This month has seen the monumental launch of Fight for Peace’s new Post-16 Education Programme – and it has been an important moment to say the least. Not simply because we have started something new, but because of what it has taken to get here – and what we are already learning from the young people who have put their trust in us to take their next step in education at our Academy.

When we first began developing the idea, our thinking was relatively straightforward. We set out to deliver a two-year programme offering a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport and Physical Activity – a course combining education with boxing and physical training, personal development, employability support and other opportunities to enable young people to explore future careers both within, and beyond sport.

We envisioned attracting young people from across east London who already had an enthusiasm for boxing and sport, and creating an education pathway around that interest for those who had struggled to find their place in mainstream education.

The reality has been much more interesting, and much more challenging. What has emerged is a genuinely diverse cohort of young people, with different ambitions, experiences and needs. Some love boxing, while some are just discovering it. Some have done well in parts of mainstream education, and others have struggled significantly within it.

For some of the young people enrolled on the programme, the biggest challenge is not ability, but trust. Many of those on the programme have experienced education, services and institutions in ways that have sometimes left them disengaged, or feeling that the system is simply not designed for them. Asking those young people to commit to another programme is therefore asking them to take a risk.

They are putting some of that trust in Fight for Peace, and with that, brings real responsibility. Our reputation has always been important to us, but programmes like this remind us why. 

We understand that young people and families need to believe that when they come through our doors, we will put their journey first. That doesn’t mean making things easy. In fact, sometimes it means exactly the opposite: allowing a space for students to be challenged, setting expectations, and being honest about what it will take to progress through the course, while giving them the support and relationships that help them stay engaged throughout.

That is perhaps where our programme feels different to traditional education pathways. Although we are not trying to recreate mainstream education at Fight for Peace, we know how important it is to build an environment that recognises the reality of each young person in front of us. It is our duty to create a space for learning and support which allows young people to believe they are building a future in sport they can genuinely see themselves fulfilling in the long run.

Getting to this point has involved a great amount of work behind the scenes, with our Head of Programmes, Carolina Velasquez, Employability Mentor Lee Goulbourne, and CEO Lee Hemmings driving so much of the work behind the scenes: developing the programme, solving problems, building relationships and, most importantly, nurturing the young people themselves. 

The success of programmes like this is often measured by qualifications, attendance figures and eventual outcomes, but it’s important to recognise the huge amount of patience and human work that sits behind those numbers.

Seeing our students now in the building, learning together and finding their place has made all of that effort worthwhile, and we are only at the beginning.

Fight for Peace CEO, Lee Hemmings reflects on the course’s progress so far: “I am particularly excited about how we continue to develop the sporting side of the programme alongside the introduction of vocational qualifications and wider opportunities. Boxing and martial arts have always been powerful tools for Fight for Peace – not simply because they produce athletes, but because they teach discipline, resilience, responsibility, confidence and ambition.”

“Our challenge now is to bring all of those elements together,” Lee continued. “We want young people to leave Fight for Peace with qualifications, skills and genuine options for their future. We want some to become coaches, leaders and professionals across the sport and physical activity sector. Some may compete. Others will follow entirely different careers.”

Ultimately, that is what has always sat at the heart of Fight for Peace: creating champions in the ring and champions in life. We are incredibly proud to have launched our Post-16 Education Programme in partnership with SCL Education, and grateful to all the young people who have put their trust in us to embark on this journey. Our responsibility over the next two years is to make that trust count.

We want our future graduates to leave Fight for Peace not only with qualifications, but with the confidence, skills, relationships, and sense of possibility to take their next step. While we can’t predict exactly where each young person’s journey will take them, we can create the environment, opportunities and support that help them get there. 

That is the ambition we are now working towards – and the measure of success will be seeing each young person leave with the belief and tools to build a future they can genuinely see themselves in.

Our two-year Post-16 Education Programme combines an NCFE Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport & Physical Activity (equivalent to 3 A-Levels) with boxing, sports coaching, mentoring, work placements and pathways into employment, apprenticeships or further education.

A few places are still available, with an additional opportunity for eligible students to join the DiSE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence) programme – an extra Level 3 qualification supporting their development as competitive athletes and future opportunities in boxing and beyond. Apply here or email education@fightforpeace.net to find out more.

Education is one of Fight for Peace’s Five Pillars, alongside Boxing & Martial Arts, Employability, Support Services, and Youth Leadership – working together to support young people in reaching their full potential.