ambassador programme. It provides youngsters with the opportunity to:

• Develop personal and life skills to help with career choices and managing life
• Work alongside adults and youngsters to build confidence
• Promote and share information about the England Golf Trust as well as fundraise
• Be a positive role model to other young people starting and learning to play the game
• Progress their own golf

The Young Ambassador programme is open to young people (upon recommendation) who want to support the Trust and help grow the game of golf. You do not need to be a grant recipient to get involved.

Currently, there are 24 ambassadors with a variety of roles. The responsibilities of Young Ambassadors vary from helping with one-off and occasional events, to being involved regularly on a weekly basis or several times per week. We understand there are many commitments youngsters have in their lives and therefore we ensure the Young Ambassador role fits around their life.

Examples of roles taken on by Young Ambassadors includes:

• Supporting Level 3 County School Games as a Young Leader
• Being a Girls Golf Rocks Ambassador
• Assisting the delivery of Tri-Golf and StreetGolf sessions with PGA Professionals within schools and the community – Assisting the professionals at their golf club and supporting the junior section
• Encouraging women and girls at the club to enter the England Golf Trust Stableford Competition
• Delivering a presentation or talk to young people and members of their golf club, explaining how the Trust has helped them, describing what support is available through the Trust and suggesting ways of fundraising,
• Promoting the England Golf Trust through media sources such as Women’s Golf and the BBC.

Feedback

We believe it’s key to keep in touch with our Young Ambassadors, their parents and mentors to understand what they are enjoying about the programme and how we can develop this further. We have received lots of positive feedback including:

The Mentors have said of Young Ambassadors…

“…. they are great role models”

“… other juniors respect and look up to them”

“… are always a pleasure to have around”

“… have great rapport with the other juniors”

“… show a great willingness”

“… their help has been invaluable!”

“… they have set a new precedent at the club for the older juniors, to help and encourage the younger juniors coming through”

“… I can’t thank them enough!”

The Young Ambassadors and their parents have said the programme has enabled them to…

“… develop confidence and social skills”

“… learn life skills”

“… give something back to the game”

“… feel very proud to represent the England Golf Trust”

“… meet lots of new people and make new friends. You can show people how great golf is”

And…

“… It’s a great thing to do”

“… It’s been a great honour to represent the England Golf Trust”

Interested in becoming a Young Ambassador?

Please contact Stacey Mitchell via e-mail (admin@egt.broadlanddigital.co.uk) to register your interest. Appropriate recommendation must also be provided, for example from a Junior Organiser, Club Manager or PGA Professional. Once received, someone will be in touch with you shortly after to follow up and talk through the process more thoroughly.

Young Ambassadors Stories

Isabella Bleaken

How did Isabella get involved with the England Golf Trust Young Ambassador Programme?

Isabella’s involvement came about as we received a letter from England Golf Trust inviting her to become a Young Ambassador. When she received this, she leapt at the great opportunity and said that it was something she really wanted to do. Both Mark and I (Isabella’s parents) were more than happy to support her with this decision.

What activities has Isabella been involved with as a Young Ambassador and what responsibilities has she taken on?

So far in her role, she has assisted in the Girls Golf Rocks programme and will be doing so again this year. Last years’ sessions involved her supporting Keith Wood at Gloucester with the coaching and she will be doing the same this year. She was given her own group of children to coach which she thoroughly enjoyed and was able to talk and show them the basics of playing golf. She will also be helping at a local golf club when they set up their junior coaching sessions on the weekends and when she is available.

What skills and experiences has Isabella gained from her involvement with the Young Ambassador programme?

The skills that she has developed including being able to confidently show and explain the fundamentals of golf to others irrespective of age and also show some of the passion that she feels for the game. In addition, she has reassured the girls when they missed the ball/a shot, it did not matter as everyone misses at times and just to keep on trying. She was even interviewed for both BBC Gloucester and BBC Radio Bristol and was able to answer the questions asked confidently and clearly.

What career does Isabella aspire to go into and how does she feel her experiences and skills developed through being a Young Ambassador support her future?

At the moment Isabella has a few choices of career which she would like to go into, whilst also believing that if she works hard she can combine two or three of them!! Her choices are to be a golfer, Vet, Marine Biologist, Opera Soprano, Conductor or Violinist.

Isabella says that “being a Young Ambassador will show that I want to work hard and do my best in all I do, and it gives the opportunity to show others that anybody can play golf and enjoy it. Golf such a great game and you get to meet so many different people.”

Has the Young Ambassador programme helped Isabella’s golf develop? If so, in what ways?

It has helped in that whilst showing others what needs to be done, it reinforces what she has learned already. It’s almost similar to a form of revision and also an excellent way to practise.

As a parent, how do you feel the Young Ambassador Programme has helped Isabella to develop?

From a parent’s perspective, it’s a great opportunity for her as she is able to give something back for the support she is being given, as well as it being a great honour to represent the England Golf Trust. It’s lovely to watch her develop into a well-rounded and grounded young woman, it has given her more confidence and she is happy to chat and play golf with anyone from those younger than her to those in their 80s, which is a lovely skill to have.

It was very interesting to hear some of the feedback from other parents at the coaching sessions as there was definitely a little initial surprise that someone so young was assisting. However, they were all very impressed with her ability to guide the girls through and generally chat with and reassure them when shots were missed, etc. They were impressed with her maturity and how down to earth and friendly she was and that we should be very proud of her. This is a lovely to hear, but also these are skills that will be with her all through her life and these skills are invaluable to have.

She is very passionate about golf and it’s lovely for her to be able to share this with others. In the long term, it will benefit her as she will develop better social skills and awareness of others in addition to being able to show potential universities and employers that she is very committed and is willing to go the ‘extra mile’. It shows that she is willing to support and assist others rather than just expect everything to be handed to her. This is so important as we believe that it should enable her to stay level headed and appreciate what she has and how fortunate she is.

If another parent was interested in getting their child involved with the Young Ambassador programme, what would you say to them?

I would not hesitate in recommending that their child be involved, as they gain so much in so many ways and learn various life skills but at the same time they have the opportunity to give back which is really important.

How would Isabella describe her experience as a Young Ambassador?

Isabella says that “My experience as a Young Ambassador is great and I really enjoy it. I would like to be able to do more and would like to keep on being one. I am very lucky to have been asked and feel very proud of being able to represent the England Golf Trust.”

What would Isabella say to a young person interested in becoming a Young Ambassador for the England Golf Trust?

Isabella has shared that “If they could be a Young Ambassador, they should as it’s a great thing to do. You get to meet lots of new people and make new friends and you can show people how great golf is.”

Concluding comments from Diana Bleakin, Isabella’s mother:

Overall it’s a fantastic opportunity for any child particularly one so young as Isabella. It’s an honour and a privilege to have been asked.