My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered UK entity and has a London-based address.
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions
1
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Last Name
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Email address
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Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Initiative Title
The Renewable Rhythms Initiative
Lead Organization Name
Action Youth Boxing Intervention CIC
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2017
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
https://www.aybi.org/
Initiative Stage
Scaling (You’re expanding impact to many new places or in many new ways)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Children & Youth
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
The Renewable Rhythms Initiative is an innovative intervention that merges AYBI's proven boxing-and-mentoring methodology with hands-on environmental action and public art. At its core, the project will guide young people through the process of collecting recyclable materials from the community and transforming them into functional, durable, and artistically inspiring pieces of non-contact boxing equipment. These finished pieces will then be installed in public spaces, creating a network of community assets that promote both physical fitness and environmental consciousness.
Challenge Focus: What topic does your initiative most directly relate to?
Climate action through awareness and engagement
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
Camden in particular is facing a youth crisis marked by rising levels of social exclusion, mental health challenges, and barriers to positive development. Sadly, one in five young people Camden is at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), with youth unemployment rates persistently above the city average. Knife crime, substance misuse, and mental health referrals have surged, while community support services struggle to keep pace with demand. Many young people lack safe spaces, positive role models, and access to practical skills training, leaving them vulnerable to negative influences and disengagement from society. There is an urgent need for innovative, accessible interventions that empower young people to build resilience, self-belief, and pathways to brighter futures. We are a Camden-based charitable organisation committed to transforming the lives of young people aged 11–25, and we consist of a team of youth workers, educators, and mental health professionals, AYBI’s mission is to use the discipline and community of non-contact boxing, combined with therapeutic support, as a catalyst for positive change. We believe every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive, irrespective of background or circumstance.
Your approach: How are you addressing the problem outlined above? How are you using the power of sport and physical activity to build awareness, shift behavior, and enable sustainable participation for all in response to the climate crisis? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
Below are key issues tackled in our program Social Exclusion & Low Self-Esteem: Many young people feel disconnected from their community and lack confidence in their abilities, often stemming from negative experiences in mainstream education or the justice system. Building Confidence Through Creation: working collaboratively to design and build tangible, useful objects. The process of turning "waste" into functional art fosters a profound sense of accomplishment, pride, and self-worth. Lack of Engagement & Positive Outlets: A need exists for constructive activities that capture the interest of young people, diverting them from anti-social behaviour and providing them with transferable skills. Fostering New Skills: Introducing practical skills in construction, design, and project management. Crucially, these experiences provide tangible achievements that can be added to a CV, improving future prospects. Limited Environmental Awareness: There is a need to connect abstract concepts like climate change and sustainability to tangible, local actions that young people can lead. Promoting Environmental Literacy & Stewardship: By actively collecting, sorting, and repurposing recyclable materials, participants learn first-hand about waste reduction and sustainability. They become visible leaders of environmental action in their own neighbourhoods. Need for Community Pride & Assets: Public spaces can benefit from positive, youth-led contributions that encourage health, dialogue, and a shared sense of ownership. Creating Community Assets: The finished, artistically embellished boxing equipment will be installed in public spaces, transforming recycled materials into a resource that encourages physical activity and serves as a testament to the participants' creativity.
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
AYBI bring together extensive experience in youth engagement, safeguarding, sports coaching, and trauma-informed care. Collectively, we have supported over 1,500 young people across Camden and neighbouring boroughs, earning recognition for our commitment to safety, diversity, and measurable outcomes. In this project, the young people themselves are responsible for sourcing their materials, working as a team and using initiative to do so. They take the lead and have fun whilst doing it. They chose what to make and can work collaboratively or on their own. This project also first came about from a suggestion by one of our young people, and they were delighted when it came to life the first time! We have developed our own pre and post impact measuring questionnaires supported by UCL and Kings College. Please see below the project's key elements, focusing on crucial needs of the young people in our community. Supports the 'Sense of Self and Social Skills' Pathway: Creating a tangible, useful, and beautiful object from raw materials, and then displaying it publicly, is a powerful act of self-affirmation. This directly supports our documented outcomes of improving participants' self-worth, confidence, and ability to collaborate. Strengthens the 'Sense of Self and Physical Health' Pathway: By creating and installing new fitness equipment in the community, the project directly contributes to our goal of promoting physical health, fitness, and an active lifestyle for both participants and the wider public. * Activates the 'Stress, Anger and Well-being' Pathway: The central metaphor of the project—transforming discarded "waste" into a valuable community "asset"—is a powerful representation of personal transformation.
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in raising climate awareness, shifting behaviors, or reducing environmental impact or harm? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had¡, and/or what impact do you envision having in the future?
We have outlined five key areas of impact for our initiative: Outcome Area Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Improved Self-Esteem & Confidence: Increase in self-reported confidence scores (pre/post-program surveys); Number of participants leading parts of the creation process. Enhanced Social & Teamwork Skills: Successful completion of group-based equipment construction projects; Positive peer feedback collected during workshops. Increased Environmental Literacy: Participants can articulate the importance of recycling and sustainability; Quantity of recyclable materials diverted from landfill (in kg). Development of New Skills: Number of participants who learn basic construction and artistic techniques; Creation of a portfolio of publicly displayed equipment. Positive Community Engagement: Number of local residents/businesses contributing materials; Positive feedback from the community regarding the public displays. We have run this workshop twice in the past and had massive success and engagement, and we would love to run it again. The young people were incredibly proud of their work, and many pieces of work are still displayed in community spaces to this day. We would love to run it again this year to reach new young people, and as environmental challenges are ever growing and increasing, there is a constant need to re-affirm the importance of how we are able responsible for doing our bit, and for raising awareness.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
The project's vision is: To empower young people to become agents of positive change in their community by transforming recyclable materials into functional, inspiring works of art that promote both physical and environmental health. This initiative is built on the idea that creating value from discarded items provides a powerful real-world lesson in resilience, resourcefulness, and the potential for positive transformation—both for materials and for individuals. Just as our core methodology recognises that "boxing provides a means to express the frustrations in order for the space to open to discussion," this project posits that the physical act of building and creating serves the same essential function: it constructively channels energy and frustration, opening a crucial space for mentorship and personal development. This project presents a unique opportunity to bridge a critical gap in local youth provision. While many programs focus on either physical health, mental well-being, or skills training, Renewable Rhythms integrates all three with environmental education and artistic expression. It moves beyond traditional intervention models by empowering young people not just as beneficiaries of a service, but as active creators and custodians of their community's well-being. By transforming discarded materials into assets that promote health and pride, the project offers a tangible and powerful metaphor for personal transformation. Boxing is a unique and effective outlet for aggression, and acts as a great early and therapeutic intervention . It is a fantastic tool for teaching discipline, focus, and emotional regulation. We feel combining this with an initiative that is fun, educational and targeted at the youth is really novel and impactful.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
For each session, there will be two trauma-informed boxing and mentoring coaches, trained in delivering CBT-REBT. We will also have one volunteer from the local community. We will also have two SEN support workers to shadow and support those young people with additional needs.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your organization up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
Our approach is not theoretical; it is grounded in years of frontline delivery and has yielded a significant and demonstrable track record of success. Our impact is evidenced by our consistent ability to engage and support young people whom other services often struggle to reach. * Consistent High Engagement: Over the past seven years, AYBI has engaged an average of a minimum of 980 participants per year across our various programmes. * Recent Impact: In the period from April 2024 to January 2025 alone, our projects have supported 688 beneficiaries. * Proven Intervention Model: Our flagship 'Real Talk' mentoring programme, which combines Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) with boxing, boasts a success rate of over 85% in preventing reoffending among serious young offenders. * Year-on-Year Growth: In 2019, our programmes provided vital support to 911 children and young adults, demonstrating our capacity to scale our impact to meet community demand. Our newest area of development is our supplementary education unit, where students can study and sit their function skills exams and some GSCEE's. We are always evolving, and are have a sustainable model for all our current work. We have been commissioned by Camden council and the Youth Justice System, which means we receive referrals. Schools as also 'match-fund' us, so they fund our outreach programs equally to us.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/ to grow.
Each workshop will be 12 weeks, and we would love to run two workshops over a academic year, for three years. Phase 1: Community Outreach & Material Collection: (4 weeks-preparation) We will launch a targeted outreach campaign to engage local residents, schools, and businesses, inviting them to donate suitable renewable and recyclable materials. This phase will not only gather the raw materials for the project but also build community buy-in and raise awareness about local recycling and sustainability efforts. 2. Phase 2: Equipment Creation & Design Workshops: (4 weeks) Participants will join a series of hands-on workshops led by AYBI's experienced mentors. In these sessions, they will learn the practical skills needed to construct durable non-contact boxing equipment, such as punch bags, skipping ropes, and agility markers, from the collected materials. These workshops will double as an educational platform, where mentors will facilitate discussions on climate change, the importance of recycling, and sustainable living, linking global issues to local action. 3. Phase 3: Artistic Embellishment: (4 weeks) In collaboration with local artists, participants will design and decorate the newly created equipment. This phase encourages creative expression and teamwork, as young people work together to adorn the pieces with positive affirmations, inspiring visuals, and designs that reflect their community's identity. This transforms the functional equipment into unique pieces of public art. 4. Phase 4: Public Display & Engagement: (4 weeks) The final, decorated equipment will be securely installed in accessible public spaces throughout the local area—such as parks, community centres, and youth hubs. This turns recycled waste into a valuable community asset that encourages physical activity, sparks conversation, and visibly celebrates the creativity and hard work of the young participants. An unveiling event will be held to engage the wider community and showcase the project's success.
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details (LINK).
This sounds great and we would love to participate. Costs would include members of the team attending, at a rate of £13.95 per hour plus £10 a day expenses. We would love to have two of us attend if possible.
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