We need your help to create a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club for Youth in one of the lower income areas of Melbourne. The objective of this program is to
supply children with a free/subsidized training program that promotes the
development of their self-confidence and well-being, both physically and
mentally, and which is available to disadvantaged children, as often
those who cannot afford such instruction are the ones who would benefit
from it the most.
The Problem
Two major issues facing youth
in Australia are bullying and obesity. According to nobullying.com 1 out
of 4 school-aged students report they have experienced some form of
bullying. This repeated harassment, and sometimes physical threat,
depletes a young person’s confidence, with these emotional and
self-esteem issues having the potential to affect them into their adult
years. The statistics for childhood obesity are equally alarming, with
25% of Australian children being overweight or obese.
What is the Program
The
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club for Youth would be offered to children aged
4-17 years to improve their confidence and instill in them the benefits
of a healthy and active lifestyle. As the Prahran area is highly
residential, there are many children there who could receive benefit
from the program and from its accessibility everyday after school in the
form of a wind-down and homework space in the proposed kids’ lounge.
This is particularly important for times when children are not feeling
comfortable at home, when home offers a volatile environment, or when it
would benefit them to have a place to go to “hang out” until it is time
to train so as not to be “running the streets”. The additional benefit
of martial arts is that it can operate all-year-round, as it is not
subject to weather conditions, and so children would be provided with
consistent lessons and a strong sense of community. This, in turn, means
a greater progress in skill development and positive changes in
at-school and at-school behaviours.The reasoning behind a solely kids
club is that often gyms sacrifice kids programs in order to cater to the
adult market.It is hard to find programs for kids/teens past 5 or 6pm
as this time tends to be allotted to the after work adult crowd, leaving
kids no programs past dinner to occupy them and usually they are found
wandering the streets, malls or just sitting at home wasting time.
The benefits of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is a rapidly growing martial art, and it is easy to see
why. This sport is as much about a healthy and confident lifestyle as
it is about learning physical skills. BJJ is a fun and highly active
sport, engaging all muscle groups simultaneously and improving strength
through flexibility. The beauty of BJJ is that it is a grappling, not a
striking, martial art. This means that it is more about defusing
potentially threatening situations than it is about causing physical
harm. It also means students can train to their physical potential
during classes and learn the skills as they are intended to be applied
without threat of injury, thus enhancing their ability to execute moves
should they be needed at any stage in their lives as they have been able
to effectively practice them time and time again in class.
While
BJJ trains an individual in self-defence, it also has many
anti-bullying benefits. It is believed that several reasons why a person
may become a bully include:
·low self-esteem,
·inconsistent discipline at home
·a need for power
·a lack of empathy
·volatile temper
BJJ
goes a long way to combat these conditions of a bully. Through
attending classes regularly, students experience healthy successes, such
as mastering a new and difficult skill, reaching fitness or strength
goals, or achieving a belt ranking. The child receives praise and
attention for something they have worked hard for and they can take
confidence and pride from this, rather than seeking it out by causing
pain for others to make themselves feel powerful and strong.
Martial
arts are centered around discipline. There are clear rules about what
constitutes acceptable and safe behaviour and I have a zero tolerance
for any of my students who come into my classes trying to assert
themselves over others. This rule also applies to students who use the
skills learnt to instigate conflict with others outside of the club.
This sense of respect filters down into all aspects such as students
being expected to arrive on time, wear a clean and presentable gi and
bow and shake hands with their fellow students and instructor.In this
way children learn about respect for their sport, their teacher and
their peers as well as themselves.
BJJ is also a powerful tool in
developing mental fortitude and resilience. Students are placed in
positions where there may be someone on top of them trying to apply
force. Knowing how to deal with these situations and training in them in
a safe environment provides children with the ability to remain calm
and level-headed rather than panic and end up in greater danger. Such a
skill is vital for situations where a child may feel threatened by
another student: that they have the confidence to handle themselves in
the face of physical threat. It also helps train those who have trouble
controlling their temper to think calmly and rationally.
The
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club for Youth will enable children from ages 4-17
years to improve their physical fitness, confidence, resilience,
leadership and respect through of daily BJJ classes from Monday to
Saturday, all year-round.
Currently, the funds are going towards:
- leasing space for the first year, heating, lighting, electricity, water
- administration staff for the first year
- mats for the gym
- uniforms and rash guards for all the children
-
lounge equipment and furniture for the kids to hang out and socialize
(before and after classes), and to be used for coming and doing homework
in after school before classes, giving the children a place to go if
there is nobody at home between those times
- exercise equipment (weights, skipping ropes (cardio), etc.)
