Guiding Young Minds is fully committed to working to combat knife crime and to supporting young people who have become caught up in the world of street gangs and violence. We fully recognise that this is something we cannot do alone, and are committed to partnership working in a whole range of different areas, in order to best support the young people we are seeking to help.
The following organisations all partner with us in different ways, supporting the realisation of our core goals. Some fund our services, others provide specialist expertise and facilities while still others provide support in kind. We are immensely grateful to all of them, and proud to work with them in collaboration, towards our shared goals of helping troubled young people find a better route forward in life.
GYM works in partnership with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme to provide young people with opportunity and adventure. GYM works with young people throughout the county of Northamptonshire, providing outreach services, workshops in schools and mentoring for individuals. Referrals are received from both Northamptonshire police, local councils and the youth justice services, and the office of the PCC has been generous in provision of funding.
GYM is also working increasingly in Birmingham, providing workshops in schools and also one to one mentoring. Mentors often take young people to music studios, where they can express themselves and their emotions through music, rap and lyrics. Each studio allows young people to be creative in composing their own music and lyrics. Both Langar Aid and McDonalds are extremely generous in providing refreshments for the different GYM youth clubs and other activities that we organise.
Other young people engaged in GYM mentoring find it helpful to work through their feelings through boxing. Our partnership with Red Corner Boxing enables GYM mentees to take part in boxing sessions and many young people find that involvement in boxing as a sport enables self-discipline and helps them to change their lifestyles.
