RFU’s National Youth Council Making a Difference
The RFU’s National Youth Council is helping to grow rugby and ensure the sport provides what young people are looking for.
Offering perspective on England’s young players, volunteers and fans, the Council’s members are actively involved on RFU sub-committees and working groups and help to identify and develop projects which will have a lasting impact on the growth of the game and youth representation.
Members are aged from 18 to 25 and a new Chair, Tom Read, has just been appointed.
“It’s great to be able to play a role in the sport that I love and I hope to continue to represent young people within the game, to give them a voice and help the RFU to reach out to a young audience,” said Tom.
Providing a youth perspective
Tom began playing rugby aged 10 at Edenbridge RFC in Kent and began coaching and officiating school games at 14. He is now a coach with the Gloucester Developing Players Programme, was Director of Rugby at Bennett Memorial School in Tunbridge Wells for a year after completing A levels and is now studying sports business and coaching at the University of Gloucester.
“There’s a lot that’s very special about rugby,” he adds. “It gives young people a way to express themselves, a social life and support network. When you are part of the rugby family, you know that there is always someone there for you, which is incredibly important.”
Tom has taken over from Jordan Young who, having served on the NYC for three years, stepped down aged 25.
“The NYC provides a youth sounding board for the RFU” he says. “Being part of that has certainly broadened my understanding of how the game is run and has given me the confidence and skills to be able to contribute at club or CB level.”
Jordan works as community delivery manager for Wasps and says: “During the past 12 months, through Covid and lockdowns, we have had three young people contribute to every online Council meeting and members invited to Community Game Board meetings. I have seen a great deal of progress and this is a very exciting time for those now on the NYC as it moves forward.”
The NYC is recruiting
Currently the NYC is recruiting, including for a new member to join the Rugby Growth Sub-committee, which offers the chance to both help rugby flourish and develop an impressive CV.
This is an opportunity for young people to join and make an impact. The ideal is to find someone who is passionate about rugby and making a difference. They will have the creativity and drive to take forward ideas and projects. Through serving on the NYC they will be able to take their volunteering to the next level by developing personal and professional skills and working as part of a team.
The NYC is looking for outstanding applicants who may have some experience or a passion for developing innovative ways to attract and retain under-represented people and to promote rugby to the widest audience possible.
Opportunities with the role
The NYC role comes with the chance to develop valuable skills, gain access to a mentor and shape the future development of rugby.
The National Youth Council meets at least four times a year, with a mixture of virtual and face to face meetings, interspersed with ongoing projects and sub-committee meetings. Members need to be available for meetings, as well as playing active roles in the development and completion of identified projects.
Applications are now open and if you or someone you know would love to help rugby grow and provide youth perspective, you can apply online here.
A role profile can be found here, and if you have any questions about the National Youth Council or the application process, you can contact Stephanie Allmark, Volunteer Manager at stephanieallmark@RFU.com.
The closing date for applications is Friday 24 September, with interviews taking place online W/C 11th October.
