Training for "At Risk Youth"

[marshallbd]

Has anyone ever been involved with teaching the martial arts (Any Style) to at risk youth. If so I am interested in hearing experiences both positive and negative and any pointers that could be given. (This is a long term goal I have) It might take me many years to reach the level where I would be qualified to teach but it is a goal. :asian:

 

[OULobo]

One of my instructors was a counciler who used the arts to reach "at risk" youth. I helped a few times and noticed mixed results. It showed them that just because some people look like stiffs, doesn't mean that they can't hand you your a** in a fight. It also showed them brotherhood, in that they can interact with people that they usually can't get along with. Another good side was that it gave them confidence to do things that they wouldn't have tried before. One bad side was that it gave them confidence to do things that they wouldn't have tried before. Another negative was that dicipline they learned only applied in training, and when they left, the only time they showed respect was if you were a "brother" in training. It didn't leave any impression that the discipline of training was a tool to use in the rest of life or that authority is something you have to interact with positivly in and out of class.

 

[lifewise]

Has anyone ever been involved with teaching the martial arts (Any Style) to at risk youth. If so I am interested in hearing experiences both positive and negative and any pointers that could be given. (This is a long term goal I have) It might take me many years to reach the level where I would be qualified to teach but it is a goal. :asian:

Can you please give us some outline of "at risk youth"?

:asian:

 

[marshallbd]

Can you please give us some outline of "at risk youth"?

:asian:

Lower income children, children with single parent/broken homes, kids at risk for gang involvement, children of alcoholics/drug users, kids with one or both parents dead/ gone(abandonment)/in jail. Orphans with no adult role models except those in a position of institutional authority......In general kids who have had a tough life who might not ever recieve this type of training/mentorship with out someone who is willing to donate it. :asian:

 

[marshallbd]

I have seen what this can do for kids. Mr Mike Pick of the UKF generously donated some time of his to do a 6 session self defense class (one day a week for 6 weeks) covering basic rules of self defense for the Teller County Police Athletic league. And I saw the difference those few classes made in the self esteem of some of those kids and in the change of behavior as far as respect goes in two of them. If that short of a time has that dramatic of a change in such a short time, then imagine what it could do for kids in a full blown MA program. My thanks go out to Mr Pick for what he did with these kids (This was a few years ago before the PAL Folded due to lack of Funding). :asian:

 

[Black Bear]

lifewise, at-risk youth are youth who possess characteristics which are statistical predictors of negative future life outcomes such as drug involvement, criminality, school dropout, etc.

These would include socio-economic status, school difficulty, absence of father, lack of community resources and assets, early occurence of significant life events (such as first use of alcohol, first time running from home, first sexual experience). Even some things like ethnicity and place of residence are considered factors in some models. Sometimes psychological data are used, but more often it's soci/educ stuff. These children are targeted by intervention programs in order to reduce their risk and increase their resiliency.

I taught an abduction prevention thing, just a one-time thing, at a youth project in town. Very young children. I was asked to do some stuff with MA on several occasions, but generally I declined.

One of the concerns that comes up a lot is concern about the youth misusing the skills you teach 'em. Even dire warnings that if you get into a fight, blah blah blah don't undo damage once it's done.

Research on the psychological benefits of MA training (e.g. supposed benefits to self-esteem, moral maturity, etc.) is equivocal. If you're a good teacher, they'll get some good exercise, have something healthy to do after school, and it'll be a venue for role-modelling.

 

[marshallbd]

One of the concerns that comes up a lot is concern about the youth misusing the skills you teach 'em. Even dire warnings that if you get into a fight, blah blah blah don't undo damage once it's done. :asian:

We did experience one younger very troubled youth who went out and found unwilling "partners" to practice the technique he learned. It wasn't a great situation but was resolved with a little counseling by a professional counselor in the Foster care system.

 

[Jason Davis]

Has anyone ever been involved with teaching the martial arts (Any Style) to at risk youth. If so I am interested in hearing experiences both positive and negative and any pointers that could be given. (This is a long term goal I have) It might take me many years to reach the level where I would be qualified to teach but it is a goal. :asian:

Well, I was an at risk youth before I started training. All of my friends that I had before I met my first teacher are now either in prison or in alot of trouble. Sometimes all someone needs is something to occupy their time so that they can step outside of what they normally do and look at their lives objectively.

With me personally Martail Arts was the turning point in my life. I am very fortunate to have met my teachers and I try to help everyone who was in the same situation that I was to see their is more to life than being a burden to society. Sometimes all people want is somebody to care about them and spend time to trying to help them better themselves.

I think that is an awesome goal! good for you!

 

[lifewise]

lifewise, at-risk youth are youth who possess characteristics which are statistical predictors of negative future life outcomes such as drug involvement, criminality, school dropout, etc.

These would include socio-economic status, school difficulty, absence of father, lack of community resources and assets, early occurence of significant life events (such as first use of alcohol, first time running from home, first sexual experience). Even some things like ethnicity and place of residence are considered factors in some models. Sometimes psychological data are used, but more often it's soci/educ stuff. These children are targeted by intervention programs in order to reduce their risk and increase their resiliency.

Hmmm. According to this definition, I see many "at risk youth" involved in martial arts.

According to this, I was one a long... very long time ago.
No one labeled us as such though.
%think%

 

[Black Bear]

Hmmm. According to this definition, I see many "at risk youth" involved in martial arts.

According to this, I was one a long... very long time ago.
No one labeled us as such though.
%think%

Do you consider the label objectionable or offensive?

 

[lifewise]

Do you consider the label objectionable or offensive?

No, I don't find it offensive. I can understand it.

Objectionable, maybe. I am not a person who likes to label people for fear they will limit themselves according to that label.

:asian:

 

[Black Bear]

Labels have useful purposes. They should be used appropriately. Abusus non tollit usum.

 

[Makalakumu]

I teach science at a school for at risk youth. I also teach traditional Tangsoodo as an extra-curricular activity (these classes are in addition to my regular dojang classes). In a nutshell, my experience is that the students come in and want to immediately learn how to kick the butt of anyone who pops off at them. I am kind of a budophile though, so they end up leaving because I prefer to teach the "do" BEFORE "jutsu". I guess this is my way of weeding out the people who would use the knowledge for ill purposes. Two or three classes is the most that "at-risk" youth make it through. Which is good. It gives them a more realistic image of MA (or at least my perspective of MA)

Some of my students stay. Those are the intersting few. They throw themselves into their studies for as long as their lives allow them to devote the time. Then they leave. Sometimes they come back, sometimes not, but the "do" stays with them even if the "jutsu" does not. And that is okay with me.

upnorthkyosa

 

[marshallbd]

Well, I was an at risk youth before I started training. All of my friends that I had before I met my first teacher are now either in prison or in alot of trouble. Sometimes all someone needs is something to occupy their time so that they can step outside of what they normally do and look at their lives objectively.

With me personally Martail Arts was the turning point in my life. I am very fortunate to have met my teachers and I try to help everyone who was in the same situation that I was to see their is more to life than being a burden to society. Sometimes all people want is somebody to care about them and spend time to trying to help them better themselves.

I think that is an awesome goal! good for you!

I am glad to see that the Martial Arts has had such a positive impact in your life. Kudos to you for making life a positive thing! :asian:

 

[marshallbd]

Hmmm. According to this definition, I see many "at risk youth" involved in martial arts.

According to this, I was one a long... very long time ago.
No one labeled us as such though.
%think%

That's true according to that definition, we all probably were in that category. When I speak of "At risk youth" I am speaking of kids who have multiple (More than one) of those situations going on. Such as a kid who is in Foster Care because Dad is in prison and Mom is in Rehab (there were 3 of those in the PAL program) or a kid who is in Foster care because his older brother was sexually abusing him and the parents blamed the kid not the older brother. Kids with serious problems with self esteem due to these types of situations. (I am not a psychologist but I think this type of training by a caring instructor could do a world of good!) :asian: