A COMMUNITY project that aims to encourage teenagers to get involved in fitness is offering a free ten-week programme from October.

FMG Project, which has refurbished a space in the old Argus Lofts in Kensington Street, Brighton, will be running the programme for 14 to 16 year olds in October, as well as January.

The project is aiming to “give something back to the community in Brighton” and wants to inspire young people to get into fitness, while also teaching them important life skills along the way.

Sam Crocker-Green, 27, manager of FMG Project, said the space will offer young people access to brand new facilities and hopes to be a social hub for those on the programme.

He said: “The project is going to be running an academy programme for young people aged 14 to 16 to essentially give them opportunities that perhaps they wouldn’t have otherwise got.

“We want to give them a space to learn, grow and achieve through fitness essentially. So we’re going to be running a ten-week programme for local young people.

“They are going to be completely free so we are going to be giving those opportunities but also creating motivation, a positive attitude, helping young people channel their energy positively, teaching them life skills like commitment, communication and leadership skills.

“We also want to provide education on how to live a healthier lifestyle in terms of nutrition and exercise and how that helps us.”

The Argus: The bar and seminar room.The bar and seminar room.

The space also wants to provide a hub for the wider community to rent out with its various meeting spaces, a café bar for hire, an amphitheatre for talks and seminars, as well as the gym which can be hired out by personal trainers and local sports groups.

Sam said: “All the money that we make from these things will go back into the programme so we can continue to run it for the young people as well.”

“What we’re trying to do is not just be a ten-week programme that someone comes to and that’s it at the end, we never see or hear from them again.

"What we want is to create pathways into local sports teams so once they finish with the programme, they continue to learn, grow and be part of something.

“Hopefully, some of those young people will come back to the gym and keep using it. We are looking to open it up to people who have been part of the programme to use it on a regular basis after they’ve finished the programme.”

The Argus: One of the communal spaces.One of the communal spaces.

The project is being run by the Friday Media Group Foundation, who created the Friday Ad in 1975.

Sam Crocker-Green, who has a background in sports science and health coaching, said the project is a combination of his two main passions.

He said: “I have a real passion for fitness and working with young people as well, so this project basically combines all of my passions and experience into one role.”

If you are interested in hiring out a space, or joining the ten week programme, visit the website or contact sam@fmgproject.co.uk