The Elevate development programme is designed to give young talent from under-represented communities at School Games National Finals 2026 the chance to explore and broaden their understanding of future opportunities in sport. It has been created by Sport England, Youth Sport Trust and Greenhouse Sports to explore new ways of identifying and supporting young people with sporting potential.

The programme brings together 45 young people aged 13–16 from across England who have been identified by Greenhouse Sports' coach-mentors. These coaches work in schools and communities and are well placed to recognise young people with the attributes to succeed in sport, including those who may not have had access to traditional talent pathways.

Over three days at the School Games National Finals, participants will experience a range of development activities and physical testing designed to help them understand their strengths and explore where their potential could lead. The programme, delivered by Youth Sport Trust, includes opportunities to explore different sports, work with coaches and practitioners, hear from athlete role models and gain an insight into a high-performance sporting environment. The participants will be assessed on their physical attributes to determine their strengths and areas for development. They will also be able to experience new sports they have not had access to previously, where their physical attributes may be suitable for.

The programme also includes a research project, delivered with global research and insight studio Beyond. By capturing participants' experiences and perspectives throughout the event, the project aims to better understand how sporting potential can be recognised and developed more inclusively, helping to inform future approaches to talent identification across the sporting system.