Champion Boxer Hits Back at Youth Unemployment

Kash Farooq, Ex-British Bantamweight Boxing champion, is working to knockout youth unemployment by partnering with youth charity Street League to inspire the next generation of young people.

Street League CEO Dougie Stevenson with Kash Farooq on signing day.

When Ex-British Bantamweight Boxing Champion Kash Farooq, 26, announced his retirement in January, the boxing world reacted with shock. Still considered to be in the prime of his career and set for a rematch of his controversial 2019 British title fight against fellow Scottish boxer, Lee McGregor, it was the belief of many that the athlete was set to continue his extremely successful career for years to come. While the decision came after doctors ruled his health did not align with stricter guidelines set by the British Board of Control, Farooq has made it clear that he will not let his dedication and penchant for hard work drummed into him by the sport go to waste.

Pakistani born, Farooq came to the UK in 2002, initially living in London before being relocated to Glasgow where he has remained to this day. Growing up in the Scotstoun area of Glasgow, he witnessed the ripple effect that the lack of role models and outlets for talents and enthusiasm can have on a young person’s life, often leading them down a path to unhealthy and antisocial behaviour.

Although initially reluctant, Boxing turned out to be Farooq's key to a brighter future for his family and himself. Proving to be a natural talent from the start, he was encouraged by trainers at a local Scotstoun gym to take on the sport after being invited to a taster session by a friend. He said:

“I wasn’t interested in boxing at the start,” he recalls. “We did circuits, and it was hard going. But the trainer saw me hitting a few bags and asked me to come back. I came back and did some sparring and it just continued from there. Now I love boxing."

The sport allowed him to develop a strong sense of drive and determination, ensuring he stayed on the right path in life for success throughout his adolescence. This is an advantage that he would like most young people to have. Searching for a way to use the skills, knowledge, and mindset that the ring has taught him over the years to inspire the next generation, Farooq discovered Street League.

Street League is the UK's leading sport and employability charity, supporting young people across 11 cities across the UK to move into work, education, or further training. A mission that has never been more important. In today's environment, young people aged 16-24 are three times more likely to be unemployed than any other age group. Post-pandemic young people are facing increased difficulty in their job hunt due to an ever-exacerbated skills gap between the education young people receive in traditional school environments and the skills required by employers, and an overall lack of opportunities available for young people.

Kash first became aware of Street League and its mission to end youth unemployment in late 2021, when he visited a Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Academy to deliver a boxing session and share his wisdom surrounding the importance of hard work and discipline. Attending the session, Farooq realised the value that Street League brings to the lives of the young people, utilising the power of sport to change lives much in the same way it changed his own.

There was an instant synergy between his beliefs and the message that Street League promotes to the young people that attend. Both foster the ideology that sport can be a catalyst for personal and social development, changing lives and creating brighter futures for individuals and society as a whole. That is why he is proud to announce his partnership with the organisation, acting as an official Street League Ambassador.

This relationship will see Farooq continue to visit Street League Academies across the UK, interacting with and inspiring young people to be the best versions of themselves. Street League CEO, Dougie Stevenson said:

"I am extremely proud and excited to welcome Kash to the Street League family and cannot wait to see the impact that his involvement will have on the lives of the young people we support. So often it only takes one positive role model to totally reinvigorate a young person's life and inspire them to become the best version of themselves. I'm excited for Kash to be that role model to our young people."

Farooq has highlighted that he would like to work closely with the organisation to increase diversity amongst participants and inspire more young people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities to join the programmes offered and increase the number of opportunities available to them.

If you are or know of, a young person aged 16-24 who is looking for support moving into work, education, or further training, you can contact Street League by emailing info@streetleague.co.uk to find out about Academies near you.

Kash Farooq visiting a Street League Academy in 2021.