Rhubarb 2017

6 ST EDWARD’S r h u b a r b

Sports andVolunteer Management Helen Killingley (D, 1999-2004)

Since leaving university, Helen has worked extensively in sports and volunteer project management at the Youth Sport Trust, London Youth Games and with Young Games Makers at the London 2012 Olympics. Here she is interviewed by Becky Drury, Head of Physical Education. (Since completing this interview, Helen's feet haven't touched the ground . She summited Kilimanjaro in January, and just started a new job at the charity Spirit of 2012 as a Programme Manager after nearly 8 years at LYG - Ed) What was your experience ofTeddies like? Any particular memories or stories? Teddies seems like a long time ago! Nevertheless, it was an incredible time and centred around sport - I was in the school team for hockey, netball and tennis. However, there was so much more on offer outside the classroom - I was involved in the choirs,

plays and musicals, dance, school trips abroad and community outreach with the Duke of Edinburgh award. I was always off doing something somewhere - which I continue to do today. I've got so many memories that I still share with my friends - frequently chatting about this time or that time, whether on the sports field, in class or around the school grounds. The times we had in Mac's were a big highlight - on a Saturday night after coming back from town we gathered over bread and cheese with our housemistress Wilko or Mrs Kirk, often topped up with wine, pizza, games and giggles or sneaking around the house or the quad after hours. How did you first get involved with theYouth SportTrust and what was your role? It evolved from conversations in my university sports centre - I definitely spent more time there than the Geography

department! I built up a great network of friends in the sports department and one pointed out that if I loved sport that much I could build a career around it. He pointed out an internship opportunity with the Youth Sport Trust based in London which was focused on getting young people volunteering at major national and international sports events in the capital. London had just won the Olympics and everyone wanted to 'inspire the next generation'. Through building connections in the industry and knowledge of the network, I moved on to London Youth Games (LYG), Europe's largest youth sports festival, to set up a young volunteer programme there. How important is theYouth Sport Trust in providing opportunities for young people to access sport? I heard about the Youth Sport Trust (YST) at the end of my university life so wasn't able

F E A T U R E S

Helen (left) and her team at The London Youth Games