The 7th of September marks a highly anticipated sporting occasion for a number of staff at Fight for Peace. While boxing Coach Dylan Abedisi is set to enter the Brentwood Centre for his third professional bout, Belisa, Leo, Kayla, and Grace are gearing up to complete The Big Half marathon in central London. Behind the tangle of hype and nerves, is a dedication and commitment that’s inspired by the young people who walk through our doors every week. 

The phrase ‘role model’ may conjure the image of an older mentor, someone with years of experience, or an athlete with various trophies. Yet this can overlook the fact that those younger than us have the power to inspire, empower and motivate. 

One of our core values at Fight for Peace is Inspiring which speaks of the way we aim to inspire those around us and be inspired by them. Speaking to our staff, this sentiment was very much alive.

Leonas Greicius, the Primary Intervention Manager at our Academy in east London, spoke about one young member at Fight for Peace whose journey in boxing and homework club has shown resilience, perseverance, and steadfast commitment. 

He also reflected on the broader meaning of the value of inspiration in youth work, and the fact that working with young people is a “two-way street” where staff are seen as role models, but are often inspired and “learning at the same time.” 

This resonated in his final words as “even the energy young people bring to the Academy can brighten a day or change a mood” – intuitively illustrating how young people are not the only beneficiaries of youth work. 

For Communications and Content Officer, Grace Allison-Arnold, the inspiration from young people at the Academy comes in many forms. 

“Whether it’s the young women, like Desree, Luna and Shaika, that show up and conquer the Fighting Fit sessions every week, or the young leaders of Youth Power, such as Amet and Mustafa, that approach decision making with thought and calm. Each young person is unique and they bring different qualities that I seek to improve within myself, that may be emotional intelligence, empathy surrounding a perspective I hadn’t considered or fierce determination. The latter I will most definitely be channeling in the half marathon.” 

Dylan Adebisi, whose passion for combat sports first began at the Fight for Peace Academy when he joined as a member over 10 years ago, has continued to go from strength to strength. First as a coach at our Academy, and, as of last year, into the professional boxing arena. He reigned supreme at his debut at the prestigious York Hall, and has since taken another victory under his belt. 

This weekend he takes to the Brentwood Centre for his third professional bout. While he is busy this week taking every opportunity to perfect his jab, he remains humble by reflecting on those who’ve inspired him. Dylan speaks warmly of former Fight for Peace member and professional mixed martial arts athlete Jawany Scott, and learning to train side by side with him: “He trained hard. I remember just being amazed.” 

“One of the first times we were training, I saw Jawany smirking and I was thinking – this is what it’s going to be like training like this. I wanted to be like him.”

In his own coaching sessions, Dylan spoke about seeing himself reflected in some of our athletes. Those that had the same drive, discipline and focus he remembers feeling when he started training alongside Jawany – he sees it within them and is reminded of the journey he’s begun. 

Finally, for Belisa Guedes de França, our Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager, her inspiration lies in one of the young mothers who attended Fight for Peace. Recalling this moment, she shared: “I became a mother, I’m always thinking about being inspired by other mothers, but this young mother was remarkable…she was sweet and kind, but strong and patient.” 

It’s with this shared experience of navigating motherhood that Belisa resonates with, where much of the effort associated with this role goes unseen. Yet in the face of challenges, this individual remained calm and strong – an unconventional role model whose quiet resilience was deeply inspiring.

The young people at our Academy are a force that inspire and empower, and through our staff we can see what an incredible impact they are having. As we wish our champions good luck in their events, we are comfortingly reminded that inspiration and role models are not defined by age or experience, but by dedication, strength, calm, and resilience.