Fight For Peace has just completed its 10th year operating in the UK, using boxing and martial arts to reduce youth violence on London's streets. 

The NGO's distinctive 'Five Pillars' philosophy takes an intensive and holistic approach to engineer an often dramatic turnaround in the most at-risk young people's behaviour and mindset.

Fight For Peace and its huge network of partners operate across the globe and have an Academy in Newham, East London. Young people are referred by social services, Youth Offending Teams or other local agencies while some are recruited through outreach work at known 'hot spots' for violent offending. 

They also have programmes in prisons and work with offenders post-custody or those released on temporary licence (ROTL). 

“Developing a strong relationship with each young person before we engage in anything substantial is paramount to the success of the programme,” says Jacob Whittingham, FFP’s Head of Programmes. 

Education, employability, mentoring support and youth leadership opportunities are structured around the intrinsic values and discipline in the sports of boxing and martial arts to achieve their impact on criminal and violent behaviour.

Read more about Fight For Peace's 'Five Pillars' philosophy, how they use boxing and martial arts to engage over 1,300 young at-risk Londoners and their impact by clicking here. 

This report on their work is part of the Alliance of Sport for the Desistance of Crime's Ministry of Justice-commissioned Review of Sport in Youth Justice.