We Rise Three Months In!
Three months ago, we launched our “We Rise” project, funded by the National Lottery. We Rise is a peer-to-peer mentoring and community building programme that seeks to use the power of the sport of boxing as a tool for engaging local young people aged 8-25. Through mentoring, workshops and regular boxing sessions, the project helps young people build confidence, form positive relationships and feel more connected to their local community. Its main goals are:
- Developing Positive Social and Emotional Skills
- Providing Safe Spaces and Relationships They Can Trust
- Helping Prevent Issues Before They Happen
Our amazing mentors are made up of members from our more advanced classes, who have begun coming along to help out in our beginner classes and finding people to mentor themselves. This gives our more experienced members the opportunity to develop their communication and leadership skills, while younger and newer members receive support from someone they can relate to and look up to. We have also been able to hold some in house workshops and had Jo from Barclays come along and deliver a financial awareness workshop, with more workshops and opportunities still to come!
Thanks to this project, we’ve seen our young people become closer, more confident, and more aware of what they want – both in their boxing technique and with their wider goals! We are also beginning to see stronger friendships form across different classes, helping to create a more supportive and welcoming environment throughout the club.
