Boxing is at the heart of our work with young people, and its unique qualities enable us to transform young lives.
Every day we see how boxing can transform young lives. Our sports-based approach offers young people an enjoyable experience that they can be proud of telling their friends and family about. With us, young people gain support in ways that feel natural, encouraging them to keep turning up and to make changes in their lives. We have taken boxing’s key qualities and used them to shape what we do.
Credibility
We use boxing to attract young people to our programmes and ensure that they turn up each week. Young people find learning to box enjoyable, while the sport has credibility among their friends and family.
Boxing overcomes the stigma associated with traditional support for young people. Rather than access a service or see a professional, young people participate in sport and receive support naturally.
Trust
Young people will only listen to us if we have earned their trust. This can be difficult as those we support often have a history of poor relationships with adults.
We use boxing to gain young people’s confidence and to break down barriers to honest communication with our staff. We have found that as young people focus on the physical activity, such as hitting a punch bag, they relax, drop their guard, and open up.
Every day we see how boxing can transform young lives. Our vision is for young people in deprived communities across the UK to be able to benefit from the power of boxing.
Health benefits
Our sessions are fun but they are also physically demanding. They increase young people’s levels of physical activity and address health issues such as obesity. Our physical activities change young people’s brain chemistry, leading to good mental health and wellbeing. Exercise releases ‘feel-good’ chemicals serotonin, endorphins and dopamine, creating happier moods and reducing the risk of depression.
The sport also reduces anxiety through improved regulation of cortisol, the stress hormone. Finally, boxing can manage anger issues by providing a physical release in a safe, controlled environment.
Self belief
We use boxing to improve young people’s self-esteem and self-confidence, the building blocks for making changes to how they think and behave. As fitness and boxing skills increase, young people feel better about themselves and their abilities. More often than not, young people start their programme with their head down and finish it standing tall.
Natural support
We use boxing as a vehicle for young people to make emotional and behavioural changes. Boxing helps young people to clear their mind and open it up to new possibilities. Gaps between physical activities present natural opportunities for us to weave in personal development activities, such as mentoring, psychological education, therapy and careers support.
Life skills
Our boxing teaches young people important skills they can use outside of the ring. Young people learn the importance of perseverance, discipline, respect and pride.