When historians look back and assess the success of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games there are obvious stand out moments that will resonate with everyone.

The lighting of the Olympic Flame by young people; the famous 45 minutes in the Olympic Stadium when Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis and Greg Rutherford struck gold for Team GB in track and field; David Weir's astonishing performances on the track and in the marathon.

These moments will last long in the memory, but for me there is something equally important that we should not forget.

Jessica Ennis proved one of the stars of the London 2012 Olympics as she won gold in the heptathlon

London 2012 worked.

From the smooth running transport networks, to the stunning sporting arenas and the fantastic Games Makers who made London 2012 such a friendly and welcoming occasion, everything went to plan.

When you consider the complexities of hosting the world's biggest sporting occasion this is no mean feat and I firmly put this down to the success of partnership working.

The Games saw major organisations working together for a common purpose on a scale never previously seen. And whilst it is important to celebrate the success of these partnerships to deliver the Games, it is imperative that we continue in the same spirit to deliver the promised Olympic legacy.

The London 2012 Games Makers have been widely credited for making the Olympic and Paralympic Games such a huge success

At the Youth Sport Trust one of our core values is partnership working and for many years we have worked with a range of organisations to improve the quality of sport in schools. We work with Government, corporate partners, NGB's, schools and young people themselves – groups that have a shared understanding of how sport can improve the lives of young people. As an individual organisation we cannot reach every school or every young person through our work – but by working in partnership with other organisations we can extend our reach and increase the impact of our work.

An example of this is the new partnership being developed between the Youth Sport Trust and the YMCA which I will be announcing today at the School Sport Conference in Kettering.

The YMCA is renowned for working with some of the most disadvantaged young people in society to achieve their full potential. We share an unwavering belief that health and physical activity are central to the wellbeing of all young people. Under this new partnership, we are planning to work across schools and local communities to help young people get and stay active.

Youth Sport Trust chair Baroness Sue Campbell has been one of the key figures in encouraging partnership at the top level in support of school sport

If we are to deliver an Olympic legacy we must continue to work together. Much of it must be led by partnership working at a national level and the Youth Sport Trust will play a key role in this moving forward. However, equally important is the need for organisations at a local level to work in collaboration in the delivery of school sport. Local schools, clubs, councils and coaches have a crucial role to play in improving school sports provision and making a real difference to the lives of young people.

We've had a fantastic party this summer – partnership working was one of the key ingredients that made it such a success and we must not forget that.

John Steele is the chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust.