Young people, supported by the charity Centrepoint, attend weekly boxing classes at one of the charity’s hostels in Shepherd’s Bush, West London.
These young people are getting the unique opportunity to train with accredited England Boxing coaches to help them with their mental health and increase motivation.
BoxWise, a non-profit social enterprise and the flagship programme of the Nick Maughan Foundation, are leading these sessions in order to help young people build confidence, improve their health and wellbeing and maximise opportunities available to them. Centrepoint’s partnership with BoxWise has been made possible through the generous support of the Nick Maughan Foundation.
Centrepoint young person Moawia, 19, from West London has attended several of the sessions:
“It was great and I feel more positive now. I’ve enjoyed these sessions so far and I’d love to box all the time. I think I want to be a boxer – if it’s always like this.”
BoxWise trainer Cathy explained how the sessions are having such a positive effect on the young people Centrepoint support:
“At BoxWise we aim to help young people be more motivated, develop their confidence and improve their self-esteem. Just keeping them active makes such a difference to their overall well-being. It’s great to see how rewarding it is for the young people who have been attending these sessions at Centrepoint.”
Nick Maughan, founder of BoxWise and the Nick Maughan Foundation, says:
“The young people who find themselves at risk of homelessness, and the set of circumstances that have led them there, are far from uniform. This means that a one-size-fits-all approach is not going to provide the right support for everyone, particularly as the number of young people facing homelessness continues to grow. Instead, a holistic approach is required.”
It is now more important than ever that young people are being given the tools they need, due to the financial and mental stress of the cost of living crisis.
Earlier this year, Centrepoint found that far too many young people in London are experiencing food insecurity, which has a detrimental effect on a person’s mental health and causes them to miss opportunities that will improve their quality of life overall. The charity found that over a third (35%) of young people in the capital have gone a whole day without food, and just under a third (30%) of young Londoners have been forced to miss work or education due to a lack of food.
With the cost of living crisis still rife and uncertainty around whether benefits will rise in line with inflation, vulnerable young people remain at further risk of food insecurity and mental health struggles.
For more information on Centrepoint and to donate to the charity visit centrepoint.org.uk/
