9up

Empower . Engage . Excel

Who we are

9Up CIC is a not-for-profit organisation based in Birmingham. We work with children, young people and adults across some of the city’s most deprived communities – giving them a safe, welcoming place to train, grow and be part of something.

Our doors are open to all. Our focus is on young people aged 8 to 25, especially those who need us most: young people at risk of gang involvement, knife crime or exclusion, those with additional needs, and people facing real disadvantage. Everything we do is built around one simple idea – belonging.

What we do

More than a gym

At our fully equipped 6000 sq. ft venue, we offer free, structured sessions led by qualified, experienced coaches. But we’re about far more than sport. We build relationships, raise aspirations, and walk alongside young people as they find their feet.

Martial arts and fitness. Boxing, freestyle wrestling, kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, alongside strength and conditioning, weight management and rehabilitation – for every level, from complete beginners to champions.

Mentoring and life skills. One-to-one and group mentoring, life-skills workshops, healthy-living support and leadership development – helping young people make positive choices and grow in confidence.

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF). Free holiday camps offering daily sport, hot meals, personal development and enrichment, so no young person goes hungry or misses out during the school break.

Crime prevention and diversion. Targeted work with young people referred by West Midlands Police, Youth Justice and schools – offering a positive alternative and authentic role models with lived experience.

Routes into work and leadership. Support into training and employment, from CV writing to coaching qualifications – including a pathway that has seen former participants become qualified coaches and mentors.

Our story / ethos

Built on belonging

We created 9Up because too many young people in our community have nowhere to go that isn’t home, school or the street. We wanted to build somewhere different – a place where they feel safe, valued and respected, whatever their background.

That ethos of belonging runs through everything. Our sessions are open to all, regardless of race, faith, gender or ability. Our coaches reflect the community we serve, and many of them started out exactly where our young people are now. When someone walks through our doors, they become part of the 9Up family.

Impact

Making a real difference

• 200+ vulnerable young people supported every year

• 8–25 the ages we focus on, with our doors open to all

• Free every session, removing the cost barrier to taking part

• Top 10% our community is among the most deprived in the country

Through our sessions, young people tell us they feel fitter, more confident and more connected. Our partners in policing and youth justice see the difference too – fewer young people drawn towards trouble and more given a genuine chance to thrive.

Partners and recognition

Working together

We’re proud to work alongside organisations who share our belief in young people, including West Midlands Police, Birmingham City Council, StreetGames, local schools and a network of community partners. Our summer Holiday Activities and Food programme – has reached hundreds of young people from across the city.

Get involved / contact

Be part of it

Whether you’re a young person looking for somewhere to train, a parent or carer, a potential partner, or someone who simply wants to know more – we’d love to hear from you.

Visit us: Winster Grove Industrial Estate, Birmingham, B44 9EG

Website: 9up.co.uk