Moves Different: July Round-Up

July was all about getting out into local communities and introducing even more young people to everything ‘Moves Different’ has to offer. From boxing tasters and careers workshops to community festivals and youth outreach, the team spent the month building new connections, strengthening partnerships and giving hundreds of young people the chance to discover boxing in a fun, welcoming environment.

Youth Service Taster Session (Wales)
Welsh Project Lead, Francesca Russell, teamed up with Welsh Boxing Activator, Jamie, to deliver a boxing taster session for young people attending Cardiff Youth Service. Young people had the opportunity to experience boxing for the first time, with local PCSOs from South Wales Police also joining in. The session was a great success, with plans already in place to return later in the year.

Youth Justice Taster Session (Wales)
Francesca also conducted the first of two planned sessions with young people currently engaged with the Youth Justice Team. Hosted at a local boxing club, participants met one of the ‘Moves Different’ coaches, experienced training in a real boxing gym and learned more about the programme. The session generated plenty of interest, with several young people keen to take the next step and join the programme.

Community Picnic in the Park (Wales)
The Programme joined South Wales Police at a community picnic to promote the initiative directly to local families. The event provided an excellent opportunity to raise awareness, build relationships with other organisations and speak to young people who could benefit from taking part, resulting in several new referral opportunities.

Merry Hill Community Event (West Midlands)
The team brought boxing to the heart of the Merry Hill shopping centre by installing a boxing ring and inviting local clubs to get involved. Children and young people stepped into the ring to try boxing with local coaches and apprentices, while parents learned more about ‘Moves Different’ and other opportunities available through local boxing clubs. The event created fantastic visibility for the programme across Dudley and Wolverhampton.

Big Boost for Brum Careers Fair (West Midlands)
Apprentices, James Goulty and Danny Tierney represented the programme at Severn Trent’s Big Boost for Brum careers fair, engaging with young people who are currently not in education, employment or training. Alongside promoting the campaign, they built valuable links with education providers and professionals who support young people across Birmingham, creating new referral opportunities.

Sheffield Council Fun Day (South Yorkshire)
Apprentice, Dominic Chesterton and Yorkshire Project Lead, Holly Boden introduced boxing to young people at Sheffield Council’s Local Area Committee Fun Day, giving participants the chance to try the sport while learning more about the ‘Moves Different’ programme. The event proved a real success, leading to 25 additional taster sessions being booked throughout the summer.

Spiral Skills and Woodmansterne School Workshop (London)
Following the success of previous sessions, London Project Lead, Kirsty McMahon and Apprentice, Allen Kabanda returned to deliver another interactive workshop with Spiral Skills and Woodmansterne School. Alongside introducing the project, they explored how boxing develops skills including confidence, resilience, discipline and teamwork, helping young people understand how these qualities can support them in education, employment and everyday life.

YouthBuild Ventures UK – Sporting Careers Workshop (London)
Kirsty and Allen also delivered a careers-focused workshop exploring the wide range of opportunities available within the sports sector. Young people learned about different pathways into employment, including apprenticeships, coaching and vocational routes, while also discovering how the initiative can provide funded coaching qualifications and act as a stepping stone into careers within sport.

Waltham Forest Community Hub Taster Session (London)
The month concluded with a boxing taster session at Aldrich Way Youth Club, where Kirsty and Allen introduced more local young people to boxing and the campaign. The session encouraged participants to experience the sport in a welcoming environment while highlighting the opportunities available through the fully funded programme, with hopes of welcoming many of them onto future cohorts.

To find out more about the ‘Moves Different’ Programme or to refer a young person, please click here.