## OzBox and the Police Clubs of Great Britain ## Strengthening Prevention Strategies “Not Just a Gym” OzBox project and the newly developed programs are comprehensive and multifaceted, building on the assets and strengths of young people and assisting them to define goals, complete school, and plan their futures. Youth development seldom tackles isolated problems, such as sexual risk behaviours, but focuses instead on providing support and opportunities for young people. OzBox in conjunction with the PCGB (Police Clubs of Great Britain) is a strategy that attempts to meet the needs young people themselves identify, to have life skills, to be cared for and safe, to be valued and useful, and to be psychologically grounded, by building on their capabilities, assisting them to cultivate their own talents and to increase their feelings of self-worth, and easing their transition to adulthood. OzBox is especially important for young people who have little or no support from their families, schools, and communities. These hard to reach and under- served youth, who frequently report high risk behaviour and often lack access to health services, include: - Youth who live on the street Low-income young people - Youth in foster care and group homes - Young people in the juvenile justice system - Youth addicted to alcohol or other drugs - Obesity - Youth in residential mental health treatment facilities - Young people who have dropped out of school and are in ECU’s, PRU’s or are NEET. - Pregnant and parenting youth - Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people - Survivors of grooming, childhood sexual, physical, and/or emotional abuse - Youth with mental or physical disabilities. OzBox / PCGB programs are built upon six promises outlined here along with effective strategies and teen pregnancy / Sexual Health prevention program. OzBox focuses on assets and strengths, not problems. OzBox and PCGB programs provide services such as tutoring, mentoring, developing recreational opportunities, job training, social skills, and volunteering. By tailoring services to meet the needs and build on the assets of the individual, these programs motivate young people to work toward achieving successful futures. Academic competence is measured by grades and standardised test scores provided by the schools, Social or interpersonal competence is measured by communication skills or by participation in recreational and social activities. Creativity is measured by artistic efforts, such as performances. Vocational competence is measured by job skills or employment outcomes, Healthy diet and exercise is measured by exercise tests, Service to others is measured by hours of volunteering and / or participation in OzBox activities. 1. 1. Youth development programs address the real or human needs of young people. OzBox and PCGB project planners focus on the needs that young people themselves identify and consider the multiple factors of young people's lives in developing an intervention. For example, young boys or girls who have sex with boys or girls most often identify two basic needs—societal acceptance and intimacy in a relationship. Research indicates that a sense of self-worth and community support are factors in lowering STD’s or risk behaviours. Young girls / boys most often identify a need for intimacy as being connected to their sexual risk behaviours. A prevention program developed by the PCGB offers an insight to help them define what they would like in their intimate relationships. Then, increasing their interpersonal, communication, and assertiveness skills would assist them to create the healthy, intimate relationships they want. This strategy might help to promote these youth’s academic, artistic, and career skills to nurture their self-esteem. 2. Young people should participate in designing the program and in its activities OzBox / PCGB programs are designed to meet participants' needs. Participants will determine whether programs are appropriate and relevant for them, and they can indicate such by representation to a coach or deliverer. To ensure relevancy to the target population, young people should participate in programs' design, implementation, evaluation, and modification. Youth can and should be among the leaders in programs, even when that means special training for them. Our programs publicly recognise young people's work and their participation. Finally, our programs involve youth as educators of other youth. Our programs fully engage young people and this has the desired outcome of keeping youth participating because "ownership" of our programs shifts to the young people themselves. Sexual Health and Pregnancy prevention programs in the OzBox / PCGB program already foster such skills as: 1. Reviewing or illuminating risk behaviours 2. Understanding perceived norms 3. Knowing that one can reduce one's risk behaviours 4. Making decisions, negotiating, and refusing 5. Reviewing sexual health options, such as using condoms, and delaying sexual activity 6. Other important skills, such as the ability to sustain a healthy relationship, the ability to make and hold friendships, and the ability to find and hold a job, may increase the motivation of young people to avoid sexual risk behaviours. 3. Our Programs involve committed and knowledgeable adults OzBox / PCGB Programs foster trust between adults and youth. In addition to education and professional expertise, our coaches are positive, have a non-judgmental at ude toward and respect for young people. Our Coaches also possess qualities such as willingness to work in collaboration with others, flexibility, commitment, experience working with young people, interest in youth, a trainer who is a mentor for the Prince’s Trust, trained in safeguarding the young and vulnerable and the willingness to be role models. 4. Youth develop within, and are profoundly influenced by, their environment The entire community, families, peers, schools, faith communities, businesses, government, and community organisations must participate in fostering the capabilities of the community's young people. Our successful programs consider the realities and developmental needs of the community's young people. Values, at udes, and beliefs can vary significantly across cultural, socioeconomic, and ethnic groups, and our activities are age- appropriate as well as tailored to the cultural and racial/ethnic backgrounds of participants. Finally, we consider the characteristics of the community as a whole when designing programs. 5. Successful youth development requires community partnerships Youth develop within the contexts of family, school, peers, and community. OzBox / PCGB coaches actively involve representatives of all these groups in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating program activities. Our programs tap the resources of community members, including parents and families, religious and business leaders, local policy makers, educators, youth-serving professionals, and health care providers. This strategy provides extensive input and helps to ensure the community's commitment to the program. Coaches assess young participants to determine the developmental opportunities and services that would benefit each person and ensure participants' access to those opportunities. Ensure access to mental health counselling (Talking Mental Health –Self Referrals) for teens that face issues such as depression, substance abuse, obesity [support offered by primary trust] and family or relationship problems which may affect their ability to thrive in our youth development program. Usually, to offer an array of services, youth development programs make collaborative arrangements with other community agencies. However, in collaboration with our partner agencies, effective HIV/STD, and teen pregnancy prevention programs links in with our existing youth development programs in order to meet all of the needs of participants and to refer them to services they need. Many effective programs have a strong commitment to youth and to preventing risk behaviours among youth, including sexual risk-taking, dropping out of school and using substances. OzBox / PCGB is a good prevention strategy: Communities should work together to meet the needs that young people themselves identify. They should focus on the strengths and assets of young people rather than the "problem" behaviours they may demonstrate. Although few communities currently utilise youth development as a strategy to prevent negative health outcomes (Obesity) among young people, concerned adults, parents, professionals, community representatives, policy makers, and funding agencies will work with young people to develop young people's life options and ensure their healthy transition to productive adulthood. Present The future. At this moment in time the scheme runs out of two premises within Derbyshire. Those being: - Allenton Boxing Academy, Derby Peter Webster Centre, Chesterfield We are currently using the mobile gym to produce sessions within the local community to provide exercise for local groups, such as young mothers, refugees, army cadets, young farmers, youth clubs, mining villages youth, housing associations youth; to name a few. I can now report that three of our regulars have been DBS checked, Safeguard and First Aid trained and have attended an England Boxing Level One Coaching Course and all have successfully passed. They are now producing sessions at our temporary gym and mobile gym. I am now pleased to state that I have had numerous discussions with Acorn Education who have purchased and renovated the Peter Webster Centre. This centre is to open shortly (believed February 2026) and we will be allowed access on a permanent basis to use their gym three nights a week. In order to abide by the rules of this school which caters for youngsters with varying problems and difficulties we have re-introduced the Ozbox consent form for all out attendees which includes any medical conditions and a new membership card which will add to the security of the school and its pupils. We expect to leave our temporary accommodation at Brookfield School and start sessions at Bluebank School in February 2026. Stephen Osbaldeston MBE. ## OzBox and the Police Clubs of Great Britain ## Strengthening Prevention Strategies “Not Just a Gym” OzBox project and the newly developed programs are comprehensive and multifaceted, building on the assets and strengths of young people and assisting them to define goals, complete school, and plan their futures. Youth development seldom tackles isolated problems, such as sexual risk behaviours, but focuses instead on providing support and opportunities for young people. OzBox in conjunction with the PCGB (Police Clubs of Great Britain) is a strategy that attempts to meet the needs young people themselves identify, to have life skills, to be cared for and safe, to be valued and useful, and to be psychologically grounded, by building on their capabilities, assisting them to cultivate their own talents and to increase their feelings of self-worth, and easing their transition to adulthood. OzBox is especially important for young people who have little or no support from their families, schools, and communities. These hard to reach and under- served youth, who frequently report high risk behaviour and often lack access to health services, include: - Youth who live on the street Low-income young people - Youth in foster care and group homes - Young people in the juvenile justice system - Youth addicted to alcohol or other drugs - Obesity - Youth in residential mental health treatment facilities - Young people who have dropped out of school and are in ECU’s, PRU’s or are NEET. - Pregnant and parenting youth - Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people - Survivors of grooming, childhood sexual, physical, and/or emotional abuse - Youth with mental or physical disabilities. OzBox / PCGB programs are built upon six promises outlined here along with effective strategies and teen pregnancy / Sexual Health prevention program. OzBox focuses on assets and strengths, not problems. OzBox and PCGB programs provide services such as tutoring, mentoring, developing recreational opportunities, job training, social skills, and volunteering. By tailoring services to meet the needs and build on the assets of the individual, these programs motivate young people to work toward achieving successful futures. Academic competence is measured by grades and standardised test scores provided by the schools, Social or interpersonal competence is measured by communication skills or by participation in recreational and social activities. Creativity is measured by artistic efforts, such as performances. Vocational competence is measured by job skills or employment outcomes, Healthy diet and exercise is measured by exercise tests, Service to others is measured by hours of volunteering and / or participation in OzBox activities. 1. 1. Youth development programs address the real or human needs of young people. OzBox and PCGB project planners focus on the needs that young people themselves identify and consider the multiple factors of young people's lives in developing an intervention. For example, young boys or girls who have sex with boys or girls most often identify two basic needs—societal acceptance and intimacy in a relationship. Research indicates that a sense of self-worth and community support are factors in lowering STD’s or risk behaviours. Young girls / boys most often identify a need for intimacy as being connected to their sexual risk behaviours. A prevention program developed by the PCGB offers an insight to help them define what they would like in their intimate relationships. Then, increasing their interpersonal, communication, and assertiveness skills would assist them to create the healthy, intimate relationships they want. This strategy might help to promote these youth’s academic, artistic, and career skills to nurture their self-esteem. 2. Young people should participate in designing the program and in its activities OzBox / PCGB programs are designed to meet participants' needs. Participants will determine whether programs are appropriate and relevant for them, and they can indicate such by representation to a coach or deliverer. To ensure relevancy to the target population, young people should participate in programs' design, implementation, evaluation, and modification. Youth can and should be among the leaders in programs, even when that means special training for them. Our programs publicly recognise young people's work and their participation. Finally, our programs involve youth as educators of other youth. Our programs fully engage young people and this has the desired outcome of keeping youth participating because "ownership" of our programs shifts to the young people themselves. Sexual Health and Pregnancy prevention programs in the OzBox / PCGB program already foster such skills as: 1. Reviewing or illuminating risk behaviours 2. Understanding perceived norms 3. Knowing that one can reduce one's risk behaviours 4. Making decisions, negotiating, and refusing 5. Reviewing sexual health options, such as using condoms, and delaying sexual activity 6. Other important skills, such as the ability to sustain a healthy relationship, the ability to make and hold friendships, and the ability to find and hold a job, may increase the motivation of young people to avoid sexual risk behaviours. 3. Our Programs involve committed and knowledgeable adults OzBox / PCGB Programs foster trust between adults and youth. In addition to education and professional expertise, our coaches are positive, have a non-judgmental at ude toward and respect for young people. Our Coaches also possess qualities such as willingness to work in collaboration with others, flexibility, commitment, experience working with young people, interest in youth, a trainer who is a mentor for the Prince’s Trust, trained in safeguarding the young and vulnerable and the willingness to be role models. 4. Youth develop within, and are profoundly influenced by, their environment The entire community, families, peers, schools, faith communities, businesses, government, and community organisations must participate in fostering the capabilities of the community's young people. Our successful programs consider the realities and developmental needs of the community's young people. Values, at udes, and beliefs can vary significantly across cultural, socioeconomic, and ethnic groups, and our activities are age- appropriate as well as tailored to the cultural and racial/ethnic backgrounds of participants. Finally, we consider the characteristics of the community as a whole when designing programs. 5. Successful youth development requires community partnerships Youth develop within the contexts of family, school, peers, and community. OzBox / PCGB coaches actively involve representatives of all these groups in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating program activities. Our programs tap the resources of community members, including parents and families, religious and business leaders, local policy makers, educators, youth-serving professionals, and health care providers. This strategy provides extensive input and helps to ensure the community's commitment to the program. Coaches assess young participants to determine the developmental opportunities and services that would benefit each person and ensure participants' access to those opportunities. Ensure access to mental health counselling (Talking Mental Health –Self Referrals) for teens that face issues such as depression, substance abuse, obesity [support offered by primary trust] and family or relationship problems which may affect their ability to thrive in our youth development program. Usually, to offer an array of services, youth development programs make collaborative arrangements with other community agencies. However, in collaboration with our partner agencies, effective HIV/STD, and teen pregnancy prevention programs links in with our existing youth development programs in order to meet all of the needs of participants and to refer them to services they need. Many effective programs have a strong commitment to youth and to preventing risk behaviours among youth, including sexual risk-taking, dropping out of school and using substances. OzBox / PCGB is a good prevention strategy: Communities should work together to meet the needs that young people themselves identify. They should focus on the strengths and assets of young people rather than the "problem" behaviours they may demonstrate. Although few communities currently utilise youth development as a strategy to prevent negative health outcomes (Obesity) among young people, concerned adults, parents, professionals, community representatives, policy makers, and funding agencies will work with young people to develop young people's life options and ensure their healthy transition to productive adulthood. Present The future. At this moment in time the scheme runs out of two premises within Derbyshire. Those being: - Allenton Boxing Academy, Derby Peter Webster Centre, Chesterfield We are currently using the mobile gym to produce sessions within the local community to provide exercise for local groups, such as young mothers, refugees, army cadets, young farmers, youth clubs, mining villages youth, housing associations youth; to name a few. I can now report that three of our regulars have been DBS checked, Safeguard and First Aid trained and have attended an England Boxing Level One Coaching Course and all have successfully passed. They are now producing sessions at our temporary gym and mobile gym. I am now pleased to state that I have had numerous discussions with Acorn Education who have purchased and renovated the Peter Webster Centre. This centre is to open shortly (believed February 2026) and we will be allowed access on a permanent basis to use their gym three nights a week. In order to abide by the rules of this school which caters for youngsters with varying problems and difficulties we have re-introduced the Ozbox consent form for all out attendees which includes any medical conditions and a new membership card which will add to the security of the school and its pupils. We expect to leave our temporary accommodation at Brookfield School and start sessions at Bluebank School in February 2026. Stephen Osbaldeston MBE.