Future Champions is a 5 or 10 weeks FREE introductory to grappling martial arts program combining fun and physical activities for children along with learning the fundamentals of Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques and values improving their confidence, discipline and sense of belonging.

Funds will be used to deliver the program in 2 schools or 4 groups within the same school reaching up to 120 disadvantaged students facing poverty and students with disabilities

Businesses will benefit from our DGR status and will have their donations 100% tax deductible.

Objective

Interacting with kids and young people in our community from various backgrounds including disadvantaged students facing poverty and students as well as participants with disabilities. 

·       Providing significant gains in overall fitness levels;

·       Encouraging a healthy lifestyle and positive habits from an young age

·       Teaching important values for the sport and for life including respect, discipline, focus, friendship, honesty, determination, and perseverance;

·       Setting goals and seeing results;

. Promote wellbeing and physical activities to the youth in our communities

. Combat sports are known for engaging specially students with learning disabilities and behaviour issues

What will students learn?

Life skills 

•  Self confidence
• Perseverance
• Self Awareness
•   Decision Making and Critical Thinking 
• Communication
•  Relationship building – Sense of belong
•   Leadership skills

Physical Skills 

• Fundamental movement skills
• Non locomotor skills
• Locomotor skills
• Functional movement
• Resistance Training

Expected Results

The benefits of our program, teaching and interactions go way beyond anything you can see. It has long been known to provide a form of escapism and therapy for practitioners, when other aspects of their life may be challenging or troublesome.  Martial arts training provides a sanctuary and a focus, and a safe space to exchange knowledge and problem solving.

It provides an alternative sport specially to kids with learning disabilities and behaviour issues. Other benefits include:

·       Improved fitness –  Martial arts are a full body workout for all people and all levels of fitness, it is extremely scalable and progress is highly achievable.

·       Learning -  Martial arts are  invigorating and mentally stimulating and teaches you the perseverance and patience needed to learn new things.

·       Friendship and Belonging  - when you learn Martial arts  you instantly make friends, it’s a highly sociable sport.

·       Self-esteem - learning anything new can seem impossible at times, especially when other people around you may have more experience. Learning Martial arts  helps you overcome these feelings and teaches you determination and how to overcome challenges.

·       Problem solving - training Martial arts can feel like a bit like playing human chess, and it is very addictive. Dealing with failure and being humble in success are part of every-day life in a class and will equip you well for life outside of the mats.

·       Respect - respecting your teammates and being disciplined in your learning and training are integral to your daily training. If you do not respect your training partners you may not have any tomorrow! Being respectful transcends into everyday life outside the mats.

Why does your target community require assistance?

The social make-up of the target communities and is often cited by schools and youth organisations as a contributing factor to anti-social behaviour and poor resilience of young people. 

This manifests in a variety of culturally specific youth gangs and young people who are socially isolated and marginalised, and therefore destructive - rather than constructive, contributing and thriving members of society.

Kids and Youth living in these communities and from migrant families do not have equitable access to mainstream sporting, physical and social activities which can help to develop skills around self-esteem, leadership and teamwork - and drive social connections. These gaps in participation translate to gaps in opportunity, which if not addressed, result in continued issues of disaffection in society (leaving school, unemployment, violent and aggressive behaviour etc.)

This program has been designed to identify and address the following key challenges not currently being met by existing programs and offerings in the area:

• The need to provide tailored opportunities for students from language backgrounds other than English

• Providing inspiring and rewarding activities for these students who are disengaged with school and community

• Engaging students from low socio-economic, CALD ( culturally and linguistically diverse)and socially isolated backgrounds who often experience a disconnection from family and community

• The need to better engage parents who often have experienced these same hardships themselves

• Addressing the tensions and anti-social behaviours that can develop due to these challenges and teaching young people to celebrate diversity and differences

What outcomes do you expect to achieve from your project and how do these relate to the program objectives and outcomes.

1. Promoting inclusion, cohesion and understanding by teaching coping mechanisms, leadership and life skills

2. Improve opportunities for inclusion and participation in society and Australian pastimes for refugees and recent humanitarian immigrants -

giving them the confidence to explore further opportunities which are available to them

3. Improving resilience, pro-social behaviour, peer problems, social self-efficacy

4. Improve life skills across confidence, personal identity, mental health and wellbeing and relationships for better community engagement

5. Support participating girls and boys to better engage in their personal development and community, and provide opportunities to integrate and feel part of Australian society rather than socially isolated and marginalised by their family circumstances

6. Create friendships and social connections

7. Increase participant's engagement in school and therefore their opportunities for employment and further education

8. Create opportunities for young people to be empowered as leaders and inspirational role models

9. Reduce peer problems and improve cross-cultural relationships

In achieving these objectives, this program will directly deliver against the intended outcomes of this program - by encouraging social participation, teaching life skills, reducing barriers, reducing the feelings of marginalisation and socialisation, and promoting social cohesion - we can provide a new pathway for kids and youth to become contributing members of society who are empowered to positively participate in their

communities and aspire to positive futures for themselves.