Our summer work experience didn’t just offer coaching tips – it developed skills, refined technique, and built the confidence necessary to succeed in a coaching career. As recently qualified Personal Trainer, Yedidya, describes – it was a crucial launchpad into the real world.
Entering the job market and starting a career can be exceptionally daunting. According to the Youth Futures Foundation in 2024, three in five young people feel finding a job is harder now than a decade ago, with 44% citing lack of skills or training as the biggest barrier. So what’s the answer?
At Fight for Peace, we understand the importance of creating an environment where young people can share, learn, and develop the skills they need to succeed. Through our Employability Pillar, a key part of our Five Pillar approach – alongside Boxing and Martial Arts, Education, Youth Leadership opportunities and Support Services – we help young people realise their full potential and take control of their career paths.
This past summer, with funding from London Youth, we offered nine newly qualified boxing and personal training coaches valuable work experience at the Fight for Peace Academy in east London. We recently caught up with Yedidya, a bright and ambitious individual who took part in the work experience, to learn more about its impact.
Yedidya in the Fight for Peace Academy gym
“The work experience was a great thing that pushed me forward because a couple of things that I’ve noticed in myself is that I like supporting people. This experience also pushed me more to be a leader [and made me realise that] I really like pushing people towards a higher height.”
Having recently completed his Level 2 Personal Training qualification with us and now in the process of his Level 3, Yedidya spoke about how the work experience was the first time he truly found confidence in his abilities. He described the sessions as giving him a “sense of direction,” realising that “people trusting you makes you think about how responsible you are.”
Beyond the gym, the work experience also included outreach, where our young coaches shared information about Fight for Peace with the residents of Newham. Yedidya admits he was initially surprised by the profound sense of community he saw in this activity, an element we strive to build throughout our internal and external programmes at Fight for Peace.
Beyond his role as a sports coach, Yedidya also took part in the Fight for Peace Life Champions course, which is designed to help coaches impact young people’s lives both in and beyond the sporting environment.
“I learned how to be more open to other people’s experiences,” Yedidya explained. “Before, I could be quite closed-minded about how to handle certain situations, but the course really explains how to manage these.” This learning, combined with his work experience, fueled his ambition to become a coach.
“I believe I am more approachable now. I gained social skills, I am more task-oriented, and I know how to best encourage others. I learned how to meet them where they are and find a middle ground.”
Coupled with his coaching development, Yedidya received practical guidance on the financial realities of self-employment, how to manage Universal Credit, and how to obtain an enhanced DBS certificate. The result is a holistic package that prepares individuals like Yedidya for both their chosen career, and the broader realities of employment.
He concluded his journey by saying, “The experience has helped me learn and pointed me in the direction of becoming a teaching assistant and life coach. I want to support others; I want to be the person other kids trust.”
Yedidya is a shining example of what happens when we empower young people with the autonomy, skills, and experience they need to meet the job market head-on: they are prepared, confident, and in a position to thrive.
