The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, visited Boxing Futures in Yaxley this week alongside former Labour Health Secretary Alan Milburn, North West Cambridgeshire MP Sam Carling, and Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes, to meet young people being supported back into education, training and work.
Boxing Futures works with young people from across Yaxley, Peterborough and surrounding villages who are at risk of long-term unemployment or disengagement. Through non-contact boxing, mentoring and therapeutic support, the organisation helps rebuild confidence, improve mental health and support young people to take their next steps into learning or employment.
The visit marked the formal launch of Alan Milburn’s independent investigation into rising youth inactivity, with almost one million young people nationally now not in education, employment or training. The review will gather evidence from across the country, including from young people themselves, to shape future government action.
During the visit, MPs heard from staff about the barriers they have faced, including mental health challenges and gaps in local support, and heard about growing demand for early, community-based intervention.
Sam Carling MP, Member of Parliament for North West Cambridgeshire, said:
“In North West Cambridgeshire and across Peterborough, too many young people are falling out of education or work because the support around them hasn’t joined up quickly enough.
Boxing Futures shows what can be achieved when services are rooted in the community and focused on the individual. It was important that the Secretary of State heard directly from young people here in Yaxley about what’s helped them – and what still needs to change.
If we’re serious about tackling youth inactivity, national policy has to be shaped by experiences like these.”
The Labour Government has committed £1.5 billion nationally through its Youth Guarantee to support young people into work, training or apprenticeships. Alan Milburn’s review will examine why youth inactivity has risen in recent years and how national systems can better support local delivery.
Ant York, CEO of Boxing Futures, said:
“At Boxing Futures, we work hard to ensure young people engage positively with education, training or employment.
“Our community-based, tailored programmes of non-contact boxing and therapeutic talk sessions tackle this head on, both as an early-intervention model and directly with young people who find themselves in this position.
“Working at the coalface of the youth sector, we see every day how vital these services are, and how much demand continues to grow. We are delighted the Government has made young people a priority and is now reversing a decade of declining investment in youth provision.”
Andrew Pakes MP added, “Boxing is such an important sport for many young people helping to provide skills, pride and a group to be part of. It was great to see Ant, Cello and the team in action and to hear more about their work backing young people in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.
“Helping to create more opportunities for young people is one of my missions in life. Too many young people in our area have been shut out of opportunities to get on in life either through lack of money or support. The Youth Guarantee is all about turning that around.”