Apprentices begin with Lions’ Den induction
August 15, 2022 | by Matt Halfpenny
England Boxing’s eight new Community Boxing Apprentices are beginning their roles by taking part in a two-day induction session in the Lions’ Den (15th and 16th August).
The positions have been created to harness the excitement and interest in the sport generated by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – and provide a lasting legacy.
The 15-month apprenticeships will be run in partnership with Coach Core and have been made possible thanks to funding from Sport England’s Birmingham 2022 Sport Participation, Innovation and Digital Fund.
Each apprentice will deliver community-based engagement events in partnership with England Boxing-affiliated clubs, opening up pathways for sustained participation in the sport.
The apprentices are all aged between 16 and 25 and have a keen interest in boxing and promoting its benefits in their respective local communities.
“I’m very exciting to be involved in the apprenticeship programme… it feels like it’s the next step of my professional working career,” said Joshua Jones, who will work in the Midlands region.
“I’m really looking forward to helping engage the local communities where I will be working get into boxing and seeing the people I will be working with get the benefits from boxing that I have.”
Gabrielle Reid, who will be working in the Western Counties region is also keen to get started and added: “I’ve really enjoyed meeting around all the other apprentices and meeting them.
“I’m really looking forward to making an impact and be able to help people change their lives through boxing.”
Avoen Perryman, England Boxing’s Club and Communities Manager, believes the programme will be hugely beneficial, both for the apprentices in moving forward their careers and the regions where they will serve.
“We wanted to create a legacy from Birmingham 2022 in the sport of boxing, which you could look to do in many ways,” he said.
“But the biggest way I think, that you can achieve that is by having an impact on young people’s lives. This gives them an opportunity to work, create their own pathway and give them the experience of how to develop their communities.”
The apprentices have been given the opportunity to meet the Club Support Officers they will be working with and are being handed kit and equipment they will use during their employment.
They have run through the timeline of the programme and explained what skills they will develop as part of it and how they can contribute to England Boxing’s social media output.
Both apprentices and CSOs have also taken part in an England Boxing Activator course, which is being introduced to schools, community groups and multi-sports providers next month.
The apprentices and their regions are:
- Callum Lee – North West
- Gareth Asamoah-Phillips – London
- James Kilobo – Southern Counties
- Madeline Gittins – Yorkshire
- Gabrielle Reid – Western Counties
- Mijanul Amin – East Midlands
- Joshua Jones – Midlands
- Alys Ball – Tyne, Tees and Wear
