The aims of the FFP Academies are to overcome division and violence and to promote the potential of young people. To achieve these aims FFP has a clear set of values and principles and a holistic Five Pillars model of intervention (Fig. 17.2).

At the heart of FFP are five values which express the organisation’s commitment to young people:

The five values are well-publicised within the organisation, integral to the delivery of services and incorporated into youth participation. These values offer an alternative modus operandi to violence, conflict and crime as a way of life, encourage young people to participate in education, training and employment, and promote an ethos of striving to do one’s best.

The values inform how FFP delivers services and they are integrated into each of the Five Pillars that provide young people with opportunities to influence their life course by participating in boxing and martial arts; education; access to work; support services; and youth leadership. These activities offer a set of solutions to problems that are typically experienced by young people living in areas of poverty and conflict. They offer emotional and practical solutions within a framework of striving for excellence (Box 17.1).

FFP is inclusive. It engages with young people who are committed to becoming professional boxers or Muay Thai fighters, those who would like to lead a better lifestyle and to be fit and healthy, those who have become de-motivated, withdrawn and are not in education, employment or training (NEET), and those with a criminal record. FFP welcomes, and works with, all these young people.

The FFP model is intended to be internationally relevant. The programme is therefore designed to take into account working with young people across cultures and living in different societies.

The Academies are intended to benefit young people up to the age of 25 years in the UK, and 29 in Rio de Janeiro, who live in the neighbourhoods within which the Academies are situated. Early evening sports sessions are open to those under 16 years, followed by sessions for the older age group. Attendance is free and voluntary but regularly attending personal development (PD) is compulsory and non-attendance means that young people are unable to participate in the boxing and martial arts classes until they attend the PD sessions. In the UK some young people are referred by schools, pupil referral units and Youth Offending Teams and these young people are expected to attend. The intention is, however, that the coaching and training is open to all young people willing to participate.

FFP originated as a project initiated by LD within Viva Rio, a Brazilian NGO. LD then established the project as an independent not-for-profit organisation in 2000. Several factors came together at one point in time to motivate LD to set up his own organisation: an injury that ended his own boxing career, a fascination with Brazilian favelas and 10 years experience of working in them, an observation that CBOs were sometimes frightened of engaging with young armed drug traffickers, and visits from international organisations who were prepared to offer funding but only on their terms and whose projects had limited effects. This latter observation is borne out by a review of the academic literature on urban violence and poverty which found few examples of successful interventions, as well as few well-evidenced initiatives [3], and a review of World Bank-funded community-based schemes which found that they had little discernible influence on enhancing community cohesion, overcoming corruption or reducing poverty [4].

Thus, key to understanding the success of FFP is the way in which it is implemented. In Rio and London a careful analysis of the problem was conducted using statistical data and ethnographic research and focus groups with young people to understand their lives, their challenges and to learn from them. LD described his approach, which he first tried out in a Brazilian favela:

And I was there to learn and fascinated by the place. So I think that the mentality of just going in as an equal… because obviously I was, I certainly wasn’t coming in with some crazy fancy degree and a whole load of theories about how we should be working with these kids—we didn’t really know, we were just starting through this dialogue process.²

As a former amateur boxer, using boxing as a means to engage those who were deeply involved in the drugs trade was described by LD as ‘instinctive’. However he recognised that its physicality, the discipline, and the close relationship boxers form with their coaches satisfied the desires of young people to become strong and improve their body shape, and provided opportunities for talking and developing relationships through the medium of boxing.

LD started the project in a shared community space within the Residents Association of the favela of Parque União, within the Complexo da Mare, with a total of 10 young people. As the project grew, he rented the second floor of a building in a nearby busy shopping street within the community. FFP started with a two-pillar model, boxing and cidadania or ‘citizenship’ which is now called ‘personal development’. A grant from a multi-national company with a local presence enabled boxing equipment to be bought. LD coached three times a week and a paid member of staff had discussions with young people once a week. Such was the enthusiasm of these young people that, unknown to LD, they took his keys and had their own cut so that they could practice ‘out of hours’. This infectious enthusiasm propelled the steady growth of FFP and with further funding in 2005 a distinctive sports and education centre was built in Maré, now as the Fight for Peace Academy, increasing its capacity to 500 young people a year and enabling the Five Pillars model to be implemented. In 2010, a third floor was built on the Academy and two satellite projects were established in rival gang territory within the favela as part of a project called Mare United which was supported by Comic Relief and Petrobras and works to break down the forced territorialisation of the favela by rival drug factions. This has increased capacity to over 2000 participants per year.

In 2006 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) paid for an external evaluation which concluded that FFP was a successful prevention and rehabilitation project [5] and this gave LD confidence that the FFP model was sound and worthwhile developing. During this period LD also completed further research and found that young people’s experiences of violence and crime were similar across several continents, and hypothesised that the FFP model could work in diverse cultures [2]. Similarities between the favelas in Rio and stories about the poverty, serious knife crime and use of guns by gangs in London provided LD with a suitable place to assess the viability of transferring the Five Pillars model to a different culture and social and political context. Drawing on statistical data on poverty, violent crime and community tensions, Tower Hamlets and Newham were identified as possible places. LD contacted a large high-profile multi-purpose community organisation in Newham, Community Links, and they used their close local political contacts to facilitate the rent-free use of an old building next door to a disused secondary school in the south of the borough. In 2007 a consultation process with 38 young people further shaped decision-making, a gap in the provision of opportunities for marginalised young people was identified and successful funding applications made to Esmee Faribairn, Laureaus Sport for Good Foundation and Credit Suisse. The second FFP Academy opened in October 2007 with the implementation of boxing and martial arts, a youth council and personal development classes. By the end of 2008 there was sufficient funding to put all Five Pillars in place.

Research undertaken for an evaluation of FFP (see below) gives some insights into the challenges of delivering programmes for children and young people in areas where there are significant levels of violence [6]. In Complexo da Maré, for example, there was coercion and control by drug traffickers who sometimes used brutal punishments to act as a warning to others, killing of children and young people by the police, family violence in the home, interrupted schooling due to shootings, children ‘acting out’ violence, and young people so traumatised that they had neurological problems, short attention spans and mental health difficulties. In Newham increasing anger, family conflict and depression, as well as financial problems, were found to be common among young people. Living with ‘trauma’ makes it challenging for young people to attend regularly and to fully participate; nevertheless, both FFP Academies are popular and staff are working with large numbers of young people.

At the London Academy in 2012 a total of 1031 young people attended, of whom 82 % were young men and 18 % young women, typically aged 17–25 years old. In Rio 1725 young people attended, of whom 67 % were boys and young men and 33 % girls and young women aged between 15 and 17 years, with some under 10 years and a notable number of young adults over 20 years in addition. The overwhelming majority of young people hear about FFP from FFP members through word-of-mouth and social media, illustrating how young people hold FFP in high regard.

The delivery of the Five-Pillar model in Rio and London is similar, but adapted to be culturally and locally sensitive; for example, an education pathways programme is run for 12 weeks in London while in Rio the course lasts a year, and in Rio a lawyer and two psychologists are full-time staff, but there are no such formal arrangements in London. Some outreach work is undertaken by staff and young people but both Academies are full to capacity. In 2012 there were 58 staff at FFP in Rio; 33 were male and 25 female. The project is currently managed by a woman and women staff are highly regarded, reflecting the strong equal opportunities ethos of FFP which sets an example in a male-dominated society. Similarly, in Newham women staff have a strong presence and a woman manager and, in 2012, 28 members of staff, nine of whom were women and 19 men. In both Academies, staff include those who live in the local area and bring with them local knowledge and understanding which FFP makes use of in the delivery and shaping of its activities.

Both Academies close for a month—London during August and Rio in December—to enable staff to take holidays, attend training and to plan for the following year. The education classes typically have terms, whilst the boxing and martial arts coaching is a rolling programme that incorporates new members, whatever their standard. Thus, the programmes are ongoing and their sustainability subject to securing funding, although in 2011 a Luta sports clothing range introduced a social enterprise element to FFP with half the proceeds from sales contributing to the cost of running the Academies.

The boxing and martial arts act as the ‘hook’ to attract young people to the Academies. They also provide a platform for learning about discipline, self-control, perseverance, respect and humility, as well as helping young people to get fit and build self-esteem through learning and mastering new skills. In keeping with the FFP values, the standard of coaching is professional and each discipline delivered several times a week. A key feature of the delivery of the Five-Pillar model is that it offers a holistic approach to meet the multi-faceted needs of young people and many young people participate in each of the pillars in addition to sport. The activities in each of the pillars and personal development interact and are mutually supporting. Thus, coaches do not simply train young people to box and educational workers do not just deliver a curriculum or course—youth workers train with young people and coaches respond to young people’s personal ‘crises’, for example. All staff are involved in reinforcing the values of FFP and contribute to different pillars.

Young people emphasise the importance of having staff to talk to. One 22-year-old man explained the central role of strong relationships between the staff and young people when he said: ‘It is with the staff that we talk about our issues. They are our pivot’. When young people join FFP they are classified according to three levels, based on their needs. The most vulnerable young people have intensive support and weekly meetings are held to discuss any young people who are a ‘cause for concern’. In Rio seven members of staff made 622 home visits to make contact with parents/carers and to understand more about a young person’s circumstances, an average of almost 89 visits per member of staff, during 2012. As a result of these visits, 97 young people received intensive casework. Six mentors, who are youth workers, are available to talk to young people confidentially in one-to-one sessions. A total of 334 young people were mentored during 2012. The mentoring programme is illustrative of the caring approach at FFP, for which it has an excellent reputation.

Young people who join education classes often have no formal educational qualifications and low levels of numeracy and literacy. The programmes are designed to assist these young people who may have been excluded from school and who have, or previously had, poor school experiences. In Rio, where the education system demands that young people pass examinations at 15 years old before they are allowed to continue receiving free education, classes are also designed to give additional assistance to young people who find their school work difficult in order to enable them to continue at school. During 2012 a total of 334 young people attended the education New Pathways programme and 131 young people attended literacy classes, of whom 62 % were young women. In London short intensive education courses are typically attended by young people 17 years and over who are NEET, male and Black. Each course has approximately 15 participants and there are two levels—Module 1 and Module 2. The one-to-one mentoring sessions, the sport, and conversations with the education staff all contribute to motivating young people to learn.

The education courses in Rio include vocational training and courses such as learning about administration, telemarketing, reception duties and leadership. The knowledge gained from these courses and career guidance link directly to the ‘access to jobs’ pillar. During 2012, 130 received career guidance; this advice enables young people to be better informed about what types of employment are possible and introduces them to new possibilities. At FFP young people are able to learn what it means to work and to study; one young man explained:

What contributes most to change are the people who serve as examples and show that there are opportunities to work and study. (Male, 22)

During 2012 an apprenticeship partnership between a company and FFP benefited 11 young people who worked at the company and attended weekly classes at FFP, introducing them to the ‘world of work’ and offering them some real opportunities to gain practical experience. Similarly, in Newham considerable efforts are made to find work placements and employees at an international bank run courses to show young people how to write CVs, to interview for a job and talk about working cultures. In the first 6 months of 2012, 71 young people attended these courses.

The youth leadership pillar is underpinned by the FFP values that emphasise how young people are capable and have potential to lead and inspire others. Young people have the opportunity to become youth council members for 2 years. During this time they are trained and their programme includes project management, community organisation, public speaking and conflict mediation. Youth councillors are the public face of FFP and host visitors who include internationally acclaimed boxers and martial arts specialists, ambassadors and dignitaries, as well as funders. Youth council members are also a key link between young people and staff and enable the Academies to retain their responsiveness to young people. Over time they have increased their responsibilities and are now trained as mentors, delivering some personal development sessions from 2014. Within the youth leadership pillar there are also opportunities to volunteer as coaches, support staff and to gain qualifications, with a few young people going on to become members of staff.