Butetown is one of the poorest areas in Cardiff. How does a volunteer teacher make the most of a boxing club to help the children with their school performance?
Open the front door of the boxing club, there is a young man in sports clothing sitting in the reception. Go straight and then turn right. Open the door, Lauren Cole wears a black shirt and skirt. She is not here to exercise. Instead, she comes to teach the kids in Butetown, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Cardiff.
The volunteer teacher is preparing for the upcoming lesson before the kids arrive. Another commitment for Lauren is being a full-time teacher at school, which means that she has to teach at the boxing club after her full day of work. āIām trying to do it at least once a week. I can do more, if the students need it, then I will,ā says Lauren. However, this is also a commitment with personal sacrifice. āSometimes, Iām quite tired after workā, she says.
Six kids are talking unstoppably while Lauren is distributing folders with their names on them. However, Lauren knows how to grab their attention. āCan you please give me an example of ā¦ā Lauren wonāt forget to engage anyone of her students.
Tiger Bay Amateur Boxing Club (Tiger Bay ABC) has been running since 2018. It was an initiative by Wasim Said, to provide a venue for children to spend their time and learn about boxing and discipline. It was not until last September that Lauren started the free tuition class.
Lauren says that Tiger Bay ABC had been providing food parcels to the community during the lockdown. āThatās the kind of feeling like āI can do my bit. How could I help as well?ā ā says Lauren.
Butetown had the highest levels of child poverty in Cardiff, according to a report published in 2019. Ranking the fifth highest in Wales, 46% of the children growing up in this council ward were in poverty.Ā
āThe people kind of donāt do anything with their life. Thatās one of the main issues in this community. People, if theyāre not educated, they feel like they have nothing else to do,ā says Laith Wareth, a volunteer worker at Tiger Bay ABC.
Butetown has had a negative reputation from people outside the community, according to Laith. āButetown is known for having high crime or poverty area. What comes with that would just be like hate crimes, minor crimes,ā says Laith.
There were around 200 crimes every month in Butetown, from July to November 2021, according to a report. The problem of drug use has been getting worse as community groups said that there was an increase in discarded needles.
To tackle the social issues and counter the stigma associated with poverty and crime in the area, Laith believes the key is to educate the youth. āIf we can pave a way for them to succeed, defend themselves, the ones who come after, it wonāt be as hard for them,ā says Laith.
Over the past four years, Tiger Bay ABC has already brought some changes to the community. Saad Mohamed, a boxer at Tiger Bay, says that the boxing club had changed his life. āIt took me out of my comfort zone. I used to be a shy kid back then. But then they taught me how to speak to people, how to communicate with people, how to respect them. That all helped my mental health and made me more comfortable than I was,ā says Saad.
After about 10 minutes of the tuition class, the door of the classroom is pushed open. A lady arrives holding the hand of a little girl. After a quick chat with Lauren, the lady leaves and the girl becomes one of Laurenās students. She gets the girl seated and gives her a new folder and booklet. Lauren says that she has regular students at Tiger Bay ABC, but new students are still joining the class. ā Weāve never turned anyone away,ā says Lauren.
The new girl is sitting quietly to listen and write down the answers on the booklet. Later in the session, students draw a collage featuring places in Butetown. āIām drawing a galaxy,ā one girl says. āMe too,ā the new girl says.
āIām helping them in so many different things, academically as in their literacy skills, numeracy skills. But Iām also helping them socially. Itās nice for them all to get together, and maybe speak to students that they donāt know, they meet new friends,ā says Lauren.
Lauren will keep teaching amidst all odds. āThe students that come, want to be here,ā she says. āThey enjoy it, which means I enjoy it.ā
(Updated 16 Apr 2022)