W13 Youth safety and futures

Boxing is bringing young people together in Ealing – building confidence, discipline, positive relationships and safer futures.

W13 Youth Safety & Futures is a youth project delivered by Golden Opportunity Skills & Development (GOS&D) with local partners.

Through boxing, mentoring and youth engagement activities, we are creating a safe and positive space where young people can get active, make new connections, develop confidence and have their voices heard.

Our activities take place at W13 Impact Hub, Bayham Road, West Ealing, and Powerday Hooks Boxing ABC, Popes Lane.

The project particularly aims to engage young people who live, work or study in Ealing Town, while remaining welcoming to friends and young people from neighbouring areas who want to take part.

We currently have around 20 young people registered, and recruitment is continuing. One of the most encouraging developments has been seeing young people bring their friends along, showing that they enjoy the sessions and feel comfortable encouraging others to get involved.

Alongside boxing, we are supporting young people to develop confidence, discipline, wellbeing and stronger social connections. We are also creating opportunities for young people to discuss youth safety, their future and the issues that matter to them through our Youth Safety & Futures Forum.

1. Who are we?

We are GOS&D, a community organisation working with residents across Ealing.

Through our W13 Youth Safety & Futures project, we are working with young people and local partners to provide positive activities, support and opportunities.

We are working in partnership with Powerday Hooks Boxing ABC, who provide boxing expertise and a positive environment where young people can develop their skills, fitness, confidence and discipline.

2. What have we delivered?

We have established regular boxing and youth engagement activities at W13 Impact Hub in West Ealing and Powerday Hooks Boxing ABC on Popes Lane.

We currently have around 20 young people registered, with new participants continuing to join.

The sessions provide more than physical exercise. They give young people a regular and structured activity where they can meet others, develop discipline, build confidence and form positive relationships with coaches and other young people.

We have promoted the project through local schools, community organisations and our existing community networks.

An important part of our recruitment has also been word of mouth. Young people who enjoy the sessions have encouraged their friends to come along, helping us reach young people we may not otherwise have engaged.

3. What difference has the project made?

Although the project is still being delivered, we are already seeing positive engagement from the young people taking part.

Young people are attending the sessions, developing their boxing and fitness skills, meeting other young people and becoming more confident in a structured and supportive environment.

One of the strongest signs of positive engagement has been participants bringing their friends to the sessions. This shows us that young people feel comfortable with the project and want others to benefit from it too.

The project is also creating new connections between young people from different parts of Ealing who might not otherwise meet.

As the project continues, we will gather further feedback, attendance information, photographs and individual stories to help us understand and demonstrate the difference the project is making.

4. What have we learned?

One of our biggest lessons has been the importance of peer-to-peer recruitment.

We initially promoted the project through schools, community organisations and local networks. However, we have found that young people themselves can be some of the best ambassadors for the project.

When a young person has a positive experience, they often tell their friends and encourage them to attend.

This has also presented us with an interesting challenge. Some friends joining the sessions live outside Ealing Town, including young people from other parts of the borough. We want the project to remain welcoming and inclusive while continuing to increase participation from young people who live, work or study in Ealing Town.

Our main learning has been simple: listen to young people, provide activities they genuinely want to take part in, build trust and let them help spread the word.

5. What next?

We will continue delivering the boxing and youth engagement activities and recruiting more young people, particularly those who live, work or study in Ealing Town.

We will continue strengthening our links with schools, community organisations and other local partners to reach more young people.

We will also deliver our Youth Safety & Futures Forum, creating a space where young people can discuss community safety, the challenges they face, their future and the opportunities they would like to see available to them.

As the project develops, we want young people to have an increasing role in shaping activities and encouraging other young people to become involved.

We also want to build on our partnership with Powerday Hooks Boxing ABC and explore how the positive activities, relationships and opportunities developed through the project can continue beyond the current funding period.

6. What would you say to anyone else looking to make a difference in their Town?

Start by listening to local people and involve them from the beginning.

For us, one of the most valuable lessons has been seeing young people bring their friends to the project. Young people are often more likely to engage when they hear about an opportunity from someone they already know and trust.

Build good local partnerships, provide something meaningful and enjoyable, listen to feedback and be prepared to adapt as you learn what works.

Most importantly, give young people a genuine opportunity to participate, contribute and have their voices heard. Small opportunities can build confidence, create stronger relationships and ultimately help make our communities safer and more connected.