Organizers of a webinar to launch the Henry Charles Foundation (HCF) say it was a successful event to honour a Saint Lucian youth development advocate and organizer who well-served the Caribbean and the Commonwealth and left a lasting legacy of promoting youth development through sports.
The webinar was held on October 26, 2025 under the theme ‘From the Ground Up: Promoting Positive Youth Development Through the Power of Grassroots Football — Honouring the Legacy of Henry W. Charles’ and involved participation from Saint Lucia, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom (UK).
It featured presentations from spokespersons in youth development at the Commonwealth Secretariat, active and retired professional local, regional and international male and female footballers, coaches and parents of young footballers, football clubs and professional support services.
The webinar featured a tribute honouring ‘The Legacy of Henry Charles’, by Dr. Terri-Anne Gilbert-Roberts, who’s responsible for Policy & Youth Development Commonwealth Secretariat
The feature address was entitled ‘Sport as a Catalyst for Youth Development and Community Growth’ and delivered by Darcy Vigier, President of Vieux Fort South Youth and Sports Council.
The Panel Discussion on From Grassroots to Greatness – Stories of Impact and Lessons Learned featuring coaches, youth leaders, and community advocates and was followed by an interactive Q&A session.
Moderated by Nathalie Jolie-Fanis, the webinar’s panellists included Dr Lin Cherurbai Sambili-Gicheha, Adviser for Sport for Development and Peace at the Commonwealth Secretariat
There were also closing reflections on ‘Carrying the Legacy Forward’.
The HCF’s launch also kicked-off its ‘Thought Leadership’ series, ahead of the Commonwealth Sports Games in Glasgow in 2026.
According to Dr Jameson-Charles, the multi-faceted event “focused closely on youth empowerment through grassroots football, blending policy, well-being, community engagement, athlete storytelling and lived experiences.”
In addition, “It also honoured Dr Charles’s contributions to positive youth development, while exploring practical strategies to improve youth development through grassroots football initiatives.”
The Commonwealth Secretariat, where Dr Charles served as Youth Director for many years, also supports the Henry Charles Commonwealth Cup (HCCC), launched last year simultaneously in Saint Lucia and the UK.
The HCCC’s Saint Lucia launch took place at the island’s Darren Sammy Grounds and in Bromley, UK, where partnering entities are helping promote an international youth football tournament in Saint Lucia and the Caribbean, as well as in other member-states of the 56-member Commonwealth.
The HCF, registered in Saint Lucia with a Board of Directors, is described by the Chairperson as “a non-profit organisation and social enterprise dedicated to transforming the lives of young people in under-represented areas across the Commonwealth, through the universal language of sport.”
Dr Jameson-Charles says its mission is “to create safe environments where sports act as a catalyst for positive change, unlocking talents, passions and potential, while fostering harmony and celebrating diversity.”
The HCF’s leadership, she says, holds that “Football is a universal language that unites people, inspires dreams and creates communities.”
In addition, she underlines, “At the grassroots level, football has the distinct potential to foster discipline, teamwork, resilience, leadership and respect among young people, as these values go beyond the pitch, helping youth to succeed academically, socially and personally.”
The HCF’s Chairperson says the webinar “also marked the start of a series of similar online events by the HCF and the HCCC for Caribbean and Commonwealth audiences.”
She says the October 26 webinar “highlighted the role of grassroots football in fostering positive youth development and shared best practices and success stories from community-based football programmes.”
According to Dr Jameson-Charles, the online event “also examined the values and vision of Henry Charles in shaping sustainable youth empowerment initiatives.”
It also “facilitated dialogue among educators, coaches, policymakers and youth advocates, on strengthening community sports as a development tool, to inspire renewed investment and collaboration in grassroots football, for social good.”
The webinar’s discussions, the Chair added, “sought to elevate the HCF’s leadership on youth development in the Commonwealth and showcased credible, diverse voices (policy, mental health, grassroots, elite athletes) to build momentum for our series of engagements and future partnerships/sponsorships.”
The HCF’s leadership, she says, is of the view that the webinar “tapped into the greater awareness of the transformative role of grassroots football in youth development and offered a shared understanding of strategies to build stronger youth-focused community sports programmes.”
“It also sought to inspire, sustain and expand the vision and legacy of Henry Charles through strengthened networks among stakeholders working in youth development and sports.”
The webinar, involving presenters in the Caribbean and the UK, targeted youth development practitioners, community leaders and educators, football coaches and sports associations, policy makers in youth and sports development, NGOs and civil society organizations, young people and student athletes.