Fighting Homelessness has launched a sports programme designed to identify young people at risk and prevent them from turning to crime
A Cardiff group that works with vulnerable people is adding a new initiative in partnership with local schools and the police. The scheme, Fighting Chance, will identify young people who are at risk of entering a world of criminal behaviour, and aim at preventing this from happening.
Fighting Chance was established earlier this year in partnership with South Wales Police and is currently working with two schools, Llantwit Major Comprehensive in Llantwit Major, and Coleg Cymunedol Y Dderwen in Bridgend. It involves young people between the ages of 11 and 16 and offers combat sports, fitness and self-defense classes as “hidden support mechanisms to build positive relationships with young people and prevent possible offending behaviours”, said founder, Robert Green.
The programme is being organised by Fighting Homelessness CIC, a Cardiff-based community interest company (as described by the government, CICs are “limited companies which operate to provide a benefit to the community they serve”). The company also provides people experiencing homelessness with support and community using martial arts, boxing, fitness and self-defense training.
The new scheme was formed largely to address the “county lines and modern slavery epidemic in the UK”, said Green. As described by The Clewer Initiative (an organisation raising awareness of modern slavery), county lines refers to a form of criminal exploitation that targets young people and involves urban gangs coercing or forcing them into storing or transporting drugs.
Green said the idea for Fighting Homelessness came from wanting to combine his two passions – combat sports and support work. It was originally established as a programme within Cardiff Council in November 2021 and later became an independent company after Green realised “the demand and potential of it”.
Another new initiative Fighting Homelessness has in development is She Is Worthy, a female-only programme designed to help women suffering from trauma. The initiative is led by female members of the Fighting Homelessness team who “have their own inspiring stories and act as role models and peer support”, said Green.