Moves Different and the Power of Boxing
Moves Different is an exciting new initiative that brings together England Boxing, Welsh Boxing, and the Youth Endowment Fund to explore how the power of boxing can support young people at risk of offending.
By joining the project and becoming a Moves Different club, you can show how our sport can make a real difference in young lives while building valuable evidence on the impact of boxing in crime prevention.
For clubs and coaches, this is a chance to be part of something bigger than the sport itself. Involvement not only supports young people in the community but also highlights the vital role boxing plays in tackling some of society’s toughest challenges. By opening your doors and sharing your expertise, you’ll help shape the future of young people while strengthening boxing’s reputation as a force for positive change.
We are currently rolling out the project in selected police force areas in England and Wales, as identified by the evaluators as those that would most benefit from the Moves Different project. These include London, East & West Midlands, South Yorkshire and South Wales. We hope to expand in the future.
We have recently appointed 10 clubs to deliver the pilot phase. Applications for the next stage of the project will open early in 2026.
For now, you can review our FAQs and contact your relevant Regional Project Lead if you would like any more information.
FAQs Boxing Clubs
What does the Moves Different boxing programme delivery look like and what is expected of clubs?
Delivery of Moves Different is designed to fit into a club’s existing operations while providing maximum impact for young people.
- Session frequency and timing
- Two one-hour sessions per week
- Scheduled as close as possible to after school, ideally between 5-6pm, to allow for travel.
- Coaching requirements
- Sessions must be run by England Boxing Level 1 / Welsh Boxing Assistant coaches or above
- An England Boxing Level 2 / Welsh Boxing Lead coach must be present to supervise sparring in line with England Boxing and Welsh Boxing rules.
- Group size and ratios
- Up to 20 participants aged 14-18
- Recommended ratio of one coach per 10 young people.
- Programme cycle
- Six-month delivery cycles across eighteen months
- Each club delivers 2-3 six-month boxing interventions
- The structure includes:
- A pilot phase
- Two additional six-month cycles
- Allows clubs to build experience, refine delivery, and measure long-term impact.
The programme content has been co-designed by clubs and young people, looking at a balance between teaching technique and coaching the individual. After four months, participants have the option to participate in sparring. A brief outline of the programme looks like this:
| Month | Key Objectives |
| 1 | Introduce the basics of the sport; build rapport and a sense of belonging |
| 2 | Reinforce basic techniques and fitness; recognise achievement and build motivation -eg boxer of the week |
| 3 | Enhance technical skills and introduce advanced movements |
| 4 | Introduce modified sparring – Optional, dependent on YP |
| 5-6 | Further development of sparring skills (optional), providing opportunities to take on responsibility |
How will my club benefit from being part of the Programme?
Being part of Moves Different comes with a wide range of practical benefits designed to support clubs in delivering high-quality sessions while keeping costs covered. These include:
- Funding towards venue hire and coaching delivery, ensuring your time and facilities are valued.
- Each participant will also receive programme booklets and a t-shirt, with all BCRI medical costs and NGB memberships fully funded, so there’s no extra financial burden on the club or participants.
- On top of this, clubs will be provided with an Activator kit bag packed with the essentials needed to run sessions
- Funding for coaching courses to support staff development.
- Funding for community events, helping clubs strengthen their local presence and celebrate their young people’s progress.
To make sure you’re supported every step of the way, each club will work closely with a dedicated regional project lead, offering guidance, advice, and practical help whenever it’s needed.
By getting involved, clubs don’t just gain resources and funding -they become part of a national project that demonstrates the true value of boxing in changing lives and shaping communities.
What criteria do clubs have to meet to be involved?
To take part in Moves Different, clubs will need to meet a set of criteria that ensures the programme is delivered safely, effectively, and with the greatest impact.
Full list of Criteria:
Ideally, we are looking for clubs that fit the following:
✔ Have a Club Constitution, Safeguarding policy and Club Affiliation to England or Welsh boxing
✔ Capacity to provide two England Boxing or Welsh Boxing registered coaches to deliver two sessions per week
✔ Experience working with young people aged 14-18
✔ Willingness to support data collection, such as registers, session observations, and interviews
✔ Commitment to engagement in onboarding/induction days, training, reflection sessions, and regular meetings with the Project Lead
✔ Located within one of the project police force areas: Metropolitan, Hampshire, South Wales, West Midlands, Leicestershire, or South Yorkshire (with expansion planned in the efficacy phase)
✔ Operating within a police force area where a Violence Reduction Unit has been established
Desirable:
✔ Experience delivering crime prevention projects or England Boxing community initiatives is a bonus
✔ Clubs with ethnically diverse leadership (50%+ of senior leadership from Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic backgrounds) are encouraged to apply
✔ Clubs based in areas of moderate to high ethnic diversity.
How do I apply on behalf of my club?
Applications will open in early 2026.
If you are confident that you meet most or all the criteria and are based in one of the areas we are working in, please fill in an application form.
Why are only certain areas or regions being asked to participate?
To ensure the smooth introduction of the programme and promote the highest chance of success, for the pilot phase, we are focusing on four areas with police forces that all have an active Violence Reduction Unit.
Once we are later in the programme, we will be looking to expand to other police force areas and therefore work with clubs across a wider range of the country.
Wider Community Impact
Moves Different is an opportunity for the whole boxing community to demonstrate the vital role our sport plays in society. By showing how boxing can prevent crime, engage young people at risk, and give them structure and purpose, the programme builds powerful evidence that benefits every club and coach, not only those clubs directly involved.
It strengthens the reputation of boxing as a sport that changes lives, making it harder to overlook when decisions are made about funding, facilities, and long-term investment.
By taking part in Moves Different as a boxing community, we are raising the profile of boxing as a vehicle for social change.
Every club benefits when the sport is recognised as a force for good, creating new opportunities, partnerships, and resources that will support the growth of boxing across England and Wales for years to come.
Contacts
Louise Vidor
Project Manager
Kirsty McMahon
London and Hamps
Michelle Butler
West Mids and Leics
Holly Boden
South Yorkshire
Francesca Russell
Wales
