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Cindy, aka Cobra, is 18. She arrives at 4:30 p.m. at the office of Philo-Boxing, as she does several times a week, ready to jump in the ring. For the past two years, the shy young boxer has been training with Karim Coppry in a sport that has become a passion for her. “I love my work, I am happy to do it, to share my experience with the community and to be an actor in the social fabric of Côte-des-Neiges,” said Mr. Coppry.
The social worker who is a native of Côte-des-Neiges has created Philo-Boxe, a program that combines sport and discussion and offers young people a place to express themselves. He knows the lives of young people in the neighborhood well. “When I was a teenager, I had my own problems; I thought it would be nice to give something back to where I grew up,” he explains. Before offering his services in his neighborhood, Karim Coppry assumed the role of urban mediator in the Saint-Michel district.
At the time, sport was not yet on the table. “I wanted to discuss and train stakeholders on the subject of biculturality among young people,” says the social entrepreneur. It was by implementing the project with youth organizations that one of them pointed out to him that young people needed stimulating activities. That's how the idea of teaching boxing, a sport he adopted in his early 20s, and of holding philosophical discussions with his customers was born.
Opening horizons
“Good sports practice, at a young age, makes it possible to develop a discipline”, recalls the boxing coach. This can contribute to providing a structure for young people, as regular training requires their presence and attention. However, Mr. Coppry believes that, in order to equip young people, we must go beyond intervention and make them understand that they have a place in society. “Do young people feel that they have a future? Do they have role models that inspire them, an education about emotions, about the meaning of life? ” he wonders, believing that a lack of reference points can have a significant impact on a teenager's career.
The speaker is also not kind to the fate that is reserved for disadvantaged young people. “If you look at the media, they often demonize young people, especially those from another origin. Violence is often promoted, but they are not given the opportunity to speak out.” Being assertive is exactly what is difficult, if not impossible, for young people. Mr. Coppry says that he himself did not have the opportunity to do this, except when he was with friends or among people in his neighborhood.
Today, the coach hopes that those who precede this youth become aware and understand that they can change things. “I want people to know that we have the power to act, to put in place actions to support our community, education, education, the search for meaning and social integration,” he says.
Piquing the interest of young people
You don't have to be sporty to start boxing. According to Mr. Coppry, it's just a matter of wanting to try. “When we talk about boxing, they think they're going to hit each other! I explain to them that it's boxing training,” he says about his young recruits. The coach favors young people in the environment where he is, and not those who are interested in sport. This is why the Philo-Boxing program is given in youth centers. With the mission of making an expensive sport accessible, the non-profit organization offers the program free of charge to participants. Afterwards, the most skilled athletes can train at the Philo-Boxe room, where they have the opportunity to improve their skills and, if they wish, to train their classmates.
Picture: Pablo Ortiz
This is the case of Cobra, who assists Karim Coppry by teaching young people to box at Chalet Kent, the youth center in Côte-des-Neiges. She enjoys the discussions that emerge from the weekly meetings. “We bring anything we want to talk about in depth, just to find out our point of view and that of the other person,” she reports. “We talk about how we feel; we can express ourselves and release whatever feelings we have in our heart,” she explains. As Mr Coppry points out, the only rule is that the topics covered should only be linked to their reality. Thus, the group came to talk about their fears, love, history, and why not, ghosts.
Cobra is anxious about the future, which seems uncertain to her. “It's hard to know if you like what you do, and what repercussions it will have in the future. If I choose something, what happens next? ” The burden is heavy for many of her classmates, she believes. “You feel the pressure to do something big. Many feel the pressure to find work, but it's hard without experience,” says the woman who wants to become a specialized motorcycle mechanic. For now, boxing offers him another option. “With coaching, I feel that I have another option. And I think that's good,” she reflects.
Picture: Pablo Ortiz
This is exactly what Philo-Boxe seeks to offer. “In the future, we want to offer other services in the neighborhood, mentoring, tutoring, coaching, so that young people can develop intervention skills and experience working with Philo-Boxe. We're really trying to diversify the work experience,” summarizes the founder, who wants to push the boundaries.
Difficult conversations
Chris, who is 16, joined Philo-Boxe just before Cobra, after playing ping pong for a long time. With the forced leave imposed by the pandemic, he missed the training. “When I come here, I am more comfortable than in class. It's really welcoming,” he says. Like his teammate, he appreciates the time set aside for philosophical discussions. “It allows us to learn things we don't learn in school,” says Chris, who wants to study programming at CEGEP next year.
Picture: Pablo Ortiz
Chris testifies to the enormous pressure young people are under, especially those who are struggling at school. Many of his friends in the neighborhood dropped out to go to work. If he is doing well in school, Chris is not happy there. “I don't like the school system. Nobody likes school. You don't learn how to act in life. We don't explain what's going on, why, how we could do things,” he believes. He also refers to the generational conflict between young people and their predecessors. “Parents think we should be going through the same thing as them, but it's not the same, he says. They tend to be very prejudiced and have a hard time accepting the things of our generation, having trouble listening to what we're saying — they're putting a lot of pressure on them.” Before getting back on the training mat, Chris invites his classmates to stick with it. to what they like. “Whatever you choose, you really have to go all out. It's going to make us love life.”
Support the interests of young people financially
Philo-Boxe, which is a non-profit organization (NPO), relies on its own resources to finance its operations. It has not received any government grants since its inception. “We can't wait for the government to give us money, our job is to take action. We are there to support the population,” he said. This week, the Minister of Public Security, Geneviève Guilbault, announced that $52 million would be distributed as part of a crime prevention plan. Nearly $11.3 million would thus be allocated over 5 years to a program to prevent delinquency through sport, arts and culture, in which Philo-Boxe's mission would fit perfectly. “That's good, it will be able to help community organizations create new programs,” believes Mr. Coppry.
However, the way in which government grants are allocated is a problem, according to him. “It has to be for a specific project,” he explains. Minister Guibault indicated the government's desire to change practice with the Program for funding the mission of community street work organizations in crime prevention. The initiative provides $20.2 million over 4 years starting in 2022, which will directly benefit the organizations' mission. While money is welcome, for Karim Coppry, that's not all. “There is a lot of introspection to do,” says the coach, who wants people in positions of power to become aware of it.
The work that Karim Coppry is doing with Philo-Boxe is absolutely necessary in the eyes of the family of Jannai Dopwell-Bailey, a 16-year-old young man murdered in front of his school in Côte-des-Neiges on October 18 by other young people. At the vigil held in his honor, several family members pleaded for more services for young people in the neighborhood. “I think we need more programs, especially for children of color. You need basketball, leadership, robotics, swimming, music programs — you need opportunities and access to give teens things to do so they're not outside,” Tyrese Dopwell-Bailey, the victim's brother, said at the time. “I want a place where young people and the community can play basketball, play music, meet. There is nothing here for young people. They are on the street,” her mother regretted.
“I hope that the elected officials of Côte-des-Neiges are working to set up programs for young people so that we no longer have to witness this kind of thing,” added Onica John, cousin of the missing youth. Hoping that their wishes will be fulfilled in the near future.philoboxe.ca