Twenty Wolverhampton children and young people are set to be a smash hit with their public speaking skills after a groundbreaking scheme boosted their confidence through boxing.
After being mentored by an inspiring, award-winning programme founder, they are taking part in a youth public speaking competition held at Tettenhall College tomorrow (Sunday, May 17) from 12-3pm.
The contest is a culmination of their hard work over the last year through support from Jin Atwal at Magical Mind Coaching and its VoiceBOX programme.
VoiceBOX clubs run weekly for an hour and a half in Whitmore Reans, Blakenhall and Low Hill and are made up of team games to build confidence, boxing to boost resilience and public speaking games to help communication skills.
Jin launched the scheme after an earlier effort to engage young people in public speaking faltered. He was inspired by his own childhood difficulties in finding a voice as he grew up in a chaotic home marred by aggression.
Jin said: “My father was an alcoholic, and I witnessed a lot of domestic violence.
“One thing that really helped me during those dark times was boxing. My uncle introduced me to boxing at the age of 13 and for the first time I felt a sense of self-worth, and I began to believe in myself.
“Up until that point I felt like a failure because I wasn’t able to protect my mum from my dad. Boxing never made me aggressive it gave me a sense of control and built confidence and I’ve never forgotten that.
“VoiceBox has now been running for three years and has gone from being one club in Graisley supporting 20 young people a week to five clubs supporting 100 young people a week running across Wolverhampton.
“We also hold two public speaking competitions a year where young people showcase their public speaking skills on stage.”
In the upcoming competition, there are separate heats for primary and secondary age pupils.
This comes a year after Mia Bedi, 13, of Wombourne, won the contest with a powerful speech on child labour.
Jin said: “Mia started by building her confidence before wowing us at the competition. She then spoke at the Mayor’s Parlour at the Fairtrade 20th Anniversary and was invited to Parliament to meet Wolverhampton MPs.
“That is the power of learning to share your voice. Mia is only 13 and she is already on a path to inspire the next generation to create positive change in the world.
“At a time when technology is taking away children’s voices, with many losing communication skills because of their devices, Mia is doing the opposite. She’s learning to speak, to express and to lead. She’s developing what is a superpower —and in the future, it will be even more valuable.
Jin, whose life-changing work was last year honoured with a Business of The Year recognition at the MBCC Awards added: “The aim is to give young people a platform and a voice — an opportunity to step outside their comfort zone, be heard, and feel proud of themselves.
“It’s not just about public speaking; it’s about helping them believe in themselves and realise what they’re capable of.
“The difference we see in young people is incredible. Children who once struggled to introduce themselves are now able to stand on stage and speak with confidence in front of a large audience.
“The children come from a range of backgrounds across Wolverhampton. Many initially joined our programme lacking confidence, struggling with shyness, or finding it difficult to express themselves. Each child has been working towards this moment, building up the courage and skills to speak on stage.
“Participants will deliver speeches in front of an audience. Younger entrants will give a speech that tells a story with a message or lesson, while the older cohort will deliver Dragons’ Den-style pitches to persuade the audience of an idea or business concept.”
Jin added: “We regularly see improvements in confidence and self-belief, communication skills, emotional resilience, and willingness to take on new challenges.
“For many, this becomes a defining moment that changes how they see themselves.
“I’m incredibly proud of the difference we make. Seeing a young person go from being shy and unsure, to confidently speaking on stage in front of 100+ people, is something that never gets old.
“It’s moments like these that remind me why we do what we do — giving young people the tools, support, and belief to find their voice.”
