Our Founder & CEO’s story 🌱

2 min read

My lived experiences created my purpose – to use creativity and work directly with young people so they can be active.

I first really discovered sport aged 7, basketball specifically, which has become my life-long passion as a player, coach and fan. The video games, sneakers, jerseys and trading cards sparked a love for design.

Between the ages of 13-16, I experienced family and home life issues that no child should ever have to go through, so basketball and creativity was how I dealt with what I was experiencing.

But at school in P.E. I was told I could only play hockey, rugby, or football.

Don't worry, League Leaders works across all sports but muddy sneakers and basketball, well, you know. 😂

Why couldn't I be active how I wanted?

The careers advisor also told me I would ‘fail’ if I wanted to pursue a career in the creative industries as a designer.

Why couldn't I be creative how I wanted?

As a young person I wasn’t being listened to, supported or nurtured and certainly not given opportunities to work directly on solutions to the barriers I faced.

Stacking up against NBA legend Vince Carter, I still had a bit of growing to do

The seed was planted … from college to university, including work experience across London, Berlin and Tokyo whilst studying, and since graduating, I’ve been working directly with young people in classroom, community and professional settings.

Developing creative youth co-creation methodologies centred around physical activity, helping young people to be active, to learn how to play, as well as think.

I believe that if we co-create with young people, the real experts, that’s how genuine change will be made. 🌍

I’m giving young people the support and opportunities that I didn’t have.

This is why I started League Leaders, welcome.

Paul Jenkins

Founder & CEO, League Leaders

Our Trustees 🪄

Expertise spans: Food and Nutrition, Entrepreneurship, Sport for Development, Youth Work, Finance, Creative Direction, Media, Fashion, Technology, Programming

Jade Harris (Chair)

Head of Programmes and Campaigns (Food and Wellbeing), Mayor's Fund for London

Charlie Ford

CEO, Volleyball England

Eric Cruz

Group Creative Director, Sphere Entertainment Co.

Jemma Stacey

Co-founder & CEO, FINDS

Natalie Duvall

Co-owner of Dragons' Den backed March Muses / Culture Events Marketing Manager, Red Bull UK

John Jones

Communities Project Manager, Mayor's Fund for London

Jenny Box

Deputy Director of Behaviour Change, Cycling UK

Chevy Green

Director of Programmes, ACE Programme Charity

League Leaders is the answer not only for young people to better engage with physical activity, whilst gaining life and employability skills, but also for everyone connected to sport to be led by those who know best – young people.

Imagine trailblazing young people helping review, design and launch projects to give themselves and every young person the right to design how they are physically active.

The potential for our work is unfathomable.