As soon as James, JT Plumbing’s founder, heard about the creation of the Tauranga Boxing Academy a button got pushed. “I just had to get involved, because not all youth get the same opportunities. So how are we going to develop successful young men to have a positive impact in our community?”
The Tauranga Boxing Academy is a programme developed by the Bay of Plenty Youth Foundation Trust that supports and develops young men, who for a variety of reasons are growing up in challenging circumstances. The programme is about more than just boxing. It’s about instilling strong values that will set them up for success. “The values the team are teaching the boys about respect, compassion, kindness, honesty, truthfulness and work ethic resonated” explained James. “These match our values at JT Plumbing so it’s really personal for me.”
When James connected with Craig Nees, he saw an opportunity to get involved and help directly. JT Plumbing donated time, resources and materials to support the creation of the new Tauranga Boxing Academy facility which opened in May 2019.
As the programme is designed to help participants get work experience and sustainable long term employment James is enthusiastic about the results. “I’m really excited to see the impact the programme will make for the young men involved. I think about the plumbing sector and there are so many great long term career opportunities for young people in this industry.”
James sees working with the Tauranga Boxing Academy team as a way to create a pathway to employment at JT Plumbing. “We are always looking for the right people to join our team. It’s about your attitude and values first. Then we can teach you how to be a plumber. That’s why this programme is so important and I’m 100% behind it.”
Read more about the positive impact of the Tauranga Boxing Academy.
To find out more about the Tauranga Boxing Academy and follow their journey, visit their Facebook page.
