The last week of January at Fight for Peace was one for the history books. To say our Academy in east London was busy would be an understatement, as we saw a winning hat-trick of events take place: our first Youth Leadership Training, the first Newham Youth Partnership meeting of the year, and an evening dedicated to the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport’s Team Up campaign.  

Despite being the most connected generation in history, too many young men across the UK feel isolated, drowned out by online noise and struggling to find authentic spaces to belong. That’s why Fight for Peace were proud to collaborate with the Department of Culture Media and Sport on their Team Up Campaign last week to show the nation how sports and mental health support can tackle male isolation and transform young men’s wellbeing. 

On Wednesday evening, Fight for Peace hosted a special event to mark the campaign. It began with a ‘Mega’ Man Talk session that saw over 30 young male members join the conversation and challenge the stigma around male loneliness. 

One young member who attended the session shared “It’s important for guys that suffer from loneliness…It’s a place where you can learn a lot of things, you can be yourself, [and] you can be open without judgment.”

Our ‘Mega’ Man Talk event was not a one off – Man Talk at Fight for Peace is a weekly Fight for Peace personal development session providing a safe space for young men and boys to discuss what it means to be a man, the challenges they face, and how to overcome them in a non-judgemental environment.

Following this ‘Mega’ Man Talk was a joint boxing session run by Fight for Peace Life Champions Coaches which saw over 50 young athletes ranging from beginners to competitors training in the same space as we stripped away the titles to unite as a community. 

Capturing the incredible atmosphere of the evening were Fight for Peace Young Creatives Aladdin Benberna and Alexander Ramsey. Their content captured the essence of this campaign – when we open a space for boys and men to talk, move, and connect, sport becomes more than just a game. It becomes a lifeline for community and wellbeing. Check out the campaign video here.

Alongside the campaign, Fight for Peace also held their first-ever Youth Leadership Training – a programme that moves beyond theory to empower young people to lead and influence organisational decision-making. 

We spent two days with six incredible organisations from across the nation: The Saracens Foundation, The Harlequins Foundation, Rudgley Rifle Club, Hideaway Youth Project, and The Vulcan Centre.  While the participants serve different communities and sporting disciplines, this training was a reminder that we are all united by one vision: Empowering the next generation to lead today. 

The training modules delved into the power of youth leadership, enriched by the lived experiences of our staff and our own youth leadership group, Youth Power. These stories did more than just illustrate the curriculum, they turned foundational theories into actionable strategies for our young leaders.

Following this, keep an eye out for our upcoming Youth Leadership webinar. It’s a straightforward, hands-on session packed with key actions you can take away and put into practice right away. 

The buzz on Wednesday morning was not attributed to the training participants alone, but the hum of 28 other organisations coming together for the first Newham Youth Partnership (NYP) meeting of 2026. As ever, this collective continues to thrive. 

However, numbers tell only half the story. The true value lies in the diversity of the room. Having major stakeholders such as Catch 22, Department for Work and Pensions, and Westham United in attendance demonstrated a real commitment to understanding local needs. This is how we drive lasting change: by bringing grassroots voices and top-level operators to the same table to build a stronger, more resilient Newham.

One of the meeting’s highlights was a presentation by Samin, a young member and a leading voice in Future Light. As part of the NYP’s Youth Leadership group, Future Light ensures that young people remain at the heart of the collective. After winning the Dragon’s Den Young Entrepreneurs Summer Programme (hosted by the Osmani Trust) last year, Samin shared his journey with the collective and his dreams to level up his own business.

Following the meeting, NYP Manager Josh Thomas captured the spirit of the week perfectly: “It starts with one conversation and then it just blossoms.” What began as a promise – our mission at Fight for Peace – is growing into a tangible reality. One that champions belonging and community, agency and leadership, and finally, one that clears the path for the future our young people are forging.