UFC To Launch New UK Youth Mentoring Project

UFC has announced a new multi-year partnership with charity OnSide which will see the MMA promotion create its first UK youth mentoring programme.

A series of ‘Youth Zone’ locations will be set up throughout the country as part of the partnership with OnSide which – since its foundation in 2008 – funds and builds youth centers called ‘Youth Zones’ in communities across the UK.

The charity provides young people aged 8-19 years old with affordable access to a wide range of positive activities and opportunities, and high-quality sports, arts and leisure facilities, all year long. Young people also have access to trusted youth workers, providing guidance in areas including employability, and health and wellbeing. 

The UFC – OnSide Youth Mentoring Program will be led by former UFC light heavyweight Jimi Manuwa, UFC welterweight Leon Edwards, and UFC middleweight Darren Till. Each athlete will lead a martial arts focused mentoring program as part of the after-school health and wellness curriculum at three OnSide Youth Zones in South London, Wolverhampton and the Wirral.

The programme aims to help young people develop the physical and interpersonal skills associated with sport – and MMA in particular – with a focus on ‘self-discipline and self-defense’, while giving them access to expert coaches and instructors from UFC, in a safe and supportive way within a familiar environment.

Classes will teach various levels of martial arts disciplines such as boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Judo and Jiu-Jitsu – which UFC say are foundational to the sport of MMA. In conjunction with training, the programme will also periodically host youth engagement activities with law enforcement from the South Area Command Unit of the Metropolitan Police, providing opportunities for police officers to continually build relationships and trust in the community.

“I’m very proud that we have used our platforms and positions to be able to give back to our communities across the UK,” said Jimi Manuwa.

“Violent crimes, especially knife crimes, are very apparent in the cities we all grew up in and we want to help to give these kids other options in life that we didn’t have when we were growing up.”

Kathryn Morley, Chief Executive of OnSide added: “Giving young people positive opportunities to have fun, get fit, and connect with their peers will be even more important as we emerge from the pandemic. 

“This partnership is a great opportunity to introduce young people across the network to an incredibly popular sport, and we are delighted to be working with UFC to launch this mentoring programme and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on young people across the OnSide network of Youth Zones.”

Young people aged 12-16 will be eligible to join the program, which will comprise weekly classes over a six-to-eight week period. Participants will be selected through a combination of pre-existing membership of their local Youth Zone and from the local community. 

Participants of this program will also receive access to the Youth Zone’s educational classes, tutoring, and after school programs.