Support young people in Newham through sport

Our Purpose

Fight for Peace’s mission is to help realise the potential of young people, aged 7 to 25, living in communities affected by inequality and violence. We  provide young people, living in Newham, one of the UK’s most underserved boroughs, the opportunity to improve their physical and mental well-being, and to access personal development opportunities that will contribute to alleviating the negative impacts of COVID-19.

Challenge

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns have had a severe impact on the wellbeing of young people and children. We know that only 44% of young people and children meet the Chief Medical Officer guidelines of taking part in sport and physical activity for an average of 60 minutes or more every day. Furthermore, young people and children from low affluence families are the least likely to be active.

We operate in Newham, a community affected by social inequality and where young people face additional barriers and challenges. Newham has high levels of economic inequality, with 50% of children in the area living in poverty, the highest in London and with less access to services.

The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded challenges faced by all young people, with record numbers accessing mental health support, higher recorded levels of isolation and increasing levels of inactivity amongst young people. Fight for Peace's Five Pillar methodology, delivered in a professional and safe environment, enables young people to access support from experienced coaches and youth workers to gain the skills and build the relationships needed to overcome these barriers. 

Solution

We are raising funds to return to our pre-pandemic levels of support to help realise the potential of 1,200 young people. We deliver free combat sport sessions, and provide employment, education and youth leadership opportunities, alongside personal development, mentoring and support services, to children and young people in Newham.

Our organisation supports young people directly by providing opportunities to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Our coaches and youth workers act as mentors and first points of contact for young people with additional needs. We provide young people with employment and education opportunities, working alongside businesses and community stakeholders to provide guidance and additional support. We provide needs-assessments and support those young people, children, and their families who need our support most.


 

Impact

We want to raise £50,000 to return to our pre-pandemic level of services and support 1,200 young people in Newham and surrounding boroughs. 

Your donation will contribute to enable us to deliver:

764 boxing and martial art classes;

150 employment support sessions;

350 mentoring sessions

Together we can increase young people’s levels of fitness and provide a safe space for positive and healthy personal development. Through the power of sport for development, we will help increase young people’s levels of confidence, increase their ability to make new friends, and empower them to live independent and positive lives.

According to our Annual Questionnaire, 90% of Fight for Peace users reported that regular training helped them a lot with their confidence, and 65% felt a lot more optimistic about their future.

Join Athena on a tour of the Fight for Peace Academy here: