Let's Talk Health and Care Podcast Episode #12: Meeting young people where they are: The Empire Fighting Chance story

In this powerful episode of Let’s Talk Health and Care, Marc Griffiths and Peter Brindle take listeners inside Empire Fighting Chance, a Bristol-based organisation transforming the lives of young people who have been, in their own words, 'knocked down by life'. Through boxing-inspired therapy, culturally competent support, and deep community connection, Empire Fighting Chance is reshaping how we think about mental health, violence prevention and youth engagement. Marc and Peter speak with Co-Founder Martin Bisp, Mariella and Elaine who share the origins of their unique model, the evidence behind their impact, and what traditional services can learn from meeting young people where they truly are. Together, they explore the challenges of working with young people affected by trauma, the urgent need for systemic change, including calls for an Office of Violence Prevention and the importance of empowering local communities rather than replicating top-down interventions. Listeners will also hear from a box therapist, who brings to life what therapy looks like in the gym environment, and a young person turned staff member, who shares their journey through adversity and how this approach helped them rewrite their story. Marc and Peter close this episode with some reflections on what health and care professionals can take from the Empire model: the value of culturally relevant support, the power of safe non-clinical spaces, and the need to be braver in commissioning innovative approaches for those who need them most. A compelling episode that challenges assumptions, highlights community-led innovation, and offers a hopeful look at what’s possible when we design services with young people, not for them.   Links: Empire Fighting Chance Uncovered: Identity-Based Mass Violence in Urban Contexts | IBMV