An innovative boxing program from the UK is set to give local at-risk youth a chance to learn essential life skills and access supports from inside the boxing ring. 

Empire Fighting Chance is a one-of-a-kind program designed in partnership with seasoned boxers and sports psychologists, that uses the environment of the boxing gym as a space for working through challenges, and building the mental and emotional skills required to deal with them in a healthy way. 

In June, staff and youth from partner agencies gathered in both classrooms and the ring for a four-day training course in providing this programming, in order to bring the initiative to Edmonton, with the Winchester Amateur Boxing Club generously offering its space at a discount.  

“Empire Fighting Chance came about because I was a coach and running the Empire Boxing gym in Bristol, England,” says Martin Bisp, co-founder and CEO of the program. “It was a Friday evening, and I saw two young people that I vaguely knew dealing drugs in the local park. My co-founder, Jamie, and I went over and said look, this has to stop. We can’t have this anymore. We had a long conversation about how nobody cared about them and there was nothing to do, we were like ‘we care.’ So we dragged them back to the gym, did a pad session. They came back on Monday with two friends,  Tuesday with two more, and within six weeks we had 50 young people coming five days a week.” 

“That went on for about six months and then we started working with schools,” says Bisp. The program grew to include advocating for youth within the school system, and connecting them to the supports they need in the environment of the boxing gym.  

Over time, the program evolved to have a core curriculum called Box Champions, designed by sports psychologist Sam Kotadia. 

“The whole program is not a psychological ‘fix-it’ program. It’s not about coming here to feel better, it’s about knowing that however you’re feeling is absolutely fine. And when we feel comfortable with the uncomfortable, then we actually are able to go out into the world and do more,” says Kotadia. 

This really resonates with the youth in the program, who have often been moved around from various schools, psychologists, therapists or justice programs aiming to address their issues. 

“This allows community workers to share important knowledge in psychology, but in a non-clinical setting, so it really lands those points home,” says Kotadia. “So rather than feeling like we’re imposing ourselves on young people, we’re allowing them to find space, find stability, where they are.”

The program has seen such success in Bristol, that other cities in England wanted to offer it as well, which led to the creation of the training program that was recently hosted here in Edmonton. 

“We really want to share this program with as many organizations as possible,” says Kotadia. “But we don’t want to disrupt their amazing work, we want to add to what they’re already doing.”

In 2022, Martin Bisp met REACH Executive Director Jan Fox at the Peace in Our Cities conference in Colombia, and immediately started brainstorming about how the two organizations could work together. 

Thanks to a local private donation of $200,000, REACH was able to bring Empire Fighting Chance staff to Edmonton to train local partners interested in collaborating to offer this programming here. 

“As an agency, we have multiple programs for youth, with a focus on youth with high barriers and gang connections, so we’re trying to find pathways out of that lifestyle,”  says Kaela Hendra, Director with Encompass Community Safety Agency. “With this program, we see an opportunity to build relationships with youth that are hard to build relationships with. This is an in to get them on site, working with our staff, building that relationship and being able to have those conversations that are really difficult without focusing on the barriers that the youth are facing. It’s positive.”

By giving the youth a physical activity to focus on, Hendra says it’s easier to get them engaged in building healthy lifestyles. 

“They’re doing things that they want to do, while dealing with what’s going on with them. It’s this soft way of helping them. Ensuring that the folks around them are creating a community of support,” she says. “Our hopes are to see this program just kind of skyrocket. We know that through exercise and fitness, it’s another way for them to build a healthy life. So if we can get as many kids as possible involved in this,  the opportunities are endless.” 

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Partners currently working with REACH Edmonton to bring this project to local youth include the Africa Centre, Empire Fighting Chance UK, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters (BGCBigs), Bravé MMA and Fitness, the City of Edmonton, Encompass, Native Counselling Services of Alberta, the YMCA, YOUCAN Youth Services, and the YWCA.