Every month, we’ll spotlight one of our 10 No More Red charity partners who are helping to keep young people safe. This time, it's Box Up Crime.
Donate to Box Up Crime to help them continue their important work in the community.
What do you do?
Box Up Crime is a unique organisation offering vulnerable young people a chance at a brighter future. We provide a range of facilities, resources and programmes that offer an inspiring and positive alternative for those in deprived circumstances and communities, or at risk of being drawn towards crime.
We have 5 pillars of engagement: boxing, music, education, careers and enterprise. Our approach promotes self-reliance and a strong sense of purpose, working with young people to harness their talents and empower them to change direction.
Dr Stephen Addison, BEM launched Box Up Crime in 2013. Having experienced the huge loss of valued friends to gang violence and crime, Stephen was inspired to create an organisation that would address the social issues affecting young people vulnerable to crime, and provide viable and positive alternative futures.
What impact have you seen in the local community?
Our commitment to working with young people from diverse backgrounds has led to transformative outcomes. By offering access to our programmes and positive role models we've witnessed a significant positive shift in the lives of these young individuals.
Our Young Leaders programme identifies young participants who have demonstrated growth and leadership potential in our sessions. These individuals are given the opportunity to join our Box Up delivery team as voluntary members as well as paid employment.
We provide them with training to facilitate sessions and mentor them to refine their leadership skills. This unique avenue of engagement not only offers a productive way for these young leaders to spend their free time but also provides them with stability and a sense of purpose through volunteering and working.
A factor of our impact is the employment opportunities we've been able to offer to these young people at Box Up Gyms. By empowering them with skills and confidence, we've enabled them to pursue meaningful careers.
This boost in self-assurance and practical skills has far-reaching effects on their overall well-being and their ability to contribute to society.
We are thankful to be celebrating a decade of consistent service to the local community, operating with passion and purpose. We have mentored and engaged with thousands of young people in the past decade and are excited for much more impact in the next decade ahead.
We have also seen many young people successfully exit a life of gangs and Serious Youth violence and discover purpose and identity in more positive alternatives.
What are your current goals as a social enterprise?
Since launching, Box Up Crime has fostered a foundation for social change, raising awareness and building confidence in affected communities.
We are passionate about working with young people from all backgrounds, providing access to world-class boxing training, mentoring, career opportunities and access to positive role models through our free weekly community sessions, work with schools, our mentoring programme and community hub.
We firmly believe that by empowering the youth, supporting their aspirations, and nurturing their potential, we can create a ripple effect of positive change that extends beyond the individual to the broader community.
Through our dedication and passion, we strive to be a driving force for meaningful and lasting impact, enriching the lives of those we serve and contributing to a brighter, more resilient society.
What does it mean to you to be an official charity partner of No More Red?
For our organisation being part of the No More Red campaign is massive as we believe that such a high profile football club taking a stand and putting their weight behind such a topic will have a huge influence.
We have tirelessly worked in this area of need for over ten years and being an official partner of NMR gives us a platform to tell the stories of young people impacted by knife crime.
This is not just the negative stories but also stories of hope and how lives can be transformed through the power of sport, engagement and direction. Our organisation's ethos was previously 'Rebuilding Misguided Dreams' but we've now changed our focus from that to 'Turning Dreams into Futures'.
Being able to partner with other organisations alongside Arsenal and Adidas enhances our ability to create realistic pathways for the young people we serve. We are excited about this long-term partnership as we know despite the exciting impact of the No More Red campaign bringing change to young lives is not a short-term fix but a long-term vision.
How to get involved?
If you are interested in mentorship, fitness and inspiring young people, please get in touch with us. We are always looking for passionate volunteers to join the team and become a part of the Box Up family.
Please see our volunteer application form if you would like to apply to become a volunteer with us at Box Up Crime and once completed, email info@boxupcrime.org.
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