Most violence is perpetrated at school environment against children and young people.
According to the National Centre Against Bullying:
- 27% of students are bullied every few weeks or more often
- 1 in 7 children are cyber bullied often
- 13.5% of student report lies spread about them at school
Bullying can take many forms but all can have a devastating effect on kids. It includes:
- Intimidating someone,
- Criticizing persistently
- Belittling and humiliation
- Excluding or isolating someone socially
- Spreading degrading rumours
- Intruding on a person’s privacy
- Being physically aggressive
- Pressure to behave in an inappropriate manner
Bullies have a massive impact on kids, on their school education, social and personal development and leave a long term effect. We believe that no other industry is in a better position to do something about bullying than the martial arts industry and Judo NSW wants to be an best practice actor to help kids against bullies – without violence.
Martial arts and especially Judo are a safeguard against bullies due to the nonviolent nature of techniques demonstrated by the gentlest Olympic sport.
Judo is the most widely practiced martial art in the world and is based on strong human values, respect and discipline.
We view our sport as a way to fight bullying and stay safe when physically assaulted – without striking techniques. This soft method is characterised by the indirect application of force, using opponent’s strength against him.
Bullies can’t exist without victims, and they don’t pick on just anyone, victims that are singled out generally lack assertiveness and radiate fear long before they ever encounter a bully.
Judo appears as the best way to help the kids to deal with bullies, by developing responsibility, strength, respect, citizenship and manners. Improving the self-confidence and self-esteem of the kids instead of learning of to fight. Doing a Anti-bullying judo program is not a way to become a bully but a process to teach and give to the kids the confidence to react quickly, smartly and protect themselves.
Most martial arts rely on striking opponents with violent techniques, whereas Judo has a defensive attitude without strikes or kicks. The goal of a great anti bullying program is to teach how to defuse confrontations and never to initiate aggression. We teach a sport with strong elements of self-defense but also prepare kids against verbal harassment by teaching self-confidence, direct eye contact, discipline and a confident posture that will deter bullies.
Bullying is a significant problem within our society – we cannot ignore it and have to fight all together.
Small Grants Program – August 2017.
JudoNSW has a new small grants program to support clubs who implement new anti bullying programs for children.
Clubs can apply by demonstrating to JudoNSW:
- A coherent children’s syllabus that has a specific focus on anti bullying strategies, including non physical response strategies.
- That the club has the coaching capability and resources to implement the syllabus, as well as a specific start date.
- A dedicated web page on the club website (not facebook) that promotes this program and shows the syllabus to parents
- A promotional flyer that promotes anti bullying to prospective parents
- A video explaining to parents the elements of their anti-bullying program
- An ability to market the program to schools and other community institutions local to the club
Clubs must allow JudoNSW:
- To use their syllabus in promoting Judo and Anti Bullying programs to children
- To promote their club and their program on our website
- To reuse any marketing materials or syllabus generated to promote Judo for kids in other JFA clubs
Apply before December 31st to [email protected] with full details of your program.