In Your Corner Project

Fight for Peace International is a global organisation dedicated to supporting young people to reach their full potential, and promoting peace in our communities.

The organisation believes that for any young person to thrive they need access to opportunities, support, and a safe environment. In the communities where they work, young people often lack access to these basic rights and this can act as a barrier to their development. High levels of violence in these communities disproportionately affect young people and further exacerbates this problem.

Recognising young people as agents-of-change, Fight For Peace works to address these challenges via three strategic focuses:

• Academies: Working directly with young people, developing their potential through integrated programmes of support and inclusion using the Five Pillars model
• Alliance: exchanging skills, knowledge and support with community-based partners around the world to strengthen youth-focused programmes
• Collectives: bringing together diverse partners, services and organisations collaborating on a collective impact methodology to prevent violence and support young people in focus communities

In Your Corner provides school-based weekly physical activity based on boxing/martial arts, combined with discussion and group mentoring sessions to children who are transitioning from primary to secondary and who might be at risk of involvement or victimisation in violence. The project aims to promote engagement in fun and dynamic two-hour sessions, building protective factors to involvement or victimisation in violence by improving participants’ well-being, access to safe spaces with trusted adults, and reducing the risk of exclusion. This project is funded by London's Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), supported by the Mayor of London, and delivered by Fight For Peace International as the delivery organisation.

The Fight for Peace delivery team for this project is made up of a boxing coach and a mentor, who work together to make sure learnings from sports sessions and discussions/mentoring are transferred to the classroom and reflected in behaviour and attitude changes.

In consultation with the group, a different essential skill is prioritised every month so participants are aware of the meaning and importance of each skill, and are supported to reflect on them and start practising one by one in their classrooms.

The mentor uses offline assessment tools to identify strengths and areas for development. Once the pre-assessment is completed, a plan is made for developing the weakest areas and the steps that might need more reinforcement during the group mentoring sessions, and also those individuals that might need more attention/support. Further assessment enables this progression to be tracked and shared with participants.

To find out more, you can email carolina@fightforpeace.net