Unity and Peace

Context

Young people in the six target communities are growing up in risk environments that influence their likelihood of becoming victims or perpetrators of violence. The root causes of youth violence tackled in this programme are:

• gang activity in the community
• difficult family life due to absent parents, harsh physical discipline, or neglect
• poverty and lack of opportunities to escape poverty
• lack of pro-social and personal development recreational activities
• high unemployment
• low educational attainment
• limited access to psycho-social support

Project content

Fight for Peace (FFP) combines boxing and martial arts with education and personal development to help young people realise their potential despite living in communities affected by crime, violence and social exclusion. Fight for Peace coordinates the Safer Communities Programme (SCP) in Jamaica, which brings together over 30 entities – government agencies, sports federations, youth development and violence-prevention organisations – to work in communities with high levels of violence. The Unity and Peace project uses holistic programmes covering five pillars (sport, education, employment, youth leadership and psycho-social support) using the collective impact framework.

The project has been launched in six communities in Kingston with high levels of violence: Hannah Town, Denham Town, Trench Town, Tivoli Gardens, Fletchers Land and Parade Gardens.

Fight for Peace also works informally with the Jamaica Wrestling Federation and the Jamaica Rugby League Association. Funding from the UEFA Foundation for Children will enable the Jamaica Football Federation to be included by integrating school and community football teams.

Beneficiaries:

• More than 1,670 young people living in urban areas
• Average age from 10 to 12 years and 95% under 18
• 56% male and 46% female

Objectives

FFP has developed an integrated and holistic five-pillar methodology that it applies to all its projects and activities. The objective is to give young people all the support they need to become champions in life.

Boxing and martial arts: to promote respect, discipline, self-control, feelings of belonging and self-esteem, and encourage young people to join the programme

Education: to offer support and educational courses for young people who are outside formal learning environments or who have learning difficulties

Employability: to help young people access the job market through training, vocational courses and referrals to job opportunities through a network of partners in the private sector

Support services: a multidisciplinary social-support team provides services, including individual mentoring, social, medical and legal referrals, home visits and community outreach

Youth leadership: through youth councils who represent the organisation externally and liaise with staff on strategy and programme development

Project activities

• Sports sessions (boxing, martial arts and football) delivered at community centres and schools by coaches trained to integrate personal development skills into sessions (50 sessions per week)
• Personal development sessions led by trained facilitators from youth development and violence prevention NGOs and/or psychologists and social workers from FFP (12 sessions per month for the six communities)
• Cross-community recreational activities and tournaments (two tournaments in the first six months)
• Eight places branded as sport for development sites and safe spaces for children
• Psychological first aid and sport for development training for all participating coaches, allowing for long-term integration of personal development into sport in schools and the community
• Training of coaching assistants to provide qualified coaches for disadvantaged communities
• Partnership with the GC Foster College of Sport and Physical Education to provide coaching courses and certification for all participating coaches
• Integration with the sport and behaviour change programme of the ministry of education, information and youth/social development commission to allow for policy development and future programming within schools and communities

Expected results