Rivals Gym
Sam Allan’s story
At Rivals Gym, co-owners and brothers Sam and Scott Allan simply wanted to give back to the local community at a tough time, while continuing to operate as they previously had.
With their martial arts gyms based in East Kilbride, Wishaw and one on the way in Airdrie, they were keen to give more people opportunities to work at their sites.
Over an 18-month period, Rivals took on 37 people, with their roles varying from fitness coaches and personal trainers to cleaners and digital marketing staff.
By getting new employees started, Rivals were able to continue the work they’ve been doing for 15 years in the North Lanarkshire community, delivering classes and providing a safe space for people of all ages and backgrounds within the communities.
In turn, Rivals were able to make some Kickstart young people permanent at the end of the six months and, with Johnny at Routes To Work’s help, supported many more into further employment or education.
Speaking of their partnership with Routes To Work and how it helped RIvals Gym continue to serve their community, Sam said:
“In April 2016 we set up Rivals School of Martial Arts as a charity and the purpose of being a charity organisation was to give back to the community.
“We want to try to impact as many people as we can.
“The Kickstart partnership with Routes To Work came about after lockdown when the government said: ‘We need to try to help young people’.
“And that’s a bit of what we’re all about. We’re about helping people.
“And that’s a bit of what we’re all about. We’re about helping people.
“We’re community-orientated, so for us to have the chance to work with people who were needing a chance, I was all in for it.
“Some of the young people that were on Kickstart are thriving now. They’re in full-time employment, full-time education, part-time and we helped them alongside Routes To Work.
“It’s made a thriving young community.”
A crucial cog in the wheel which allowed the likes of Johnny and Rivals Gym to find their feet again was VANL.
As senior community development officer, Michelle Thomson, explains, VANL were able to assist Routes To Work in becoming a gateway organisation for the third sector, being the conduit between the employers and RTW.
VANL also took on three people in admin, communications and IT roles as they used their network to help interested local charities and community groups access Kickstart.
Michelle said:
“On the day Kickstart was announced we looked at it and we saw immediately that you needed to have 30 posts to take part.
“We knew that was going to be an issue for the community and voluntary sector in North Lanarkshire and I think Routes To Work were having the same thoughts.
“You could be a gateway organisation and apply for the 30 posts, so that’s what Routes To Work decided to do and we promoted it to the sector and that generated the interest from organisations like Rivals Gym and Reeltime Music.”
As well as Routes To Work’s function as a getaway organisation, we have supported North Lanarkshire Council’s 32 Kickstart young people with a full wrap-around support throughout the duration of the programme.
Both third sector and private sector have benefited from the support RTW has offered the young people, seeing a 49% conversion and 56% conversion respectively moving into further employment or sustaining in employment past their six months funded post.
