'Some of these kids had never been out of their council estates – we offered a way out'
‘It was when we heard gunshots that I realised how different this was from their normal lives,” says Martyn Ware, a teacher and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) leader. Back home in Croydon the sounds might have signified something very different. But Martyn was accompanying a group of young people through open countryside as part of their DofE programmes, and reassured them that it would just be someone hunting. “Five minutes later, a man walked by with a brace of pheasants slung over his shoulder. They couldn’t believe it. But some of them had never been out of their council estates before,” Martyn says.
It’s moments like this that make him appreciate the value in packing a kit and heading off into the wilds, just as he often did as a child. “My dad wasn’t around much,” he explains. “He was in prison when I was a kid. But luckily I had my uncle Robin, who stepped into that role and did all those things with me. We’d go off youth-hostelling together. He got me into outdoor living and I loved it. I was very lucky,” he adds. “I was a crazy child, very hyperactive, and I managed to channel that energy into the outdoors and sport.”
Football became his passion. Martyn played as a goalkeeper for Tottenham and QPR’s youth teams, stopping only due to not having reached the height required to play in goal. After university, he found himself working in the fitness industry. “It’s about vanity, really,” he reflects. “I wanted to find something with a bigger purpose.”
He started working with youth groups, sharing his other loves of DJing and spoken-word poetry with young people, many of whom came from disadvantaged and disrupted family backgrounds. Keen to encourage these youngsters to find their own passions, he set up table tennis and DJing clubs. “It’s all about building relationships,” he says, “but the trouble with youth groups is that you might not see someone from one week to the next – or they might not turn up again for months.” So Martyn became a teacher, working in inner-city Nottingham and currently at Ellesmere College in Leicester, where pupils have special educational needs ranging from moderate to severe and complex.
Here he was instrumental in starting the DofE at Ellesmere to enable as many young people as possible – despite any personal challenges they face – to achieve their awards. “Some had behavioural challenges,” he says, “but what they did have in common was a love of biking. So I set up a BMX group. One of the guys, Cameron, developed a real passion for bikes and learnt to repair and maintain them. Over time, he calmed down, matured and became the mechanic of the group who’d help others with their bikes and take on that responsibility. He’s gone on to compete at national BMX events and study mechanics. He’s found a passion,” Martyn says with obvious pride.
Through the DofE, he encouraged another student, Brandon, to renovate a pond area for the volunteering section of his award. “He liked building dens and being in nature so it suited him perfectly. He got into the idea of conservation and went on to design and build a shed all by himself. He reached a whole new level of maturity and has gone on to study conservation,” he explains.
Through their activities, Martyn has found ways to connect with these young people, some of whom he describes as “tough characters. But we chat on walks. Being out in a natural environment helps them to relax, find a focus and build confidence. They start to see that you don’t have to be aggressive or ‘the big man’.” He mentions another former pupil, Tyler, who embraced the DofE: “He was looked after in care for most of his life. But he decided he wanted to get into refereeing, so he did the Fifa training and now he’s officiating at local tournaments.”
“Finding your thing” is something Martyn believes is key to building confidence and taking steps towards a fulfilling future. He says that growing up in a single-parent family, in what he calls “a rough part of London”, means he can speak to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds on their level. “I challenge by choice,” he says. “What that means is, it’s not like I’m telling you what to do, but pointing out that you have a choice. Say we’re out on a hike and someone wants to jump into the cold water. I’ll remind them that they have the choice to do that – and be freezing for the rest of the walk – or they could choose not to do it.”
“There is a reason for everything,” he says, of the young people who show challenging behaviours. “But there are choices in life. You can choose to go down one road or take another, more positive route. DofE helps with that, by empowering young people like Cameron, Brandon and Tyler. It builds their resilience and self-esteem, and teaches them to help each other and work together as a team.” Most importantly of all, he says, is that “they’ll have these strong, positive memories for the rest of their lives”. That’s why Martyn is committed to helping young people who are embarking on their adult lives – just as his uncle did for him.
‘It’s good to challenge yourself’
Tyler, now 17 and a Fifa-trained referee, was 14 and one of Martyn Ware’s pupils when he started his DofE.
“I liked the sound of DofE with all the activities and getting an award at the end. My teacher also encouraged me to take part, which gave me the push I needed. I particularly enjoyed camping, which I’d done as a Scout. I also liked working as part of a team and getting to know people better. The trek up Beacon Hill was on a scorching-hot day and we had to walk for miles! I was exhausted but pleased that I did it. I got a lot out of the experience. I made new friends, pushed myself harder than I had before, and grew in confidence.
“I stayed on in the sixth form. I’m out three days a week on an internship at the King Richard III Visitor Centre, which I love. I welcome visitors, show them around the exhibits, work in the café and answer queries on the front desk. Hopefully this will lead to a full-time job in the future.
“I’d say to anyone thinking of doing the DofE just to go for it. It’s a lot of fun and good to challenge yourself.”
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