At the beginning of 2023, Instagram partnered with three of the UK’s most exciting athletes. The goal? To shine a light on the causes that mattered the most to them. Together with Jack Grealish, Emma Raducanu and George Russell we co-produced Reels content throughout the year, giving them a platform to amplify the causes that they hold close to their hearts and share their own personal experiences. Their chosen advocacies? For Jack it was child disability, for George it was exploring the topic of mental health awareness and for Emma it was the importance of young children staying active in sports. They were topics that each athlete was already passionate about and actively looking to support in a bigger way throughout the year

With George ending the 2023 season on a high, the second half of the football season kicking off for Jack, and Emma preparing for a return to Grand Slam tennis in 2024, we sat with all three to talk through their purpose-driven content, their biggest takeaways of the year and the continued impact that they hope to have in the future on Instagram.

Championing Child Disability

Child disability is a cause that is personal for Jack; his younger sister, Hollie, was born with cerebral palsy, a lifelong condition that affects a child's brain development and physical abilities. For Jack, this is a topic he has never shied away from talking about, and he credits his sister as his greatest motivation in life. "People say I've inspired them, but for me there's no bigger inspiration than her,” said Jack. “Seeing her grow up and cope with the difficulties that she's had to face, there's no bigger inspiration for me than her and others with the condition. My little sister always says that she looks up to me, but really it's me that looks up to her."

Jack kickstarted his work by proudly announcing his role as Brand Ambassador for the Special Olympics Team GB (SOGB) team. "Being a brand ambassador for our Special Olympics team is massive for me and something I'm really proud of. It's something that is incredibly close to my heart, and the aim is to create positive change over the next few years." He didn't waste a moment, inviting Team GB squad members to Manchester City's training ground for an unforgettable experience. "Just seeing the smiles on their faces, their reaction to the City ground, and then getting to meet them all was so amazing. I'm really so proud to be an ambassador, and I can't wait to do more things like that again because it really does mean the world to me."

Jack shared his work with SOGB across Instagram throughout the year, and in between he continued to extend his support to various communities, both privately and publicly. This included heart-warming surprises for children from his old primary school in Birmingham and meeting with other children with cerebral palsy at Manchester City games. For Jack, gestures like this are more than just an obligation of someone in the spotlight. Rather, they are part of an on-going commitment to bring awareness to the communities who need it most. “I know I’m in a fortunate position as a footballer, but if I can be someone that uses my resources to help bring a smile to the faces of others, especially those who are going through tough times, then I will always do so”.

The Race for Mental Health Awareness

In the fast-paced world of Formula 1, there’s another race that George Russell is also focusing on - the race for mental health awareness. "I wanted to go on a bit of a journey to find how mental health can affect us and those around us," George explains. "It's something that affects us all, including myself, and there have been times when I didn't have the courage to speak up about it and talk to someone."

"At the start of the year, I saw it as an opportunity to make a fresh start," he reflects. "But making that step isn't always easy. While many of us focus on our physical health, our mental well-being can often be overlooked. That's why last year I promised to educate myself more on the subject."

Despite a busy racing schedule, George made time to meet with industry professionals to discuss the importance of mental well-being, sharing these meetings with his followers on Instagram. "During the year, I've spoken to people who volunteer their time to help those who are struggling, with the aim of raising awareness of the resources available. I hope people take away from it the courage to speak up if they are struggling with anything." One highlight was his visit to Self Space in London, the UK's first mental health drop-in center on the high street. George describes it as one of the most enlightening and humbling experiences that he can remember. "Visiting Self Space was really special, and I learned so much that day." His biggest takeaway? "The importance of speaking up in the early stages if you're struggling. So many people leave it very late to seek help, particularly men, but by removing the stigma around how mental health is perceived, we can enable others to get the support they need."

George also sat down with footballer Harry Kane, England's captain and record goalscorer, to discuss their experiences so far. They also discussed what more can be done by those in the public eye to raise further awareness about mental wellbeing. "I hugely admire Harry as an athlete and as an individual. It was a special experience, speaking with Harry so candidly about our perspectives on mental health and wellness."

Sharing these conversations and being so open has garnered a hugely positive reaction from fans, fellow athletes and from those close to him. "The reaction has been very positive." he notes "It’s such an important topic and I’m really pleased to see what we’re doing having a positive impact in enabling many people, including myself, to better educate themselves."

Empowering the Next Generation Through Sport

For Emma Raducanu, having access to sports as a child is something that she credits as pivotal in her development as both a tennis player and a person. She views the increasing lack of opportunities for young children to play sports as a topic worth addressing. "For me, growing up I played many sports, and it really helped me with my skills and shaped my personality. All the different skills I learned from playing these sports eventually helped me in my pursuit of a tennis career. Without that access to sport at a young age kids are missing out on these opportunities, such as the ones that tennis fortunately gave me."

Over the last 2 years, and as part of her partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), Emma has visited schools around the UK and even had the opportunity to meet and discuss with Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton. Emma is now an ambassador for LTA Youth, a program that aims to inspire children of all ages to remain involved in sport. Together they have called for more to be done to increase the access that young children have to sport, whatever their age, gender, ability, disability or background. Emma spent 1-on-1 time with members of the program on numerous occasions throughout the year, sharing their work together on Instagram. This was an invaluable experience for the girls and for the LTA, something they described as "truly inspirational". It was a feeling Emma shared - "It was really fun getting to meet some of the girls, and I feel honored to have been some part in their journey if they decide to carry on. I'm really passionate about showing what sport, especially tennis, can do for young people."

Emma documented her visits on Instagram, and her efforts have not gone unnoticed. As well as successful programs like LTA Youth, the UK government announced an investment of £22 million to repair and improve access to park tennis courts nationwide prompted by her US Open victory. For Emma, the impact this can have on children in future goes beyond just their playing ability - “If it’s one thing that tennis taught me when I was younger it’s confidence - confidence in my skills, my ability to interact with others, and how far I can get with self-belief. I think I grew so much in terms of my confidence because of playing sports. I’m still growing now and I’m so grateful for the experiences I had playing sports at a young age. It’s something that everyone can benefit from”.

Throughout the year Jack, Emma and George also spoke to various media, including Square Mile, Men’s Health, Vice, The Times and BBC Sport, shining a further light on their individual causes and sharing how much this work means to them.

Athletes today have a powerful voice. Whether it’s speaking out on social injustices, raising awareness for charitable causes, or simply by going to meet with people from their communities, they have the potential to inspire and unite. Jack, George and Emma are leading the line of a new generation of athletes that are beginning to transcend their sports and impact culture, using their voice to inspire genuine change. For many, finding a purpose can take time. Once found, speaking out may be seen as a responsibility that’s shied away from and best left to someone else. But not for these three. They are using their voices, and their Instagram, to talk about what matters to them. And alongside the schedules, the spotlight and the high pressures of elite-level sport, played in front of millions around the world, they are showing no signs of slowing down. As Jack says, “this is what it’s all about really”.

Q&A

‘Purpose’ is a term that is being used more and more recently. How important are each of these causes to you personally?

Emma - It’s extremely important to me that sport is accessible for young girls because of the impact it had on myself when I was young. Growing up I played so many different sports which helped shape my personality. The different skills I learned through sports eventually helped me in my pursuit of a tennis career. Without that access to sport at a young age, kids are missing out on so many opportunities. I now get to travel the world, do what I love every day, and constantly learn so much.

George - I think for some people, speaking up on mental health is seen as a weakness. I don’t think it matters what you do, who you are, or what walk of life you come from, everyone is going to have struggles at some point. I think finding ways to deal with these emotions is so important, you can’t let it stay inside and let that pressure build up. That’s why I encourage people to speak up and seek help when it’s needed. Even having conversations like this help me.

What is the biggest thing that you’ve taken away from this year?

Jack - One thing that struck me most this year is the smiles that the children I’ve met always have on their faces, despite the struggles that they must deal with throughout their lives. They’re always so positive and approach every day with so much enthusiasm. Seeing them take so much happiness from the little things in life really rubs off on you, and is something I think we can all learn from. When it comes to supporting those with life-challenging conditions, there’s still so much that can be done. Just starting with having conversations with the people in these spaces and trying to learn from them is the first step.

How important has Instagram been in supporting you this year?

Jack – I’ve loved doing this work with Instagram. It has always been important to me that I use my platforms to raise awareness for cerebral palsy and other conditions that affect young children. I didn’t always know what this would look like, but this work with Instagram has given me the opportunity to do so.

George - It’s been great working with the Instagram team throughout the year. When we first discussed things at the start of the year, I saw it as an opportunity to educate myself on a subject that meant a lot to me. It’s proven to be just that – a real learning experience, one that has helped me understand much more than I did before, but also shown how much I still have to learn. Having this relationship with Instagram has given me a lot of opportunities, and I hope that, together, we’ve used them well to have a positive impact on other users.

Emma - Instagram has been so supportive of myself and the LTA Youth initiative. I believe it’s an important project for me to represent as I came through each stage of the LTA system myself. Together we’ve helped to spread awareness and spark interest within more young people to get into sport, which is exactly what we set out to do! It’s been great to meet so many amazing young girls this year, and I feel honoured to have played a part in their journey. Instagram has supported me all the way through, not only with this but from the start of my career.

What has the reaction been like to your content throughout the year?

George - Incredible. I’ve had family, friends and teammates sending me messages after each piece of work with Instagram, saying how much it means that I am speaking up about mental health. I’m pleased to see what we’re doing having a positive impact in enabling many people, including myself, to better educate themselves. I’ve had comments from fans around the world who are now discovering more about their own mental health, which means the world to me.

What advice would you give to others based on your own experiences and what have you learned this year?

Emma – To have belief in yourself. I think that self-belief is something I’ve always carried with me. I started off as a really shy young girl, especially when playing against the boys growing up. If sport has taught me anything, it’s confidence. Kids will always have challenges, in sport and in life, and I think it’s important just to stay focused and trust that the low times will pass. My advice to girls who are thinking about leaving sport would be to keep going! I truly believe it’s worth the effort and perseverance, even when you think you are too tired, or you don’t think you’re good enough to keep up. At one stage, I had all those thoughts. But by breaking down my mental barriers, I came to realise I always had more to give.

George - The one bit of advice I would give someone who may be struggling with their mental health is not to be ashamed of speaking up. Whether it’s a friend, family member, a colleague, or even a professional. We all have our moments of feeling low, but it doesn’t need to just be in those moments that we seek help. Mental maintenance and keeping things in that positive space is so important. Opening up is only a good thing, I’d recommend everyone to reach out for help.

Jack - Just to pay attention to those around you. When it comes to supporting those with life-challenging conditions, there’s still so much that can be done. We can start by having conversations with different people and understanding what they need. There are so many people dealing with things that we don’t know about, and just by listening to them, we can make a lot of difference.

You’ve each used your Instagram presence this year as a key way to raise awareness for each of these causes - is this something that you’ll continue to do in the future?

Jack - Absolutely. It’s vital that all children have access to sport, no matter what barriers they might face. There’s still so much work to be done in giving children with physical and intellectual disabilities access to equal opportunities, and if using my Instagram to raise awareness makes a small difference, then it’s something I will continue to do.

George - Definitely. Maintaining good mental health is so important at all stages of life and I intend to continue educating myself over the years, sharing the lessons as I go. I enjoy sharing the ups and downs of life, both on and off the track, and bringing fans on the journey with me. Mental health and wellness will always be something that I speak up about as part of that journey.

Emma - If I can play a part in helping kids stay involved in sport, then I’ll do whatever I can. Whether that’s through playing, coaching, or even management one day in future. I loved hearing their stories and how tennis has impacted them in their lives. I remember being in their position without having anyone to look up to who was involved in this type of initiative and it’s an honour to think this next generation might look up to me!

Finally, how important is it that more athletes use their social platforms to speak up on causes that they care about?

Emma - I think everyone has the power to make a difference in various ways. It’s something that I will continue to do - my preference is through action instead of words, and having a platform like Instagram broadcasting what I have been doing only helps us do that.

George - Very important. As professional athletes, the amount of people that see and engage with our posts is something we mustn’t take for granted. There are quite a few other athletes speaking up in recent times. I really admire their courage and I’m always keeping an eye on Instagram to see what others are saying and joining in the conversations when I can.

Jack - I do think more footballers, and people in general, can use their social media to speak about causes that matter to them. Using my voice is something that I always have and will continue to do. Hopefully that can inspire others.