Foundations of Success – Inspiring the next generation
What does it take to help the next generation thrive?
Join pro-manchester's Sports Committee for an interactive breakfast event exploring the role sport can play in developing confidence, resilience, leadership and opportunity for future generations.
Through a series of small-group roundtable discussions, delegates will hear from experts across sport, business and education, sharing insights on how we can create stronger pathways, break down barriers and better support young people to fulfil their potential.
Whether you're involved in talent development, people leadership, education, sport or community engagement, this event offers the opportunity to exchange ideas, share experiences and explore practical ways to inspire the next generation.
Event Format
The morning will begin with 30 minutes of networking, followed by a choice of four roundtable discussions. Delegates will attend three tables, spending 20 minutes at each discussion before moving on to their next selection.
The event will conclude with further networking, providing an opportunity to continue conversations and build new connections.
This format is designed to encourage meaningful discussion, knowledge sharing and relationship-building in a more interactive setting than a traditional panel event.
Table 1: How Do We Empower the Next Generation?
Facilitator: Stephen Eccles, Sport & Exercise Psychologist (In Training), Inner Launch
What does it take to help the next generation thrive, in sport and in the workplace?
Drawing on parallels between developing athletes and early-career professionals, Stephen will lead an interactive discussion exploring three core themes: building confidence to contribute, encouraging ownership and independence, and providing support through challenges.
Attendees will explore:
- Helping young people recognise their strengths and find their voice
- Encouraging responsibility and independent decision-making
- Supporting resilience and learning through setbacks
- Creating environments where individuals feel empowered to grow
Leave with practical ideas to help support and develop emerging talent within your organisation.
Table 2: Investing in the Women's Pathway into Sport
Facilitators: Alice Powell, Associate, Mills and Reeve and Laura Hickman-Sparkes, Head of Business Engagement and Partnerships, Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport
Women's sport continues to experience significant growth, creating exciting opportunities for businesses, educational institutions and communities to invest in the next generation.
This discussion will explore the importance of strengthening pathways through schools, colleges and universities, and why supporting girls' and women's sport represents both a social impact opportunity and a compelling long-term investment.
Attendees will explore:
- Building sustainable pathways into sport
- Leadership and confidence developed through participation
- Creating opportunities for young women to succeed
- The role businesses can play in supporting future talent
- The growing impact and commercial potential of women's sport
Table 3:Breaking the Barriers: Creating the Foundations for the Next Generation of Women in Sport
Facilitator: Charlotte Beck, Head of Family, Slater Heelis and Tristan Edwards, Financial Planner, Xentum
Progress has been made for women and girls in sport, but many barriers still exist, particularly as young women progress through education, sport and into the workplace. This roundtable will explore both the visible and less visible challenges that can prevent talented young women from reaching their full potential, and what organisations can do to create stronger foundations for future generations.
Discussion topics include:
- What progress has been made for women and girls in sport, and where barriers still remain
- The less visible barriers that can affect girls and young women as they progress through sport, education and into the workplace
- What organisations, employers and the sports sector can do to create stronger foundations and more inclusive pathways
- Practical changes that could help the next generation of women thrive, lead and stay involved in sport
- What meaningful systemic change looks like, and what those around the table can commit to doing differently
Table 4: Widening Access to Sport and Careers in the Sector
Facilitator: Louise Wright, Head of Partnerships, City in the Community
How can sport, businesses and educational institutions work together to ensure talented young people can access opportunities, regardless of their background?
About the Speakers:
Stephen Eccles is the founder of Inner Launch, a consultancy specialising in performance, mindset and wellbeing.
His applied experience spans national teams, professional academies and university programmes, including GB Women’s Under-18 Ice Hockey, GB Disability Tennis, St Helens R.F.C. Academy, Sheffield Wednesday Academy and Swim England. Elite sport leaves no room for wellbeing to be an afterthought. The best organisations are learning the same lesson.
Beyond sport, Stephen partners with organisations across the legal, financial services and public and not-for-profit sectors, working with professionals whose roles demand sustained focus, sound judgement and composure under pressure. He believes that performing well and looking after each other go hand in hand, and that the tone set by each person in a team shapes how everyone copes when the pressure is on.
Drawing on this applied work and his experience as a Psychology Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, Stephen turns evidence-based psychology into practical tools people can use straight away, whether that’s preparing for a big pitch, leading through change or recovering from a difficult quarter. His approach starts with understanding the person behind the role and adapting support to their goals, needs and ways of working.
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Tristan is one of the newest members to the Xentum Team, his biggest driver for joining was Xentum’s values very much being aligned to his own. “Passionate about people”, what Tristan loves most about being a planner is the ability to help people, take control of their finances, achieve their goals, and live a fulfilled life.
Xentum’s mantra is “grab life” and Tristan believes the 3 key principles for him doing this are being present, having purpose and a plan. From being in the industry since the start of the millennia, Tristan has helped clients from many different backgrounds and at various life stages. From the experience of running his own business he has an insight into the trials and tribulations which this brings and is well placed to support business owners with their financial planning.
Laura Hickman-Sparkes is an experienced partnerships and stakeholder leader, working across the sports industry. In her current role as Head of Business Engagement and Partnerships at Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, she leads key relationships with major organisations including Manchester City Football Group, Sale Sharks, More Than Equal, Aquatics GB, and British Cycling.
Her work centres on building collaborative partnerships that create value for both organisations and the athletes and communities they support. With a background in marketing across the retail, finance, and health sectors, Laura brings a creative, strategic, and people-first approach to developing long-term relationships.
Based in Manchester, she continues to work at the intersection of sport and purpose-driven initiatives.
Head of Family, Charlotte Beck, has a great deal of experience in acting for clients not only in divorce and cohabitation disputes, but also in wider areas of property disputes.
She brings with her expertise in advising on complex high net worth financial cases and intricate children disputes.
Charlotte is a collaboratively trained lawyer and has a rare ability to see alternative routes to resolving issues.
This approach has won her much praise from peers and a particularly loyal and growing following of clients and trusted contacts, evidenced by the fact she routinely receives referrals from ranked firms.
Her clear and concise approach makes clients feel at ease whilst trying to make hard decisions in difficult circumstances, providing a thorough and relevant analysis of the facts to achieve solutions that work for clients. Charlotte is currently dealing with complicated litigation in the High Court concerning the valuation of private equity shares, an overseas trust, compensation, and Wells sharing principles.
Charlotte is the lead on the firm’s partnership with Rugby League Cares (an independent charity that cares for people at all levels, from junior players to current and former semi-professional and professional players), which helped to secure the firm as providers of legal support for the Rugby League World Cup in 2022. Her involvement with local youth zones, both Bolton Lads and Girls Club and Wigan Youth Zone (more specifically as safeguarding trustee for Wigan Youth Zone on a pro-bono basis) helps to promote and deliver the aims of these charities.
Empathy and a unique drive to achieve success for her clients, her peers, and herself has also seen Charlotte appointed to the management board of the firm this year. Charlotte has spearheaded the firm’s wellness and wellbeing program in the last twelve months and remains an active member of the Resolution Committee.
On a recently concluded matter (finalised November 2022), counsel instructed by Charlotte (Piers Pressdee KC of 4PB) commented that the matter was:
“Probably the most conflicted private law case of my 30-year career. But for Charlotte Beck’s extraordinary input, there is no way our client would have prevailed.”
Commercial Associate at Mills & Reeve LLP working within the Sport, Entertainment and Media sector on all things sport, image rights, sponsorships and partnerships, broadcasting, advertising and data protection. Previously worked at Unilever in the UKI legal team supporting senior counsel with everything commercial, brand protection and IP with a key interest in and focus on commercial sport partnerships and sponsorship agreements, green claims and sustainability.
Louise brings over 20 years of experience in the sport and leisure sector, having worked across government, charity, local authority, and consultancy. She recently joined City in the Community as Head of Partnerships after serving as Head of Sport Participation at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, where she led the development and delivery of the Government’s national sport participation policy.
She has a strong commitment to delivering socially impactful programmes that foster purposeful partnerships and community engagement.
Interested In The Event?
If you’re interested in attending, you can book online here.
For any further enquires about this event, contact [email protected]
