Nazifa coaches at a primary school three days a week, works with a running programme designed to make the sport more inclusive for people just starting out, and still finds time to keep a journal she's written in nearly every day since year 11. "I think it's a great visual perspective," she says of the habit. "You basically have your life documented, which is a nice way to look back in the future and see your growth."

Coaching, for her, goes deeper than simply teaching children to play sports. "It's not just physical literacy," she explains. "It's developing them as individuals - social skills, leadership skills, stuff that makes them a well-rounded person… that sort of stuff is needed in this generation." Why is Nazifa so committed to creating opportunities in sport? She’s paying it forward. Nazifa says she grew up in sport herself and wants every child to get the same positive and welcoming first experience that she had - "I think it's great no matter what route they take."

That instinct to share what she enjoys - sports, connection and exercise - led her to GoodGym. Nazifa found GoodGym when scrolling social media. "It lined up nicely with my interests," she says, "doing good for the community while staying fit." For someone already fitting in volunteering around a packed schedule, GoodGym's flexibility sealed it. "I loved the timings… it was mostly after work."

"It's Destroying Young People's Perspective"

"In a world full of social media, we don't have those socialising aspects anymore," Nazifa states. "Everyone has a phone, everyone's scrolling, no matter what platform it is." The impact of social media seems more apparent to younger generations. Despite growing up with it, Nazifa is painfully aware of its pros and cons. "I don't know what they're doing on their phones, if they're consuming such bad content. I really don't think it's good for them. I think it really does destroy their perspective of life as well”, Nazifa concludes, reflecting on the use of social media in society today.

But it’s not just about screens, "there's not a lot of free space - social hubs, I guess you can say - where there's community to go to," she says. "I think that's really sad. As a society, I think we're very isolated. Us British people, we don't really smile at people much, and I think we need to bring that back." It's a striking callout from someone who only recently finished school, and an important one.

Leading Her First Session

Nazifa recently led her first GoodGym session as a Future Leader - a leaf-picking task in Tower Hamlets, London. She arrived early for a debrief with her mentor Lucinda, then ran the introductions herself: name, safety, equipment, what happens after. From there, she kept the session moving. "Making sure everyone was ok, socialising with some new faces, timekeeping…" she says.

Used to coaching and leading people younger than her, GoodGym was a chance to step outside that comfort zone to lead people of all ages. Nazifa admits some nervousness beforehand, "I'm the youngest there, and I was like, oh, I'm bossing around all these people." Helped by her regular attendance at previous sessions, many of the faces were familiar and all were happy to see Nazifa take a leading role. "The participants were so nice to me. It was a very casual environment. The nervousness definitely went by the time we were done with it." She credits her mentors, Lucinda and Emma, with helping her get there with confidence - always prepared, always encouraging, checking in before and after every session.

Nazifa with her mentors, Emma (left) and Lucinda (right).

GoodGym, The Next Step

For Nazifa, GoodGym isn't a departure from what she already believes in - it's a bigger stage for it. Coaching gave her the instinct to build other people up. GoodGym is giving her the chance to do that across generations and with community organisations where she lives. "That chance to talk to different generations is kind of cool," she says. "It shapes you into a well-rounded individual who's able to speak to multiple people, and be confident enough to lead them." She's also found a peer group in fellow GoodGymers, "I've gained the opportunity to meet like-minded people who have the same passions and hobbies."

When asked why she’s so involved in community and exercise at a young age, Nazifa says, “in the day and age of AI, we are the people of the future generations”. "We are currently doing things that will have an impact later, and we'll be the ones living in that future. So why wouldn't you want to help out?" For Nazifa, leading isn't just about the task in front of her - it's about proving to other young people that getting involved is worth it. "I think it's good to inspire other people to get involved as well."

Three Words

Asked to sum up a GoodGym session in three words, Nazifa settles on:

Relaxed. Comfortable. Inspiring.