Safercornwall complex needs team, TravellerSpace and Action for Children (AFC) have come together, to offer the St Day Gypsy & Traveller community access to structured boxing sessions.
We need to invest time in forging relationships and breaking down barriers, the complex needs team have encouraged this, allowing the time to develop a relationship with Traveller Space and some of the families using the centre, and in turn be able to co-produce an activity that the young people who use the centre said they would like to do.
TravellerSpace aims to:
- Break down barriers which prevent Gypsies and Travellers having equality of access to health, education and welfare services.
- Support Gypsies and Travellers in ensuring their voices are heard in decision and policy making processes.
- Provide support for Gypsies and Travellers in health, education and welfare matters.
- Provide play and creative opportunities for Gypsy & Traveller children and young people
- Support Gypsy & Traveller young people who have been excluded from school or who are disengaged with the learning process
- Develop and deliver training and workshops for schools, service providers, and other statutory and non-statutory agencies
- Contribute to seminars, conferences, research and training events to highlight the experiences of Gypsies and Travellers
- Enable Gypsies and Travellers to access volunteering and training opportunities.
- Have a voice locally regionally and nationally in forums which highlight the issues facing the Gypsy and Traveller communities, and work to bring about positive change.
- Inform and educate the wider community about issues which affect Gypsies and Travellers, and to
- Raise awareness of Gypsy and Traveller cultures and traditions.
By collaborating with AFC and TravellerSpace we were able to identify through co production that some of the Young people, including some which were disengaged with education, would like to access boxing classes.
By providing this we hope to improve relationships between different services and this community, increase knowledge of mainstream services by talking about what is available to staff and families at TravellerSpace and address health inequalities in a small way. Going forward we will encourage and help Young People keep up this hobby if they wish to.
Boxing is great for:
- Team bonding and camaraderie,
- Help with mental health, forming friendships and supporting each other,
- Cardio, core strength, stamina and flexibility,
- Achieving a sense of discipline and increased self-worth
“[I] found the whole experience positive and productive. Felt the enthusiasm from everyone. It was a great atmosphere and I felt very welcome. This type of non-contact boxing should be available for everyone”.
Jimmy Waugh head coach from St Austell boxing club who is running the classes
“Action For Children applied for funding to provide boxing sessions for young people at the Wheal Jewel Travelers site so that we could enable the young people to take part in a positive activity that they may not have had the chance to otherwise. We want to build positive relationships with young people from Wheal Jewel to enable us to provide other support and opportunities if that is something they would like. It has also been a very positive partnership piece of work with ourselves, Complex Needs Cornwall Council, St Austell Boxing Club and Travellers Space. Partnership working is so important to be able to give young people more opportunities as well as services and organisations having more capacity to deliver great work to young people.”
Donna Hobday from Action from Children
We have all really enjoyed the boxing sessions so far, as you can see from the photo’s everyone had fun and there was a great atmosphere with mums, young people and children all joining in. TravellerSpace said “it was a great session and they all loved it”
We hope to continue to develop and foster a positive relationship with this community.