House of Brass
by Ember House Project
Youth Empowerment & Community Building Program
Building life skills, confidence, and community for at-risk youth and individuals recovering from incarceration.
About the Program
Too many young people in our cities and rural communities are lost. They're growing up without stable mentorship, without structure, without a trusted authority figure who genuinely sees them. They're told what not to do — but rarely shown how to build strength, resilience, purpose.
The House of Brass pilot is designed to fill that void. Through structured boxing training, physical fitness, leadership and mentorship, we help participants build the internal and external muscle they've never been given. Training the body, strengthening the mind, creating community. Not just "after-school fun" — this is a strategic intervention, grounded in evidence, dedicated to change.
Our vision: establish community centres across Canada — hubs where kids and formerly incarcerated individuals can access consistent follow-up, rewards for progress (school bags, laptops, educational access), and a network that supports them long after the gloves go down.
What We Offer
🥊 Boxing Training
Professional instruction from elite fighters. Discipline, precision, resilience. Technique, not just brute force.
💪 Physical Fitness
Conditioning, strength-building, cardiovascular health. These kids haven't just been starved for opportunity — they've been starved for physical mastery, for feeling their body work and respond.
🎯 Leadership Development
How you carry yourself, how you make decisions, how you influence your peers. Conflict resolution. Making choice instead of excuses.
🤝 Mentorship
One-on-one support from coaches, fighters, community leaders who get it. Who have the scars, the victories, the authenticity.
🏆 Competition Opportunities
For those who are ready: safe, supervised events to apply what they've learned, to show up and assert themselves.
🌐 Community Connection
This isn't "go you, lone wolf". It's "we rise together". Build friendships, build networks. Know you belong.
Our Partners
This pilot program is made possible through collaboration with:
Sara Bailey
Community Leader & Professional Boxer
Kyle McLaughlin
Community Leader & Professional Boxer
West End AC
Athletic Club & Training Facility
Brass Knuckles Canadian Whiskey
Community Partner & Sponsor
The Ember House Project
Community Program Development
Our Mission: Evidence-Based Intervention
Here's the unfiltered truth:
Two-Year Post-Release Reconviction Rates in Canada
- Decreased aggression & anti-social behaviour: d = 0.36 (p < .001)
- Improved self-esteem & psychological outcomes: d = 0.87
- Reductions in anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms
- Improved confidence and mood regulation
Sources: SpringerLink, PMC, PubMed
Current Re-Offence Rate
Without intervention
Self-Esteem Improvement
Effect size from sports programs
Success Rate
Young people staying out
So yes — when you combine high-risk youth, lack of positive role models, the proven value of sport + mentorship + structure, you have a powerful intervention.
And what we bring is not optional for these kids — it's vital. Without it many will default to patterns society has already laid out for them.
Our Collaborators / Champions
Professional boxers who bring lived experience, rigor, and authenticity to our program.
Sara Bailey
Professional Boxer
Sara brings lived experience and rigor. She teaches discipline, perseverance, the power of the fight within.
Kyle "The Caveman" McLaughlin
Professional Boxer & Community Volunteer
Kyle works with disabled adults and at-risk youth to show strength is more than physical — it's moral, it's social.
We'll onboard new fighters (including international guests) on an ongoing basis to keep momentum, raise prestige, and give our participants exposure beyond their immediate neighbourhoods.
Why It Matters
Because what these young people are craving isn't just another class. They're missing:
💪 Strength, in Person
They may never respect the teacher who's never been in the trenches, but they will respect the pro fighter who's bled and trained and chosen to help.
📋 Structure, Not Chaos
Many of them come from homes or neighbourhoods where discipline was inconsistent or absent. They need a place where they show up, push through, earn something.
🎯 Mentorship, Not Lectures
They want someone who sees them, believes in them, challenges them, holds them accountable.
🏆 Recognition for Effort
They're too often judged by what they did wrong instead of what they could do right. We reward progress — new backpack, laptop, future resources.
🤝 Belonging, Not Isolation
If you've done time, or you're on the edge of making bad choices, you feel alone. We bring them into a community that says: you matter. Your story isn't over.
🌍 International Excellence
By bringing professional fighters — including international talent — into the mix, we keep the program dynamic, inspiring, and globally sounding. These fighters aren't just visiting: they are mentors, co-creators, role models.
We give at-risk youth something to look up to, something to emulate, something to fight for.
Get Involved
We're now at the PROOF-of-concept stage.
The pilot will be documented — we'll film training camps, mentorship sessions, transformation stories. This isn't just a program — it's a movement.
🤝 Volunteers
Want to mentor? Want to coach? Want to support? Join us.
💼 Sponsors
School-bags, laptops, gear, educational resources — help us reward progress.
🏢 Partners
Want to help us open future community centres across Canada? Let's talk.
💰 Backers
Fund the documentary. Fund the build-out. Fund scholarships for our graduates.