Fight for Peace is excited to announce the launch of a new boxing class, specifically designed for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), starting on September 30th.
The free SEND boxing sessions will provide a safe and supportive space for disabled and neurodiverse young people between the ages of 11 and 16 to learn boxing skills and build confidence.
“Boxing is a great way for young people with additional needs to develop their physical and mental well-being. Our goal is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable to participate and learn at their own pace,” said Silvino, Fight for Peace’s Sports Development Manager.
The tailored classes, led by our team of experienced coaches, will take place every Monday from 6-7pm at the Academy and focus on developing boxing fundamentals, as well as building confidence, fitness and self-esteem, in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
“Boxing has an ethos of discipline and hard work,” said Fight for Peace Boxing Coach, Justyn. “However, we understand that neurodiverse young people who come in could have ADHD or autism, which might not allow them to be as engaged and focused in a conventional, ultra-competitive group.
These sessions will have nuances, allowing the young people to be more comfortable. It will be a lot more non-contact, a lot more protected in that respect, but the same things still apply – we’ll still be teaching different combinations, we’ll still be there to have fun, engaging in a new sport for many of the participants, but just with a little more freedom.”
By reaching a more diverse range of young people in the community, we hope to provide an opportunity for them to connect to others with similar shared experiences, while removing some of the barriers to participation in combat sports.
“We want to show that boxing can be inclusive to everybody,” Justyn continued. “Boxing gyms have a stereotype for being strict and tough, but I feel that running these SEND classes will show that they can be fun too.
I’ve seen the positive impact boxing can have on people from all walks of life: those that have disabilities, behavioural issues, but also those facing challenges with their mental health. It’s a fun, unique way to participate in exercise.”
At Fight for Peace, we believe in a society without exclusion. Everyone is welcome through our doors, and introducing our SEND sessions is the latest step on the journey to make the Academy the most inclusive space it can be.
“I think Fight for Peace does so much to welcome new members. Athena who takes the all-women’s sessions, Tommy’s running his inclusivity classes, now you’ve got these SEND sessions starting,” Justyn added.
“It’s like a domino effect: once you get one thing going, you’ll see the impact. You’ll see other things – it might not be actual boxing sessions, it might be muay thai for a particular group, or it might be personal development sessions, or things in the hub. It will open the doors to a lot more people and implement even more initiatives off the back of that.”
Fight for Peace’s SEND boxing classes take place every Monday from 6-7pm, starting on September 30th. To find out more, or to enquire about any specific access requirements, please e-mail info@fightforpeace.net.
