Out of respect for the participants and the companies that paid me, I have not mentioned any identifying names or locations.
I have trained as an accredited self-defence instructor through Women’s Self-Defence Network, but the funding they receive is very specific. (If you want to know if you qualify for a free fully-funded course, please do not hesitate to contact me) As a result, I am approached from time to time to do private courses. Depending on the group asking, I am usually more than happy to tailor a course for the time available and for the ages of the participants.
The ethos I have been trained in, and one I thoroughly believe in is that self-defence is not just physical techniques. It is the way that you think, and the confidence that you exude making your way through the world. As a result, a lot of the course is kōrero (talking) and the sharing of stories.
Some I have done in the past include:
- A group of girls, aged between 6 and 14 –This group is one that works together a lot in various activities already. When tailoring my course, I took into account the ages of the girls and the possible physical limitations as a result. When working with children under the age of 16, I add more games to boost self-confidence.
- A group of adult women, working together in a small business – This group asked me to work with them as their staff were being harassed walking home from their office/factory in the evenings by a local man. They wanted to increase confidence generally and to also have a shared sense of mission.
- A large group of girls and women, aged between 8 and 25 – This group had been put together for a weekend of empowerment workshops. I created a one-hour taster which included some physical techniques and incorporated stories to prove their efficacy.
- A co-ed group of adults – This was a one-hour taster course to trial a mixed gender group.
Vivian Chandra 