Someone in their corner

Thomas is the Senior Serious Youth Violence Mentor at Youth Unity CIC, with a wealth of experience spanning more than 25 years. He works alongside young people who are caught up in violence or at risk of being drawn into it, and he stays alongside them for as long as it takes.

Mentoring at this level depends on trust, and trust is slow to earn. Thomas earns it by turning up when he says he will, listening before he speaks, and being straight with young people about where their choices lead. As the senior mentor on the team, he also sets the standard for how that work is done.

In the ring

Thomas is a boxing coach, and the gym is one of the best mentoring rooms he has. Boxing asks for discipline, self-control and respect for the person in front of you. It gives anger and energy somewhere safe to go, and it shows a young person, round by round, that effort gets results.

Some of the most honest conversations happen between rounds on the pads. A young person who would never sit across a desk and talk will often open up with gloves on.

Behind the decks

Thomas also knows his way around a set of decks. He DJs and mixes music, and he uses that skill the same way he uses boxing: as common ground. Music is already a huge part of most young people’s lives, so it is a natural place to start a conversation.

Learning to mix takes patience, timing and a good ear. It also gives young people a creative outlet and something they can be proud of, which matters a great deal to someone who has mostly been told what they are getting wrong.

Why it works

Put the three together and you get a mentor who can reach young people in more than one way. Some connect through sport, some through music, and some just need a steady adult who will not give up on them. Thomas offers all three, backed by 25 years of knowing what helps.