04/12/2020 – The Fight for Peace Alliance has launched a new podcast series called Fighting Back which highlights expertise and learning from community organisations across the UK navigating the uncertain times of the coronavirus pandemic.

The series brings together four Alliance member organisations and Fight for Peace to discuss how they are responding to the current challenging times and adapting their work to meet the needs of some of our most vulnerable groups of young people.

Episode one of six launches today and features Alliance member organisations Vulcan Learning Centre (Hull), Gloves not Gunz CIC (London), Switch Up CIC (Nottingham), Sheffield City Boxing Club (Sheffield), and Fight for Peace sharing their experiences of getting young people back in their gyms and using their services after lockdown restrictions. Highlights of the recommendations for good practice emerging from the first episode in the series are presented below.

This and all future episodes of the podcast are available across Apple, Spotify and Google platforms and can be accessed here.

The Fighting Back podcast is part a wider Fight for Peace Alliance Tackling Inequalities project, made possible by National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Tackling Inequalities Fund, which sees four Alliance member organisations and Fight for Peace provide combat sports, personal development and mentoring activities with the specific aim of helping reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 and the widening of inequalities in sport and physical activity.

A big thank you to all of the Fight for Peace Alliance member organisations who are participating in this podcast series for their insights and contributions, and to the National Lottery Community Fund and Sport England for their support of this initiative and the wider Tackling Inequalities project.

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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BEST PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ORGANISATIONS EMERGING FROM FIGHTING BACK EPISODE ONE:

1. Re-engage young people through outreach and detached youth work. Go to where young people are and talk to them about what they would like to see and do in the gym. Talk to parents about what you are doing and how you are working with young people to keep them safe. 
2. Offer a variety of in person and online sessions. We have seen that not all our  members feel confident to come to the gym. Continue to deliver online sessions, as well as re-introducing face-to-face sessions that follow social distancing guidelines. Make sure members have the opportunity to shape both online and in person sessions, so they remain responsive to what is happening in their lives. 
3. Stay in contact. Stay in regular contact with your members. Use different approaches to keep everyone informed about the different opportunities available in your gym. Use social media as well as phone calls and messages to keep them up to date on what is happening and changes that are taking place due to changing guidelines.