closeup of the feet of a person on a skateboard, on the edge of a wall
How one skateboarder’s journey from the streets of Aguascalientes to national youth mentor is helping to transform lives through sport
Ahead of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace on 6 April, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) sat down with Carlos Padilla, a skateboarder and youth mentor from Mexico and national ambassador for the “Sport against Crime: Outreach, Resilience, Empowerment of at-risk youth” (SC: ORE) programme.
Aguascalientes (Mexico), April 5, 2025 - “No matter how many times you fall, you must keep trying.” This is the invaluable lesson that Carlos Padilla, a skateboarder and youth mentor from the Arteaga Pavilion in Aguascalientes, Mexico, has learned through years of practice with his board.
Growing up in a neighbourhood affected by crime and limited opportunities, Carlos found in skateboarding not just a sport, but a pathway to resilience, self-confidence and a brighter future.
Today, he is a vocal advocate for using sports to steer young people away from crime and violence.
"It's all in you. If you trust and have discipline, you'll achieve it. You might fall five times and succeed on the sixth attempt, or it might take 100 tries to get it right,” Carlos shares. He began volunteering at the age of 12 at his local Boys and Girls Club, eventually dedicating over 550 hours as a mentor for younger children, encouraging them to channel their energy into positive pursuits instead of being into cycles of crime and violence.
Now, Carlos is applying that same determination to the SC:ORE programme, a joint initiative by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), that seeks to prevent youth crime and violence by leveraging the positive impact of sports.
SC:ORE works to prevent and combat violence and crime through sports-based learning, mentoring support and skills training to build more peaceful and safe communities.
It is based on the principle that participation in targeted sport programmes can prevent youth from being victimized. By offering youth a safe and conducive learning environment in which to grow and creating pathways to education, employability and social networks, sports can help them fulfil their potentials as agent of positive change in their communities and prevent their engagement in violence and crime.
UNODC has engaged more than 50,000 young people in 14 countries in sport-based interventions that build important life skills and promote social inclusion, tolerance and respect.
As a SC:ORE national ambassador, Carlos supports UNODC work in Mexico reaching out to youth in vulnerable communities, sharing his experiences and leading sports-based mentorship programs that help young people develop life skills, confidence and a sense of belonging. His role also involves advocating for policy changes that integrate sports into crime prevention strategies, ensuring that more young people have access to safe and structured sporting opportunities and safe sport spaces at the community level.
"Sports are a tool for empowerment,” Carlos explains. “They provide structure, motivation and a sense of purpose, especially for those who might feel lost. When young people engage in sports, they gain confidence, discipline and skills that positively impact their lives.”Carlos believes that skateboarding, an urban sport that is popular among youth, can “generate a positive impact on communities and their surroundings and break negative stereotypes and stigma.”
Through initiatives like SC:ORE, UNODC and the IOC continue to harness the power of sport to build safer and more inclusive communities, ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to thrive.
By showing that every fall is a chance to rise again, Carlos inspires youth to make positive choices, build life skills and stay engaged in their communities. With leaders like Carlos paving the way, a new generation is not just learning to stand up - they’re getting ready to SC:ORE.
