2019 - UNESCO - Youth Development Through Martial Arts, Selected Good Practices (En Lien Avec OWL 353138)
2019 - UNESCO - Youth Development Through Martial Arts, Selected Good Practices (En Lien Avec OWL 353138)
2019 - UNESCO - Youth Development Through Martial Arts, Selected Good Practices (En Lien Avec OWL 353138)
This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO) license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/). By using the content of this publication, the users accept
to be bound by the terms of use of the UNESCO Open Access Repository (http://www.unesco.org/open-access/
terms-use-ccbysa-en).
The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the
expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO and UNESCO-ICM concerning the legal status of
any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors; they are not necessarily those of
UNESCO and UNESCO-ICM and do not commit the Organization.
This report was written by Caroline Baxter Tresise, Dr Colin Higgs and Dr Sue Vize utilizing research conducted by
Dr Colin Higgs, Caroline Baxter Tresise and Richie Steward. The draft was reviewed by Dr Fred Coalter, Dr Joo Hee
Park, Dr Jung Heon Kim, Philipp Mueller-Wirth, Dr Benno Böer, Christian Dohrmann, David Young, Nick Crang and
Tim Bender and edited by Dr Sue Vize.
UNESCO would like to thank Michal Buchel, Chief Executive Office, International Sambo Federation and
Mr Stephan Fox, Vice President of the Global Association of International Sports Federations and General Secretary
of the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur for supporting and contributing to the report.
This project was made possible through the support of the International Centre of Martial Arts for Youth
Development and Engagement, a Category II Center under the auspices of UNESCO supported by the
Government of Korea.
TH/C3-4164/SHS/19/006-1000
ii
UNESCO remarks
We place a lot of expectations on young people. Youth face a multitude of challenges and still
we expect them to be positive development actors to support their communities to achieve
peace and development. To reinforce such efforts needs sustained support to build skills,
confidence and commitment to realizing these expectations.
UNESCO has a history of supporting youth in a proactive way that puts youth at the centre
of programme development and design. Working in martial arts should be no different – the
young people need opportunities to express their needs and utilize their energy and talents.
Our role is essentially to help to make such youth-led action a reality.
Many martial arts federations and community organizations have recognized the great
potential of martial arts to be used as a positive force to improve the lives of young women
and men. The selected examples in this volume illustrate the diversity in these programmes,
which have been designed for many different reasons from improving access to employment
to physical safety.
Key aspects for all effective programmes, are clear objectives, good design and understanding
whether you are achieving your aims. The evaluation provides a systematic way to measure
these elements and the draft principles are intended as a first step in providing straightforward
guidance on how you can do this, or improve the way you are currently doing things.
We acknowledge the excellent work of Dr Higgs and express our sincere gratitude to the
International Centre of Martial Arts for Youth Development and Engagement for supporting
this project.
Shigeru Aoyagi
Director
UNESCO Bangkok
iii
Special note from the secretary-general
of the ICM
The ‘International Centre of Martial Arts for Youth Development and Engagement under
the auspices of UNESCO (ICM)’ is committed to promoting martial arts as an educational
tool for the development and social engagement of youth and women.
As examples of sports practices and intangible cultural heritage, the importance of martial arts
for young people cannot be overstated. Martial arts can foster intercultural dialogue, ethical
sport practices and also act as an empowering tool for youth development.
The ICM was officially established in December 2016, with the clear objective of utilizing
martial arts as an educational method to teach young people the values and life skills that are
needed to build a peaceful and non-violent culture, including respect for oneself and others,
self-discipline, fair play, resiliency and respect for cultural diversity.
Along with the overarching objective of the ICM, we have prepared this “Good Practices Guide”
in cooperation with the UNESCO Bangkok office, in order to share the underpinning theories
for martial arts education. This guide will play a role as a practical indicator for martial arts
instructors and policy-makers in consolidating youth martial arts education.
Once again, thank you in advance for all of your support of the ICM. We will also keep
implementing our duty as a crucial institution for martial arts development, especially for
youth and women.
Kim Si Hyun
Secretary-General
ICM
iv
Table of contents
UNESCO remarks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Special note from the secretary-general of the ICM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
v
Escuela Kawsay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Teen Moms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
East LA Muaythai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
3.2 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
List of figures
Figure 1: A Simple Black Box relationship between participation in martial arts and
psycho-social outcomes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Figure 2: Factors contributing to positive or negative psycho-social outcomes from martial arts
participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Figure 3: Graduated “return to play” following concussion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Figure 4: Stages of human development across multiple domains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Figure 5: Example of impact of stage of development on sport for development activities. . . . . . . . . 15
Figure 6: The simplified relationship between seven components of resilience, enhanced
participant resilience and desired social, health and educational outcomes.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Figure 7: The experiential learning model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Figure 8: The Right to Play model of pedagogy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
List of tables
Table 1: Breakdown of the human lifespan into developmental stages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Table 2: Differences in programme focus based on two developmental ages across multiple
domains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Table 3: Resilience resources at individual, family, and social/environment levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Table 4: Ways to build resilience in youth-oriented martial arts programmes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
vi
Preface
This report, Youth Development through Martial Arts: system, the Youth Strategy focuses on strengthening
Selected Good Practices, was developed through the engagement with young people improving their
collaboration of the UNESCO International Centre of lives through quality education and health, including
Martial Arts for Youth Development and Engagement, sexuality education, economic empowerment, human
Republic of Korea and UNESCO Bangkok Regional Unit rights, and civic and political engagement. Martial arts
for Social & Human Sciences. Its intention is to provide can be adapted to have an impact on all five areas
a selection of good practices from martial arts on youth of the Youth-SWAP. Its most valuable, cost-effective
development and youth empowerment, evaluated impact can be made in informal settings, such as gyms,
through a rigorous academic method to determine community centres or public parks. This is due to its
their effectiveness and impact. The companion volume universal appeal and special ability to engage at-risk
Youth Development through Martial Arts: an Evaluation youth where other sports may be less appealing.
Framework for Youth Activities provides additional detail
Academic enquiry into martial arts is broadening,
on the evaluation method and how it was developed.
with a number of journals and publications emerging
The good practices presented in this report have been in recent years (e.g., Journal of Asian Martial Arts,
selected through a systematic approach reviewing Archives of Budo, Journal of Chinese Martial Studies, IDO
the practices of several existing martial arts-based Movement for Culture, Electronic Journals of Martial Arts
youth programmes that contribute to positive youth and Sciences, Classical Fighting Arts). A 2010 study on the
development and youth empowerment in diverse socio-psychological outcomes of martial arts practice
parts of the world. While the field evidence and good among youth reveal its popularity globally, with some
practices collected in this report are largely anecdotal, form of martial art (i.e. boxing, judo, karate, taekwondo)
the nature of the programmes, the enthusiasm of the being one of the ten most practised sports in five
youth involved and the personal stories of positive life countries surveyed (the Netherlands, Australia, France,
transformations are particularly compelling. Finland and Canada). Unsurprisingly given its origins,
engagement in martial arts in Asia remains high, with
Mandated to protect and promote sport, UNESCO’s
several Governments claiming a particular form as
interest in youth development through sport is part
their national sport (Taekwondo in Korea, Muaythai in
of a broader agenda to quantify the impact of sport
Thailand, Sumo in Japan, Wrestling in Iran, for example).
on sustainable development in different contexts. The
Kazan Action Plan1 and the corresponding MINEPS In 2013, the Republic of Korea established the
Follow-up Framework, adopted by the sixth International first International Centre of Martial Arts for Youth
Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible Development and Engagement under the auspices
for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS VI), provide an of UNESCO. The Centre seeks to promote and protect
overarching, common reference for structuring sport martial arts for their cultural and historical value, as well
policy that is integrated with the United Nations 2030 as support humanitarian interventions using martial
Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Of arts for youth development and youth empowerment.
the three policy areas reflected in the Kazan Action Plan,
This publication forms part of the International Centre
theme II is dedicated to “maximizing the contribution
of Martial Arts for Youth Development and Engagement
of sport to sustainable development and peace”. It also
and UNESCO’s work on the implementation of the
specifically recognizes the importance of empowering
Kazan Action Plan.
youth to drive change.
1
UNESCO (2016)
2
United Nations (2018)
vii
PART ONE
MARTIAL ARTS
FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
© ICM
1
Part one: Martial arts for youth development Youth development
2
Selected good practices Part one: Martial arts for youth development
“
young people in programmes to support the transition
to adulthood and addressing key challenges including
Investment in this age cohort is an effective
illiteracy, unemployment and marginalization remains
development strategy because it generates changes
a global priority.
”
that will last throughout their lifetime, with higher
There is no globally accepted definition of youth: even absolute returns than investment in older adults.6
within the UN a range of definitions are applied, though
30 years is generally the upper limit. At the national The linkages between youth development and sport
level, this is even broader where upper limits may be are clear. Some of the critical challenges we face
as high as 45 years. For the purposes of this report, a are the epidemic of non-communicable diseases,
flexible approach will be applied, the important factor effective ways to deal with mental illness and promote
being that programmes with specific development psycho-social well-being, and addressing violence,
goals aimed at young people (including children) will discrimination and abuses of human rights. Sport can
be the focus. be used to teach healthy living, promote well-being
Youth start from a point of lower status, fewer income- and foster intercultural dialogue and peace building.
generation opportunities and limits to their voice and It fosters cognitive development, which has a range of
behaviour, often excluding them from decision-making. wider benefits in all aspects of learning, socialization
In a world with increasing inequality, youth are often and well-being.
further marginalized by ethnicity, gender, social class Non-communicable diseases are the leading global
or disability. They are over-represented in a number
cause of death, causing more deaths than all other
of vulnerable or marginalized groups, including the
causes combined. People in low- and middle-
unemployed, people living in poverty and those without
income countries are disproportionately affected,
access to resources. Young women and men clearly
and in these countries they kill at a younger age and
have vulnerabilities that we should and must address
disproportionately in lower socio-economic groups.7
to ensure their transition to adulthood. Targeting youth
Sedentary lifestyles, smoking and unhealthy diets
as beneficiaries of development programmes has
clear benefits for national productivity, lower health are the leading causes of disease, and the harmful
costs, peace building and many other aspect of socio- affects of these could be significantly reduced through
economic development. sport and physical activity programmes. Importantly,
“
it is behaviours developed during childhood and
adolescence that influence our lifestyles later in life,
Young people are diverse, with distinct needs
including physical activity and diet. Although youth
and interests shaped by their gender, context, ability,
are less at-risk, it is important to address the risk factors
wealth, and age. For all of them, however, youth
during these formative years as investing in young
is a time of transition: from school to work, from
people is an effective development strategy, because
dependence to autonomy, and into sexual maturity.
it generates changes that will last throughout their
Investment in youth generates the greatest returns
lifetime.8
”
when started in early childhood and continued
through these transitions.4
5
UNESCO Operational Strategy on Youth
6
ODI as above
7
World Health Organization (2010)
3
ODI (2013) 8
ODI (2013)
4
ibid
3
Part one: Martial arts for youth development Youth development
Global Health Observatory data 2015 reveals suicide in sport specifically promote social cohesion
as the second largest cause of death globally for youth and intercultural understanding, and therein
between 15 to 29 years of age, with interpersonal or peace, to combat issues of violence and abuse.13
“
domestic violence being the third.9 Investment in youth
therefore needs to deal with mental health issues and The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the
address violence and abuse. service of the harmonious development of man, with
a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned
Approximately 20% of youth globally experience a
”
with the preservation of human dignity.
mental health issue each year, which creates significant
– Fundamental Principles of Olympism, Olympic Charter14
socio-economic challenges, as well as associated
healthcare costs. In the regions of the world with the
The inclusion of sport in youth development
highest youth populations, mental health resources are
programmes can elevate their scale to a much greater
often scarce. The World Health Organization cites that
level as the outreach of sport is enormous, as is the
most low to middle income countries have only one
appeal, which spans cultures, languages, academic
available child psychiatrist between 1 and 4 million
abilities and age. The Overseas Development Institute
people. In areas affected by conflict or disaster (which
(ODI), an international think tank, proposes investment
disproportionately affect the poorest countries), mental
for youth development with six target areas: post-
health disorders tend to double.10 Efforts to provide
primary education; work and livelihoods; sexual and
adequate services to support youth suffering from
reproductive health and healthy lives; environmental
mental health problems are hindered by negative
sustainability; conflict and crime; and civic engagement.
cultural attitudes towards mental illness in both high
Investment in each area both supports and is
and low income countries. The World Economic Forum
dependent on progress in the others. Sport can be
estimates the global cost of mental health issues in
adapted to support youth programmes in all of these
terms of lost economic output to be $16 trillion over the
areas, when the programmes are specifically designed
next two decades, of which youth are the group most
for this purpose, further expanding its potential as a
affected.11
development tool.
Violence and abuse can take many forms: physical,
emotional, sexual and economic, and includes forms of
intimidation, bullying and isolation. Youth are especially
vulnerable to non-physical violence or abuse due to
their lack of autonomy and voice. They are expected to
do as they are told, and not to speak up. The increasing
interconnectivity of the world, especially the rise of
social media, has created new forms of intimidation
and bullying through cyber-spaces. UNESCO has found
that children who are considered vulnerable for varying
reasons are also often at a greater risk of suffering from
violence and bullying.12 This is especially the case for
girls, young women and young people who identify as
other genders. Strong social and cultural norms often
reinforce the gender bias in bullying.
9
World Health Organization (2015)
10
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2012)
11 13
World Health Organization (2013) ODI as above
12 14
UNESCO (2017) IOC (n.d.)
4
Selected good practices Part one: Martial arts for youth development
15
Higgs (2018)
5
Part one: Martial arts for youth development Youth development
Whether these outcomes can be attributed to the Structural Quality of the Martial Art: This is the type
specific activity is another point of contention among of martial art used in the intervention. There are many
the academic community attempting to measure different types of martial arts, although they can
the impact of youth development programmes on generally be viewed as “Hard” or “Soft.”
individuals and communities.
Hard Martial Arts – those in which the most important
Figure 1 below illustrates a simple Black Box relationship characteristics are hitting, striking and kicking.
between participation in martial arts and psycho-
Soft Martial Arts – those in which the most important
social outcomes.
characteristics are absorbing and deflecting.
What is inside the black box depends on the structural
Characteristics of the Participants: A variety of partici-
qualities of the specific martial art examined, the
pant characteristics influence the impact of martial arts
social context of participation, characteristics of the
programmes on social and psychological outcomes.
participants and the instructional pedagogy used.
Figure 1: A Simple Black Box relationship between participation in martial arts and psycho-social outcomes
Age: The developmental age of participants Instructional Pedagogy: The literature describes three
determines their capacity to learn physical and distinct types of martial arts pedagogies.17
psychological skills, their emotional response/
Traditional: Traditional pedagogy places emphasis
control, and moral reasoning.
on respect for the rules of the gym (dojo), respect
Sex: Little information is available on sex differences for the masters of the craft (sensei, kru), respect for
in response to martial arts training. However, it should opponents, and respect for the traditions and forms
be noted that females appear more susceptible to of the specific martial art.
concussion in recreational, hard, martial arts.16
Educational Sporting: An educational sporting
Socio-economic status: The available evidence approach to pedagogy places martial arts within
suggests that children and youth with lower socio- the standard youth-sport paradigm, with emphasis
economic status are more attracted to “harder” on developing martial arts skill and performance in
martial arts, with a stronger focus on efficiency, competition through standard coaching approaches.
where efficiency is a focus on “winning” in a formal
Efficiency: Efficiency pedagogy focuses on results
competition setting. Children and youth with higher
– most usually the results in sparring. In contrast to
socio-economic status appear more attracted
traditional and educational sporting approaches,
to the softer martial arts where there is a higher
there is greater flexibility in permitting individual
focus on mastery of movement and skills, and on
variations in technique if a variation improves
progress achieved.
performance outcomes.
16 17
Koh, Cassidy, and Watkinson. (2003) Vertonghen, Theeboom & Cloes (2012)
6
Selected good practices Part one: Martial arts for youth development
Implications for youth-development vary according Social Context of participation: From the literature,
to the differences in teaching styles and can best be this component of the “black box” is least easily
illustrated through their approaches to inappropriate described in sport for development appropriate terms.
behaviour. While there will be individual differences In simplified form, this can be considered the “internal”
in approach between individual instructors, in general or “external” focus of the participant with respect to his
instructors using the different approaches respond or her belief in the nature of the body-mind link, which
as follows: can be either:
Traditional: Participant is removed from the situation, External/Instrumental: Where the “mind” sees the
instructed to return to the mat and kneel in the same body as that part of them that impacts and interacts
manner as for opening ceremonies, to close his or with the world around them. Put simple, the body
her eyes, and to think about the way they behaved is the object with which a person “does” something.
until they are ready to return to the class.
Internal: Where what happens to the body, or
Efficiency: Participant is moved to sparring with what the body does in martial arts participation
an older or more advanced student who imposes influences the mind and changes the way the person
discipline on them. The potential in this approach is thinks and acts.
to reinforce with the misbehaving student that the
The four elements of the “black box” theory (see
use of force is an acceptable method of changing
Figure 2) are not universally agreed and are not fully
behaviour.
understood. In addition, they interact in complex ways.
Educational Sporting: Usually a combination of The figure below simplifies these complex interactions
traditional and efficiency methods. to illustrate the conditions most and least likely to
lead to positive or negative social and psychological
outcomes for youth.
Simplified probability chain of Black Box contributions to increased probability of positive or negative outcomes
from martial arts participation
Characteristics of Structural qualities Instructional Social context of Probability of
the participants of martial art pedagogy participation outcome
Traditional
Efficiency
Greater likelihood of
Low SES 1 participants Hard martial arts Education/Sport External
More likely More likely More likely More likely negative outcome
Internal
External
More likely More likely More likely More likely Greater likelihood of
High SES 2 participants Soft martial arts Traditional Internal
positive outcome
Efficiency
Education/Sport
Note 1: Outcome of martial arts participation far more likely to be positive than negative.
Note 2: There are no available data on which to calculate the cumulative probability of positive or negative based on the individual contributions of
SES, pedagogy, style of martial art [or] social context.
[SES = socioeconomic status]
Figure 2: Factors contributing to positive or negative psycho-social outcomes from martial arts participation
7
Part one: Martial arts for youth development Youth development
Protection and safeguarding Of greater concern is the risk of head injuries, especially
as future impacts of damage to the brain may be
Most literature in this area was developed for unpredictable in children. Data on exact numbers of
programmes involving children, but the principles concussions in martial arts are difficult to locate, and with
also apply to programmes working with youth, as their different reports using different criteria and time scales,
care and well-being must still remain a key concern. the exact extent of the problem remains unknown.
While child protection is about keeping children Minimizing the risk of head injury caused during
and adolescents safe from neglect and physical, participation in any sport should be an important
psychological and sexual abuse, child safeguarding consideration and embedded into the programme
extends this concept. The UK Government defines the design, particularly as concussions are difficult to detect
term ‘safeguarding children’ as: and if left untreated, they can result in permanent brain
“
damage and may even be fatal. Medical authorities
The process of protecting children from abuse have become increasingly concerned about the long-
or neglect, preventing impairment of their health term impact of concussed athletes, particularly young
and development, and ensuring they are growing athletes, returning to exercise and competition before
up in circumstances consistent with the provision the injury is fully resolved.
of safe and effective care that enables children to
For this reason, all organizations instructing martial arts
”
have optimum life chances and enter adulthood
successfully.”18 should comply with internationally developed protocols.
The “Return to Play” protocol was developed based on
The extension of protection and safeguarding to all the international “Consensus statement on concussion
youth is important and is not limited to one setting, it in sport, Berlin, 2016”, a revision and update20 of the
should be a continuous process embedded into the recommendations from the International Conference
core of the programme and mainstreamed into every on Concussion in Sport.21 The protocol provides an
activity. To ensure the safety of participants in the important framework to protect participants in sport
sport, all instructors, staff and programme managers from excess damage following a concussion. Figure 3
should be regularly trained to follow protection and (see page 9) illustrates this protocol.
safeguarding principles. Screening of all staff engaged It should be noted that many other high-impact contact
with children and youth, including background checks sports such as rugby, hockey, soccer and football, as
and references, should be a requirement. well as high-velocity sports such as skiing, bicycling
and motor sports carry similar risks of concussion.22
Furthermore, the likelihood of a concussion occurring
Risk of injury in martial arts during martial arts competition varies significantly
between the types of martial arts.
The simulated, and in competition, the real nature
of martial arts makes it likely that injuries, including
concussions, will occur from time to time. A 2008
study of 282 practitioners of boxing, kick-boxing, judo,
jujutsu and karate at elite level found the most frequent
injuries to be broken bones (21%) and damage to
knee ligaments (16%) followed by the less frequent
occurrences of eyebrow ridge cuts, elbow injuries,
knocked out teeth (all consist 1%) and tensioned
muscles, strained muscles, fractured bones, strained
Achilles’ tendon, hand injuries, bruises, hurts and
injuries of an eye (all consist 2%).19
20
Revisions Vienna, 2001; Prague, 2004; Zurich, 2008; and Zurich, 2012
18 21
HM Government, Department for Education and Skills (2006) McRory et al (2017)
19 22
Cynarski & Kudlacz (2008) As per CDC Traumatic Brain Injury Statistics Data
8
Selected good practices Part one: Martial arts for youth development
Post Concussion
5
Return to Play
4 FULL CONTACT
PRACTICE
3 NON-CONTACT (Restore confidence
TRAINING DRILLS and assess
2 SPORT SPECIFIC (Increase exercise, functional skills)
EXERCISE coordination and
1 LIGHT AEROBIC (Add movement) If symptom free,
attention) return to normal
EXERCISE
NO ACTIVITY Activity that is Progress to complete training activities
(Increased heart rate)
(Recovery) appropriate to the sport and normal non-contact
Walking Skating
Complete physical and training drills
Swimming Running
cognitive rest until Stationary Bike Swimming
medical clearance
Heart rate Heart rate Heart rate
< 70% - 15min < 80% - 45min < 90% - 60min
Symptom Free for Symptom Free for Symptom Free for Symptom Free for Symptom Free for
24 hours? Next 24 hours? Next 24 hours? Next 24 hours? Next 24 hours?
NO NO NO NO NO
Continue resting Continue resting until Return to Step 2 Return to Step 3 Return to Step 4
symptom free until symptom free until symptom free until symptom free
Gender equality in martial arts competition rules and dress codes that cater for different
cultural and religious groups.
Traditional attitudes towards gender permeate some There is however no standard way of integrating
martial arts. For example, professional sumo is notable gender equality in martial arts, and each recognized
for its exclusion of women from competition and federation for combat sports and martial arts has
ceremonies. Women are not allowed to enter or touch developed its own standard (including those that do
the sumo wrestling ring as this is traditionally seen not allow female participation). The combat sports
to be a violation of its purity. As recently as 2008, the (martial arts) governed by International Federations
female Governor of Osaka, Fusae Ohta, when called that adhere to a strict Code of Ethics aligned to the
upon to present the Governor’s Prize to the champion International Olympic Committee, generally have
of the annual Osaka sumo tournament, was required policies to ensure the inclusion of women at all levels
to do so on the walkway beside the ring or to send a and areas of the sport and to advance gender equality
male representative in her place. Despite repeatedly in the broader community.23
challenging the Japan Sumo Association’s policy by
requesting to be allowed to fulfill her traditional role as The issue of gender in martial arts and combat sports
Governor, her requests were denied. has recently become an area of academic study, and in
2016 a symposium of the topic was held in Brighton,
Traditional Muaythai has similar barriers to female United Kingdom, which attracted approximately 30
participation. The International Federation of Muaythai academics and practitioners. Key issues identified
Amateur has been able to address these through during the symposium are access, work-life balance,
establishing a Female Commission and establishing lack of female role models, an unwelcoming social
specific guidelines on female participation, including environment in gyms, and the differentiation of needs
such elements as the requirement for all national teams of different groups of women.24
to be comprised of both female and male athletes, and
23
IOC (2018)
24
Channon & Matthews (2016)
9
Part one: Martial arts for youth development Youth development
However, since sport for development programmes What does this mean for youth
are designed, developed and delivered in societies
with vastly different cultures and embedded gender
development?
norms, it is not clear how applicable this Western-based
Given the significant risks youth all over the world are
information is to non-Western programmes. Further
facing today, especially risks related to mental health
detailed information is needed to identify culturally-
and increasing occurrence of non-communicable
specific martial arts gender issues. The Brighton seminar
diseases, participation in some form of physical activity
recommended addressing three issues.
is advised by the World Health Organization as critical
SupportiveTraining Environments – environments that for well-being. The positive effects have been well
are welcoming, safe and trusting social environments documented and are reflected in the Global Action
are important to overcome male-dominated spaces Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030.26
and the sexualizing of martial arts and combat sports in
Due to the unique characteristics and the promotion
the mainstream media. This requires separate changing
of core values such as peace, respect, mindfulness
facilities and hygiene standards, as well as avoiding
and discipline, martial arts offer an important vehicle
“male-dominated” decoration, signs, etc.
for achieving additional positive development
Instructors and Instruction – encouraging female outcomes for young people, including techniques
instructors and managers across the gym or for dealing with aggression, developing personal
organisation (i.e., not only for children and women’s intercultural competencies, instilling positive values
sessions) and ensuring adequate education to properly and developing soft-skills such as leadership, self-
support female trainees. One way proposed to do this awareness, intercultural understanding and team-work
is to implement gender awareness training as part of abilities.
instructor qualification programmes.
The positive psycho-social outcomes that have been
Segregation and Integration – whilst there are observed in different types of martial arts-based
different opinions with respect to the merits of each, programmes are an indication of the impact martial
both segregation and integration may be used in arts can have on youth development. To harness
different ways. Women-only sessions can create a their full value, it is critical that these interventions
higher level of comfort for some women who find are well designed, monitored and evaluated, and take
training in front of men and boys intimidating. On the into account appropriate safeguarding measures to
downside, women-only sessions may be considered prevent serious injury, abuse or other risks. Although
condescending or of lower quality. Ideally both there is currently no universal framework to compare
approaches should be considered in scheduling. data collected through martial arts-based youth
development programmes, Action 2 of the Kazan Action
Interviews with female Muaythai athletes undertaken
Plan seeks to resolve this issue by developing a series of
by UNESCO during the 2016 International Federation
model indicators that could guide programmes in the
of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA) World Championships
future and contribute to a broadening evidence-base.27
in Jönköping, Sweden, reveal that participation in
Muaythai may be empowering for women in a range Whether martial arts can contribute to broader
of different cultural and social contexts.25 This factor structural changes, such as contributing to gender
may be utilized in developing targeted programmes equality, is difficult to determine, although there is
for female athletes. significant anecdotal evidence to suggest that female
participation in martial arts is both empowering for the
individuals, and challenges traditional gender roles.
25
Teams surveyed include Australia, Canada, Germany, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Thailand, Russian Federation,
Sweden, Turkey, United States of America, United Kingdom
26
WHO (2018)
27
UNESCO (2016)
10
PART TWO
DESIGNING FOR
GOOD PRACTICE
© ICM
11
Part two: Designing for good practice Youth development
12
Selected good practices Part two: Designing for good practice
males, and is often experienced later in some late There is no universal agreement on the names and
developing 14 year old males. duration of different stages of human development,
although the breakdown shown in Table 1 is
It is therefore imperative that youth-development
considered standard.
programme design considers and takes into account
the maturity of participants, to ensure that activities are With many national governments defining youth as
not just appropriate but are optimal for participants’ someone from early adolescence (10–12 years of age)
physical, cognitive, psychological, moral and emotional until 25, 29 or in some cases 30 years of age, it should
stage of development. be apparent that “one size of programming” will not fit
the needs of all participants.
However, in a series of evaluations of sport for develop-
ment programmes in Southern Africa undertaken by
Thachuk and Higgs in 2008–2009, the authors showed
that, in each programme evaluated, there was little to no
adjustment in the activities undertaken with children of
different ages and therefore at different stages of devel-
opment. The activities undertaken with 19 year olds were
frequently identical to activities undertaken with 9 to 10
year olds.
Early childhood Birth to 6 years Onset of stage defined by birth, and upper end of stage approximately the age at which
humans have their maximum number of brain cells.
Middle childhood 6–8 years in boys By the end of this stage the majority of children exhibit adult-like patterns of common
6–9 years in girls movements, such as walking, running, catching, kicking and throwing. They are developing
some independence from parents/care givers, and engage with a wider group of peers.
Late childhood From 8 years in girls, 9 years This stage is marked by rapid improvement in physical skills, and in general and academic
in boys, until the onset of the knowledge. By the end of this stage, most children can think in abstract terms. Moral values
adolescent growth spurt. develop during this stage where most children develop a sense of self.
Adolescence From onset to end of Rapid physical growth and increases in strength, speed, and endurance, often accompanied
adolescent growth spurt. by a decrease in flexibility (especially in males).
Usually 11-15 years in girls and Rapid sexual maturity and interest in developing sexual relations, emergence of sexual
12-16 years in boys, but with orientation.
significant individual variation
Peers often more important socially than family.
First introduction to alcohol, drugs or sex for a significant number of individuals.
Early Adulthood End of adolescent growth Establishment of romantic and sexual relationships, necessity of finding employment (or
spurt to establishment of self continuing education in expectation of later employment)
in the adult community. Wide Starting a family.
variation in age, but often in
Establishment of position in local community.
early to mid 20s
Heaviest exposure to alcohol, drugs, sexual activity and violence.
Middle adulthood Mid 20s to middle age Building a job, career or profession.
Building a family.
Often a period of stability.
Seniors Middle age to death In many communities, a period of family instability as children grow, leave home and enter
own adult relationships.
Time of maximum standing in many communities.
Onset of deterioration of health with advancing age.
13
Part two: Designing for good practice Youth development
The consequence of this is that programmes Individualizing programmes to meet the needs of every
must either: participant is exceptionally difficult, and for most sport for
development programmes, the best that can be achieved
●● Restrict the age range of participants; or,
is to ensure that the programme is designed around the
●● Modify activities to best meet the developmental average physical, cognitive, moral, psychological and
needs of children and youth as they pass through emotional development of participants. Internationally,
different developmental stages, including age- some sport-participation development frameworks
relevant outcome measures. have addressed this difficult problem, with the Athlete
Development Matrix of Canadian Sport for Life: Long-
Where sport for development programmes use sport
Term Athlete Development containing the most detailed
or physical activity to achieve social-objective goals, the
information.28
activities must be developmentally-appropriate and the
link to the social objective must be formulated to align Figure 4 below shows, in simple form, the relationship
with each participant’s cognitive, moral, psychological between the stage of human development of a
and emotional stage of development. participant in a sport for development programme,
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
28
Sport for Life Society (2016)
14
Selected good practices Part two: Designing for good practice
and the key physical, cognitive, moral and emotional To see how this focus on developmentally-appropriate
considerations. In addition, it shows in very simplified programming is applied in practice, consider a martial
form the changes in focus required if the programmes arts based youth programme with two cohorts of
are to best meet the developmental needs of participants – a younger group of 9–10 year olds and an
participants. older group of 15–16 year olds (see Figure 5).
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Figure 5: Example of impact of stage of development on sport for development activities
15
Part two: Designing for good practice Youth development
Programmatic differences between martial arts based and economic needs and the opportunities that might
youth development activities for the two groups are be available. Programmes targeting the pyscho-social
shown in Table 2 below. realm such as self-esteem require a knowledge of social
Table 2: Differences in programme focus based on two developmental ages across multiple domains
Physical – skill Games and activities to teach basic martial arts skills Targeted skills training and focused learning through skills-
based games
Physical – capacities Games and activities that develop speed of movement, Games and activities that maintain endurance and
and flexibility (particularly for boys) build strength
Cognitive (intellectual) Games and activities in which participants make specific Games and activities in which participants have the
decisions – for example, “when the opponent moves opportunity to plan and discuss their strategy for success.
forward, take a step to the left”.
Emotional Since children at this stage are comparing their Since youth at this stage are formulating their identity,
competence to others, provide activities that have provide opportunities for self-selection of roles and
multiple solutions and to which many different people responsibilities
contribute.
Moral Focus on rule-based games and activities and Encourage debate about the reasons for rules, and whether
reinforce idea that by taking part in the game/activity, there are situations in which the right thing to do is break
participants are agreeing to abide by the rules. the rules.
Development objectives and mental health issues and how to work with young
people to build self-esteem. Just as with the diversity
For organizations to design a programme with clear in individual development of each young person, each
development outcomes, there needs to be a clear community faces its own issues and possibilities.
articulation of the issues, objectives and pathways to Most sporting organizations do not automatically have
achieving these. This is called intentional design. A key the skills to develop such programmes, though their
point raised by the Evaluation Framework, was that members might include teachers, doctors and other
when programmes have not designed a pedagogy specialists who could play a part in such design.
to achieve desired results, they will rarely produce
an activity for youth which can claim to specifically The Kazan Action Plan29 and its corresponding
address youth development. MINEPS Follow-up Framework provides a structure for
organizing good practice along 20 policy areas, across
Intentional design may be targeting personal issues three themes: Inclusive access for all to sport; sport for
for young women and men such as mental health, sustainable development and sport integrity. As the
employment or education, or it may focus on follow-up framework becomes more comprehensive
community issues such as the local environment, and the collection of information on good practices
affordable housing or community facilities. Just as is expanded, it will be easier to identify sport-based
understanding human development is necessary, local programmes with specific development objectives.
knowledge is critical in the design or adaptation of Contribution to the framework is voluntary and UNESCO
programmes to suit local circumstances and the needs urges all stakeholders to align relevant research, policy
of participants. tools, programmes and other initiatives with these
This means creating a logical pathway between the policy areas, and to share their work. The policy areas
objectives and the activities. For example, a programme reflected in the Kazan Action Plan are in the text box.
established to improve education needs to understand
the current educational status of potential participants,
the learning outcomes that would meet their social
29
UNESCO (2016)
16
Selected good practices Part two: Designing for good practice
30
Centre for the Study of Social Policy (n.d.)
31
Tak Yan Lee, Chau Kiu Cheung, and Wai Man Kwon (2011)
17
Part two: Designing for good practice Youth development
A very detailed list of protective factors has been A simplified set of resilience components are used in
developed by Fleming and Ledogar (2008).32 While this document:
the list was developed to be applicable to building
resilience in Indigenous populations, it appears to be Mechanisms and processes:
applicable more widely – particularly with respect to Connection: Having a good connection with other
many aspects that are inherent to martial arts, including people at home, in school and in the community.
the inclusion of traditional activities, spirituality, For youth, a strong connection to a good adult role
language and healing. (see Table 3) model is one of the most important contributions
In addition, Michael Ungar has developed a range to resilience.
of age-specific questionnaires relating to resilience Coping: Developing effective coping strategies can
that are useful for practitioners wanting to consider reduce self-destructive behaviour.
monitoring and evaluation.34
Constitutional resilience Positive temperament Supportive families Parental warmth, encouragement, assistance
Attitudes and Values Tolerance for negative affect Positive teacher influences
32
Fleming & Ledogar (2008)
33
ibid.
34
Resilience Research Center
18
Selected good practices Part two: Designing for good practice
Contribution: Contributing to the well-being of The American Psychological Association has suggested
others in the family, at school or in the community, ten ways to build resilience, and these can be adapted
makes youth feel good about themselves and can for use in youth-oriented martial arts programmes.35
support the development of positive relationships. (see Table 4)
In addition, youth civic participation can have a
Given the expertise of the American Psychological
positive effect on the entire community.
Association, it is worth noting that for almost every
Outcomes: one of their suggested actions to enhance resilience,
martial arts provide an immediate and concrete setting
Competence: The feeling of ability to successfully in which to:
perform a task both in a sport-setting or in everyday
life, based on having learned and had earlier success ●● Experience set-backs through being cut from a
with the task. team, competitive loss, or injury,
●● Apply well-established training techniques to
Confidence: Having a belief in one’s own ability.
address the setback,
Character: A clear sense and understanding of right ●● Discuss ways in which the skills and lessons
and wrong and a commitment to act with integrity. learned in the gym environment can be applied
to daily living settings.
Control: Feeling in control of your body and
emotions in stressful situations reduces the
tendency to over-react or make unwise decisions.
Maintain good relationships with close family members, friends Build good relations with teammates and programme leaders
and others
Avoid seeing crises or stressful events as unbearable problems Develop anxiety reduction techniques and strategies for facing stressful
martial arts situations
Accept circumstances that cannot be changed Accept martial arts circumstances that cannot be changed
Develop realistic goals and move towards them Develop realistic martial arts goals and work towards them
Take decisive actions in adverse situations Take decisive action when things go wrong in martial arts
Look for opportunities of self-discovery after a struggle with loss Use martial arts losses as opportunity to explore what went wrong and
find ways to overcome the problem
Develop self-confidence Develop self-confidence through the mastery of martial arts skills
Keep a long-term perspective and consider the stressful event in a Consider individual competition losses in the broader context
broader context
Maintain a hopeful outlook, expecting good things and visualizing Use positive visualization developed in martial art psychology in day-to-
what is wished day activities
Take care of one's mind and body, exercising regularly, paying attention In some ways, this is the essence of martial arts participation for health
to one's own needs and feelings and well-being
35
American Psychological Assocation (n.d.)
19
Part two: Designing for good practice Youth development
It is interesting to consider the degree to which youth plan and practice a course of action when faced
building resilience through involvement in martial with a future stressful situation.
arts is an inherent function of the nature of the sport,
Good nutrition, along with adequate physical and
or something that can only be built through specific
mental rest and regeneration (recovery) are important
actions, in the right way at specific times during a
for coping with the demands of participation in martial
participant’s involvement (see Figure 6).
arts, and may carry over into daily living. Therefore, to
The simplified model below shows the relationship a certain degree, competence, confidence, control
between the seven components of resilience, the and coping are possible outcomes of participation in
development of participant resilience and the desired martial arts in the absence of structured pedagogy.
outcome of the martial arts programme for social, Simply practising a martial art can be valuable in its
health and education improvements. own right, as it develops fitness, skills and potential
social connections with other practitioners, the gym,
teammates and the wider community. Fitness, physical
Key areas of development supported aptitude and skills, mental focus and having adequate
through martial arts programmes nutrition contribute greatly to youth resilience. These
There is ample evidence in the human capital model benefits can be significantly increased with appropriate
to conclude that improved fitness, and the learning pedagogy.
and successful execution of fundamental and basic The remaining components of resilience; feeling
sport skills, increases participants’ competence and, connected, making a contribution to the team or gym
consequently, their confidence.36 (as well as the wider community) and developing
Effective mental training in martial arts encompasses character, require greater consideration for effective
important skills, such as anxiety reduction, emotional pedagogy and programme design.
control, concentration, discipline, re-focusing, and The elements around pedagogy and design are
multi-sensory visualization of desired future actions. critically important to effective outcomes.
It also contributes to an individual’s feelings of
confidence. All of these skills lead directly to greater
emotional control and can be important in helping
Fitness Competence
Inherent in sport
Psycho-motor skills Confidence
participation
Mental training Control
Improved general social,
Enhanced health and educational
Nutrition/recovery Coping outcomes from
participant resilience
S4D programmes
Rule-based games Contribution
Dependent on
appropriate Teamwork Character
pedagogy
Coaching Connection
Figure 6: The simplified relationship between seven components of resilience, enhanced participant resilience
and desired social, health and educational outcomes.
36
For example see Bailey et al. (2013)
20
Selected good practices Part two: Designing for good practice
21
Part two: Designing for good practice Youth development
Leaders in issue specific organizations are usually of the leader may also vary greatly with impacts on the
not well equipped or trained to develop sporting quality and professionalism of the programme.
talent through effective sport coaching. While they
Some of the best-known sport for development
have effective pedagogy and usually a high level
programmes have been built around direct sport
of understanding of the issue with which they are
participation – in which engagement in community
dealing, they frequently do not develop martial art
building activities and education is a prerequisite
specific skills, which can lead to athletes stagnating
to participation in sport. Sport in these types of
and getting bored. This in turn can lead to programme
programmes is frequently used as an attraction and
drop-out. Helping leaders incorporate martial art
an incentive. In addition, the organization of sport
specific skill development activities in their youth
training and competition by youth for youth provides
and sport programming could significantly increase
an exceptional foundation for the development of
programme quality.
life-skills – specifically organization and leadership skills.
37
IOC (2017)
22
Selected good practices Part two: Designing for good practice
ds on experience
Han
1
5
Sh
s
nce
Experience
exp
2
eriences
what happened
3 Participants asked to identify themes, problems and opportunities
Apply Share 2
4 Participants asked to connect important learnings to real-life experiences
4
5 Participants asked how and when they will use what they learned to
respond in similar situations
Ge
es
ne
nc
ra
ze r
ie
pe
li
ex
pe
ri e n
3
ss ex
ce s P ro ce
38
Right to Play International (n.d.)
23
Part two: Designing for good practice Youth development
Reflect 1 Participants engage in a S4D experience and think about the game
Participants compare and connect what they experienced during
2
3
the game to a similar experience from their own lives
Apply Connect 3
Participants explore how they can apply what they’ve learned from
the game to an area of their daily lives
© ICM
24
PART THREE
EXAMPLES OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
THROUGH MARTIAL ARTS
© ICM
25
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
In assessing potential programme impact, reports were 8. Did the programme identify the pedagogy used,
analysed with respect to the following: and did the pedagogy change with the age of the
participants.
1. Nature of programme delivery organization:
a. Sport/martial arts organization 9. Did the programme train local youth leaders?
b. Social issue based organization using a 10. Was there a robust monitoring and evaluation
martial art process in place?
26
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
11. Was a process for sustaining the programme Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence!
in place?
To provide an overview or snapshot, the criteria
Absence of evidence that a specific programme have been summarized in the “score card” below and
component was in place maybe the result of: each profile has a quick guide to how well it does for
each of the seven criteria. In many cases there is little
●● The component being in place but not reported
evidence, or not enough evidence, to know how well
in the limited information available to the
the programme has performed.
independent external expert, or
●● The component not being in place.
Again it is important to stress that the programmes available. Red is assigned only where it is clear that the
in the orange and grey categories may be achieving programme has not addressed this criterion.
more than can be evaluated from the information
27
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
A partnership between UNESCO, the Muaythai Association of the Philippines and the Malabon
City Council
Type of project: Focusing on urban-renewal and empowering youth through Muaythai and other sports
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
Programme snapshot of the youth living in the area is conducted (at least
100 potential participants) seeking to reveal trends
Structure: and barriers to education (including comprehensive
The global campaign, Transforming Cities through sexuality education), healthcare, employment, political
Sport was launched in December 2017 in Malabon inclusion and any human rights violations. Experts
City, Philippines, an area of metro Manila. Each iteration and other targeted interventions are then planned
of the programme seeks to rejuvenate a public space accordingly, depending on the survey results and the
within an urban informal settlement (“slum” area) and local context.
combines various sport-based activities to seek out Stage two:
disadvantaged youth. The project aims to create new
safe spaces available for sport in poor urban areas, Bi-weekly sport sessions led by champion athletes
improve social cohesion, reduce violence by and from the National Federations for different sports and
against youth and promote greater gender equality other interventions led by subject-matter experts, are
by insisting on the participation of girls and vulnerable conducted over a 3 to 12 month period (depending on
gender groups. It also aims to engage city-level the availability of funding).
authorities, advocate for the importance of safe spaces
for sport and challenge the stigma associated with the
Stage three:
urban poor and informal settlements. Evaluation stage and preparation for continuation
of the programme. New youth leaders should be
Designed to run over an initial period of a year, the
sufficiently knowledgeable to continue the programme
programme is divided into three stages.
autonomously (with occasional expert interventions).
Stage one:
Over one year:
Once an appropriate community space is identified
1. 75% sustained participation of youth (at least
and permission is granted from the local government, a
100 participants)
safety inspection of the area is carried out, followed by
a month-long “clean-up” and rehabilitation of the space 2. Evidence to support the contribution of sport
involving the local community in the transformation. towards economic development and health
This includes replacing and repairing sports equipment (reduced NCDs) (measured by prevalence
(such as a basketball hoop or volleyball net) and of NCDs before and after, including signs of
painting the area, as well as planting trees and grass. A reduced obesity, awareness of sexual health &
comprehensive survey based on the UN Youth-SWAP the benefits of PA etc.)
28
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
Overview:
This is a social development through sport programme with sub-programmes tied to specific locations. It uses a variety of sports including, but not limited to,
martial arts, to empower youth from disadvantaged communities and for community development.
1. Nature of programme delivery Location/community based organization using a martial art (Muaythai) in one or more locations.
organization:
2. Were programme participants Participants not identified by sex or age, but identified as “youth”.
clearly identified? Participants identified as “disadvantaged” who were sought out. This is particularly positive since this is a
demographic that generally does not volunteer for participation in community activities.
3. What was the scope of participation Programming is anticipated to last approximately 1 year, with bi-weekly spot activities. (2 x per week).
(months of participation, sessions per
week etc.)?
4. Were programme objectives clearly Some objectives were clearly identified, and measures for some were reported. Some of the reported
articulated? measures, for example reduced crime measured by neighbourhood crime rates appear to be insufficiently
sensitive, and subject to wide variations due to factors outside the control of the programme. This
generally makes them poor measures. However others, such as participant surveys measuring perceptions
of safety are likely to be sensitive enough to detect improvements.
Measures around the prevalence of Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are unlikely to generate
meaningful results given the time-span between poor life choices (around food intake and exercise) and
the emergence of measurable NCDs. However, measures around awareness of sexual health and benefits
of physical activity are appropriate and likely to generate meaningful data that can be attributed to
programme interventions.
Some objectives were general – such as empowerment of youth, with no clear indication of how changes
in empowerment would be measured.
Objectives were not broken down by age and/or sex of participants.
5. What components did the Martial arts participation (in some programme locations)
programme deliver Educational opportunities, with potential transfer into the formal education system. Personal
development, and improved health information.
Community engagement/Improvement is a high priority, especially around the provision of safe-spaces
for sport.
29
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
9. Did the programme train local Yes, local youth leaders trained.
youth leaders?
10. Was there a robust monitoring and There is clear evidence of monitoring and evaluation, but insufficient detail provided to assess quality.
evaluation process in place? Some measures seem inappropriate due to lack of sensitivity.
11. Was a process for sustaining the Yes, the engagement of local authorities and training local youth leaders bodes well for sustainability of
programme in place? the programme. Recruiting and engaging more senior local leaders to support the programme within the
community should be considered if this is not already in place.
Conclusions:
This programme is based on solid programme design and delivery principles. Consideration should be given to more clearly articulating the
role of martial arts in the programme, to more clearly identifying the pedagogy used, and more clearly defining participants. The age and sex of
participants should be included in future reporting, and based on the age and sex distribution of participants additional thought might be given
to age-appropriate modifications of the programme, and taking into account well established principles related to the differences in working
with males and females in the area of sport and physical activity.
Waiting for a
suitable picture
30
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
Geographical scope: Global; currently operating in Dominican Republic, Germany, Madagascar, Mexico, Peru,
Portugal and Thailand
Type of project: Focusing on vulnerable youth in disadvantage communities, particularly areas with high
crime rates
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
Programme snapshot The trainers involved are all associated with the National
Federations and are appropriately qualified to work
Structure: with youth. On average, 60% of the participants are
Sport Is Your Gang (SIYG), is a global Muaythai campaign female and the total participant age-range is from 12
designed to empower at-risk youth in disadvantaged to 19 years old. The programme impacts are measured
communities and deter them from associating with through monthly surveying of the participants to
gangs and organized crime. It is currently active in evaluate their psychological well-being and reveal
seven countries (Dominican Republic, Germany, any changes in their lifestyles (i.e. school drop-
Madagascar, Mexico, Peru, Portugal and Thailand), and is outs). The trainers monitor the youth and submit an
implemented by the National Federations of Muaythai evaluation of each individual monthly, which includes
Amateur, under the guidance of the International changes in morale, attendance patterns and any other
Federation of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA). In 2014, the signs of harm.
programme won the SportAccord Spirit of Sport award
for the best community-based sports project. Links to relevant materials and websites:
31 31
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
Overview:
This is a personal/community development through sport programme operating in different countries. It uses Muaythai, to empower youth from disadvantaged
communities with a focus on reducing gang affiliation and reducing violence.
1. Nature of programme delivery A sport based organization using a martial art (Muaythai) in one or more locations.
organization:
3. What was the scope of participation Clear description of frequency and duration of participant engagement, with participation tracked as part
(months of participation, sessions per of the monitoring and evaluation process
week etc.)?
4. Were programme objectives clearly Very clear identification of programme objectives and of tracking of progress towards those objectives.
articulated? Empowerment of participants clearly identified as objective. However, there was no clear indication of
how empowerment was measured.
Objectives were not broken down by age and/or sex of participants.
7. Did the programme take into No clear evidence although 60% or more of participants are female. (5 points)
account gender differences?
9. Did the programme train local Not clear, as the training of local youth leaders is not directly addressed.
youth leaders? However, there is reference to “careers in sport” but it is unclear if this is through professional competition/
performance or through training to become a paid instructor.
10. Was there a robust monitoring and There is clear evidence of good monitoring and evaluation practices. For a more detailed analysis greater
evaluation process in place? detail is required
11. Was a process for sustaining the Yes, although it appears as though the programme’s sustainability is predicated on external donations.
programme in place?
Conclusions:
This programme is based on solid programme design and delivery principles, and this has been previously recognized through its receipt of a
major international award. Based on the limited information available the one clear weakness appears to be the continued reliance on donations
for sustainability.
32
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
A partnership between Reebok, Ikea Foundation, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, Credit Suisse,
the Embassy of Brazil in England
Type of project: The organization provides mentoring, competition and fitness training, education, social
Interaction and role-modelling. It also provides pathways to employment and careers as athletes.
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
33
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
http://fightforpeace.net
http://fightforpeace.net/xxaltxx/wp-content/
uploads/2015/06/Fight-for-Peace-2016-Annual-
Report.pdf
© Vi t a l i j S o v a / G e t t y I m a g e s
https://www.youtube.com/user/fightforpeacegroup
Overview:
This is a personal/community development through sport programme operating in at least two countries. It uses a number of different martial arts, to
empower youth from disadvantaged communities and additionally provides education, health and employment support using a public health approach
1. Nature of programme delivery A sport-based organization using a variety of culturally appropriate martial arts in different locations (for
organization: example Boxing in London and Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil).
2. Were programme participants Age and sex of participants not clearly identified in available documentation.
clearly identified? Participants identified as “at-risk” from engagement in gang-related activities. It is not clear how
participants are recruited.
3. What was the scope of participation Not clearly identified in available documentation.
(months of participation, sessions per
week etc.)?
4. Were programme objectives clearly Very clear identification of programme objectives: education and employment opportunities, violence
articulated? prevention physical, emotional and mental well-being.
Objectives were not differentiated by age and/or sex of participants.
8. Did the programme identify the Very clear articulation of the processes used in the programme, but not of the martial arts pedagogy used.
pedagogy used, and did the
pedagogy change with the age of
the participants.
9. Did the programme train local Yes, clearly an important component of the programme, and the youth councils additionally create
youth leaders? stronger links to the community.
10. Was there a robust monitoring and There is clear evidence of good monitoring and evaluation practices, with the use of external evaluators,
evaluation process in place? and publication of research documents. In this regard the programme is an exemplar.
11. Was a process for sustaining the Difficult to access through available documentation.
programme in place?
Conclusions:
Overall, an excellent programme. The use of a public health intervention framework, and transparent monitoring and evaluation documentation
are to be applauded. Areas that (based on documentation available to me) may require attention (a) are fine-tuning the programme to better
meet the needs of participants at different stages of the growth and development, (b) the specific role of martial arts in meeting programme
objectives, and (c) the way in which an experiential education pedagogy might help reach programme objectives.
34
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
Geographical scope: Operates from the Republic of Korea running programmes globally receiving countries
depend on interest. Usually low to middle income countries
Type of project: A “peace corps” style programme for Korean youth exporting Taekwondo and Korean culture
internationally
Overview:
This is a programme of significant magnitude, operating in multiple countries. While it is a sport-organization based programme, in addition to promoting the
sport it undertakes well-planned youth development interventions. The use of 4-person teams (three with sport and one with language competencies) appears to
be a critical success factor.
1. Nature of programme delivery A sport based organization, using Taekwondo to attract youth participants.
organization:
2. Were programme participants Age and sex of participants not clearly identified in available documentation, but described as youth.
clearly identified?
3. What was the scope of participation Korean leadership team placed in host country for 6-months. Unclear if departing leaders are replaced
(months of participation, sessions per by new Korean leadership team, and the programme continues in the same location, or if a new location
week etc.)? is selected.
4. Were programme objectives clearly Clear identification of programme objectives for the Korean leaders who are placed overseas, but
articulated? participant objectives – other than advancing Taekwondo, and fostering positive attitudes towards Korea
are not clear.
6. Did the programme provide No evidence of programme differentiation based on age of participants.
different activities for children and
youth of different ages?
10. Was there a robust monitoring and Monitoring and evaluation not mentioned.
evaluation process in place?
11. Was a process for sustaining the While the programme is clearly sustainable at a National level for the leaders placed overseas, there is no
programme in place? indication of systematic planning for sustainability within the countries to which Korean sport leaders are
sent. It appears that the assumption is that programmes will continue under the auspices of individual
National Taekwondo Federations.
Conclusions:
A large, well organized programme. It appears that the Korean sport and language leaders who serve 6-months overseas may be the biggest
beneficiaries, and the programme is clearly designed to raise the profile of Korea within developing countries, and benefit Korea on the leaders’
return. This is not necessarily a bad thing, and it is almost certain that youth in developing countries benefit from this programme.
36
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
Type of project: A female-focused youth development programme using martial arts to empower
women and girls
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
37
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
Overview:
This national-level programme specifically focuses on gender issues, and on the empowerment of girls through involvement in Karate and reflection activities.
Empowerment is supported through ancillary activities related to career planning and advancement and economic empowerment.
1. Nature of programme delivery An issue based organization (advancement of women and girls in sport/female empowerment).
organization:
2. Were programme participants Programme focuses on females. No age range provided (5 points)
clearly identified?
3. What was the scope of participation Programme runs weekly for 3-months at a time. Duration of weekly sessions not reported
(months of participation, sessions per
week etc.)?
4. Were programme objectives clearly Very clear programme objectives around empowerment of females and safety of females.
articulated?
6. Did the programme provide No evidence of programme differentiation based on age of participants.
different activities for children and
youth of different ages?
8. Did the programme identify the While a specific pedagogy is not mentioned, the focus on reflection suggests that the organization
pedagogy used, and did the is aware of and uses a well-founded experiential education approach. No indication of change in
pedagogy change with the age of pedagogy with age.
the participants.
9. Did the programme train local Focus on assisting young women become female physical education teachers
youth leaders?
10. Was there a robust monitoring and Yes, a robust monitoring and evaluation culture is in place and the organization has created its own
evaluation process in place? evaluation tools
11. Was a process for sustaining the Involvement of international organizations and the National Government increases the likelihood of
programme in place? programme being sustained.
Conclusions:
A large national programme with a clear focus on female empowerment. Objectives are clear, and a wide range of activities help in attaining
those objectives. Clear use of effective pedagogy.
© Po c o _ b w / G e t t y I m a g e s
38
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
A partnership between Amateur Boxing Association of England, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Sport
England Lottery, Bristol Council, Avon and Somerset Police, Bristol National Health Service
Type of project: A female-focused youth development programme using martial arts to empower
women and girls
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
Empire Fighting Chance follows an adapted Fight for According to their own figures, Empire Fighting Chance
Peace methodology: engage approximately 200 young people every week.
The goals of the alternative education programme are:
I. Boxing is used as a means to instil important
values such as discipline, pride and self-control ●● Heightened academic performance
in club members; ●● Improved school attendance
II. Education is an important part of the ●● Improved behavioural issues
programme. The gym offers classes in ●● Reduced disruptive behaviour
numeracy and literacy, as well as pathways to
●● Increased confidence
formal qualifications;
●● Increased self-esteem
III. Employability. Members of the gym have
access to specific training courses offered by ●● Increased aspiration
the organization’s partners; ●● Increased participation in school life
39
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
http://www.empirefightingchance.org
http://www.empirefightingchance.org/programmes/schools
Overview:
A boxing-based youth intervention programme with a long history. Organization was originally sport-only, but for more than a decade has had a youth
development outreach programme.
2. Were programme participants Programme focuses on youth, with no focus on specific participant targets (age or sex), though mentions
clearly identified? in the overview it is female focused, this is not described further
3. What was the scope of participation Programme runs continuously within the sport club, with shorter duration school-based satellite
(months of participation, sessions per programmes
week etc.)?
4. Were programme objectives clearly Very clear programme objectives around raising aspirations, increasing academic performance, and
articulated? building empowerment through increased self-confidence and self-esteem. Reduction in disruptive and
anti-social behaviour.
5. What components did the Boxing participation, education, employability, support services and building leadership skills and
programme deliver opportunities. Special anti-obesity and nutrition programmes.
6. Did the programme provide No clear evidence of programme differentiation based on age of participants.
different activities for children and
youth of different ages?
7. Did the programme take into No clear evidence of programme differentiation based on gender
account gender differences?
8. Did the programme identify the Range of pedagogy used, with no indication of pedagogy variations with changing participant age.
pedagogy used, and did the
pedagogy change with the age of
the participants.
9. Did the programme train local Leadership opportunities for peer-elected youth.
youth leaders?
Conclusions:
A well-established programme with clear objectives and clear strategy to achieve those objectives. Boxing used as instructional tool, with the
opportunity for those with the talent and determination to advance their competitive boxing.
© Antonio_Diaz/Getty Images
40
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
Type of project: A special programme for urban Aboriginal youth over 18 years, designed to empower them
through martial arts and constructive dialogue, as well as preserve Indigenous traditions and culture
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
Structure: http://ncct.on.ca
41
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
Overview:
An intervention programme for both youth and adults designed to empower indigenous citizens, and preserve an important cultural heritage.
1. Nature of programme delivery A sport and culture based organization (Okichitaw traditional martial art).
organization:
2. Were programme participants Indigenous people; age and gender not referenced.
clearly identified?
3. What was the scope of participation Frequency and duration of participation not described in documentation
(months of participation, sessions per
week etc.)?
4. Were programme objectives clearly High level objectives of emotional and physical empowerment, through the preservation of indigenous
articulated? cultural heritage. Additionally, improved physical health including weight-loss and diabetes prevention,
as well as self-defence skills; Spiritual growth and greater cultural sensibilities. Emotional well-being Social
support through group therapy and team-building. Trauma relief through mediation and practice in
martial arts.
6. Did the programme provide No clear evidence of programme differentiation based on age of participants.
different activities for children and
youth of different ages?
7. Did the programme take into No clear evidence of programme differentiation based on gender
account gender differences?
10. Was there a robust monitoring and Monitoring and evaluation not referenced
evaluation process in place?
Conclusions:
A niche programme based on its targeted participants (indigenous population) and a martial art that is essentially unknown outside of the
target population. Given the difficulties faced by indigenous populations in many countries across the development spectrum, the unique
characteristics of this programme should be noted, and replicated in other indigenous communities.
42
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
Skillshare International
A partnership of UNHCR with Fight for Peace, the Botswana Defence Force and the Government
of Botswana
Geographical scope: Dukwi Refugee Camp. The camp is ‘home’ to approximately 3,500 refugees from
across Africa
Type of project: A martial arts based youth programme within a refugee camp designed to facilitate
dialogue and specialized, targeted psychological support
Status: ?
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
Programme Snapshot
Structure:
UNHCR and the NGO, Skillshare International,
launched a martial arts based programme to engage
out-of-school youth within the Dukwi Refugee
camp in Botswana. Using the Fight for Peace 5-pillar
methodology, Boxing and Karate are used to attract
youth to the programme and begin a relationship with
them, and additional support is provided based on a
needs assessment. The ultimate goal of the programme
is that the youth transition into the formal education
system and/or access skills-based employment
preparation training. The programme was developed
© Wa ve b r e a k m e d i a / G e t t u I m a g e s
in conjunction with the London-based organization,
Fight For Peace, The Government of Botswana and The
Botswana Defence Force.
http://fightforpeace.net/skillshare-
international-botswana
http://fightforpeace.net/global-alumni-partner-
skillshare-international-train-in-refugee-camp
http://www.icpcn.org/members-directory/2329/
skillshare-international-botswana
https://www.onlinevolunteering.org/en/node/387125
43
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
Overview:
A highly targeted intervention programme within a refugee camp.
2. Were programme participants Young people in a refugee camp who are not in formal education
clearly identified?
3. What was the scope of participation Frequency and duration of participation not described in documentation
(months of participation, sessions per
week etc.)?
4. Were programme objectives clearly Clear objectives of transitioning out-of-school youth into formal education or employment skills training.
articulated? Providing other support (psychological) as required.
5. What components did the Martial arts used as a way to attract and interact with youth
programme deliver
6. Did the programme provide No clear evidence of programme differentiation based on age of participants.
different activities for children and
youth of different ages?
7. Did the programme take into No clear evidence of programme differentiation based on gender
account gender differences?
10. Was there a robust monitoring and Monitoring and evaluation not referenced
evaluation process in place?
Conclusions:
No conclusions drawn based on lack of information.
44
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
A partnership of Caring Youth Centre with Centenary Bank, the Luigi Guisani Institute of Higher
Education and Missionaries of Africa
Type of project: Holistic education for underprivileged youth through martial arts
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
http://www.sharingyouthcentre.org/
© C R E AT I S TA / G e t t y I m a g e s
45
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
Overview:
A highly targeted intervention programme within a refugee camp.
2. Were programme participants Young people who are not in formal education
clearly identified?
3. What was the scope of participation Frequency and duration of participation not described in documentation
(months of participation, sessions per
week etc.)?
4. Were programme objectives clearly Clear objectives of transitioning out-of-school youth into formal education or employment skills training.
articulated? Additional objectives around increased physical and mental health, and general well-being.
5. What components did the Martial arts used as a way to attract and interact with youth
programme deliver
6. Did the programme provide No clear evidence of programme differentiation based on age of participants.
different activities for children and
youth of different ages?
7. Did the programme take into No clear evidence of programme differentiation based on gender
account gender differences?
10. Was there a robust monitoring and Monitoring and evaluation not referenced
evaluation process in place?
Conclusions:
No conclusions drawn based on lack of information.
46
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
Alto Perú
Type of project: A community-based project focusing on youth living in informal settlements and poor
communities through Muaythai and Surfing
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
47
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
Overview:
A community-based Muaythai and surfing programme targetting children and youth living in impoverished areas of Lima City.
1. Nature of programme delivery An issue and community based organization (targeting disadvantaged youth in impoverished areas of
organization: Lima, Peru)
2. Were programme participants Children and youth living in the Chorrillos district of Lima, Peru
clearly identified?
3. What was the scope of participation The programme has been active since 2008 and conducts daily activities informally with bi-weekly formal
(months of participation, sessions per surfing and muaythai classes. The community office is open to all every day.
week etc.)?
4. Were programme objectives clearly Clear objectives of supporting disadvantaged youth and creating social cohesion at the community level.
articulated? Additional objectives around reduced violence and greater opportunities for employment
5. What components did the Martial arts and surfing used as a way to attract and interact with youth
programme deliver Additional educational programmes delivered based on the needs of each group
6. Did the programme provide No clear evidence of programme differentiation based on age of participants.
different activities for children and
youth of different ages?
7. Did the programme take into Males and females are treated in the same way. There is a fairly even gender divide between the
account gender differences? participants.
8. Did the programme identify the There is a clear pedagogy, separated into three stages. It is not clear whether the pedagogy changes with
pedagogy used, and did the the age of the participants.
pedagogy change with the age of
the participants.
9. Did the programme train local Yes, many are still engaged with the programme as leaders years after completing it.
youth leaders?
10. Was there a robust monitoring and Baseline study undertaken by independent organization, GRADE – Group for the Analysis of Development,
evaluation process in place? in 2017 revealing community trends. The data gathered will be monitored and compared each year.
Conclusions:
Alto Perú is a well established community-based programme that focuses on the delivery of two diverse sports: surfing and muaythai, as well
as various other educational goals according to the specific needs of the group each year. Given its longevity and the recent partnership with
GRADE to measure the impact of the programme in a more structured way, Alto Perú is one of the stronger and more effective programmes
and would benefit from additional support to up-scale. From the evidence collected already, the impact on the lives of the individuals and the
community is significant.
48
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
Escuela Kawsay
A partnership of Peruvian Muaythai Association, managed by Peruvian youth activist, Giuliana Ovalle
Type of project: Neighbourhood youth constructing their own gym in the impoverished neighbourhood,
Parque Bajo, Lima, Peru
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
Programme snapshot While the majority of youth involved in the gym are
boys between 12–18 years old, the manager is a young
Structure: woman and she is focused on encouraging girls and
young women to join. At this stage there is no separate
Youth from Parque Bajo, a disadvantaged
programme for different sexes.
neighbourhood in Lima, Peru with high crime rates,
are constructing their own gym on a rooftop donated
to them by the local council. While the group have
been meeting for several years in a makeshift “gym” in
different locations around the neighbourhood, this is
the first time the local youth will have a permanent
space.
Philippines in 2017.
49
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
Overview:
A community based Mauythai programme targeting disadvantaged youth in the Parque Baj neighbourhood of Lima, Peru
1. Nature of programme delivery Physical rejuvenation of gym in public area, daily Muaythai lessons, additional support by youth-leaders on
organization: a case-by-case basis
2. Were programme participants Children and youth living in the Parque Bajo district
clearly identified?
3. What was the scope of participation The Peruvian Muaythai Federation has taught their sport in the neighbourhood at an ad-hoc basis for
(months of participation, sessions per several years. They are now delivering daily lessons in a new permanent location. Additional psycho-social
week etc.)? support is given to the youth through other young mentors at an ad-hoc basis.
4. Were programme objectives clearly The specific objectives are not year clear, although inclusion of all youth regardless of sex, ability or any
articulated? other distinction is embedded into the structure, however the gym is not making a specific effort to target
youth of different abilities at this stage.
Additional objectives around reduced violence by and against youth and greater opportunities for
employment are embedded into the gym’s core goals.
The gym also seeks to provide professional training in muaythai and opportunities for members to
participate in national, regional and international competitions through the Federation.
5. What components did the Martial arts used as a way to attract and interact with youth from an impoverished and
programme deliver vulnerable community
Additional educational programmes delivered based on the needs of each group
6. Did the programme provide No clear evidence of programme differentiation based on age of participants.
different activities for children and
youth of different ages?
7. Did the programme take into Males and females are treated in the same way although there are currently very few female participants
account gender differences? (roughly 2/20 in total)
8. Did the programme identify the There is no clear pedagogy at this stage
pedagogy used, and did the
pedagogy change with the age of
the participants.
9. Did the programme train local Yes, the same youth that have been involved in the Peruvian Muyahtai Federation for years are
youth leaders? now trainers
11. Was a process for sustaining the The local government has provided the space free of charge and the school relies on donations from the
programme in place? Peruvian Muaythai Federation
Conclusions:
Given the strong support by the Peruvian Muaythai Federation, the gym has the opportunity to deliver very effective and well constructed youth
development programmes, borrowing from the pedagogy developed by Alto Peru. As it is still in its first stages, a second evaluation should be
carried out at the end of 2018.
It is excellent that the programme is run by a young women, which sends a positive message to the neighbourhood boys, challenging
traditional gender stereotypes.
50
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
Teen Moms
Type of project: Muaythai lessons delivered by the Peruvian Muaythai Federation within a Government
operated care centre for victims of sexual violence in Lima, Peru
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
51
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
Overview:
An issue-based Muaythai programme targeting female victims of sexual assault under 18 years of age in a community centre in Lima, Peru.
1. Nature of programme delivery Weekly Muaythai lessons and ad-hoc psycho-social support (child psychologists) based on needs and the
organization: availability of funding.
2. Were programme participants Yes, six young women (those living in the compound), victims of sexual assault.
clearly identified?
3. What was the scope of participation Once weekly, on-going (active since August 2017).
(months of participation, sessions per
week etc.)?
4. Were programme objectives clearly The specific objectives could be more defined, although the programme is without funding and running
articulated? by the goodwill of the Peruvian Muaythai Federation. The current objectives are to provide reliable
external support to the young women and some form of physical activity weekly. Additional objectives
include instilling a sense of hope in the young women that they can join the Muaythai community after
leaving the centre.
5. What components did the Weekly Muaythai lessons, additional support (talking groups) and ad-hoc child psychologist interventions
programme deliver
7. Did the programme take into The programme is designed for young women
account gender differences?
8. Did the programme identify the There is no clear pedagogy at this stage
pedagogy used, and did the
pedagogy change with the age of
the participants.
9. Did the programme train local No, although the interventions are led by young women
youth leaders?
11. Was a process for sustaining the There is no process for sustaining the programme, additional funds are urgently required
programme in place?
Conclusions:
This programme is responding to an urgent situation where young women have been neglected by their families. The centre does not have
the resources to provide for them. This is an excellent example of how martial arts are used to empower and support young women in very
challenging situations. It is too early to learn the real impact of the programme on the young women’s lives, although in nearly one year since
the launch, the young women are very committed to the sport and their Muaythai skills have advanced considerably.
52
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
East LA Muaythai
An joint initiative launched in partnership with the United States of America Muaythai Federation
(USMF), the Mexican Muaythai Federation (MMF) and a local muaythai gym in East Los Angeles.
Type of project: A community project initiated by Muaythai Pan-American champion, David Huerta using
Muaythai to support at-risk youth in East Los Angeles
Personal
Target Frequency Length Objectives Education Sustainability
development
Programme snapshot
Structure:
Launched in November 2017, the East Los Angeles
Muaythai gym conducts bi-weekly (twice a week)
Muaythai sessions provided free of charge to
neighbourhood children and youth (under 18 years).
The programme is sport-based with additional
components such as art lessons, discussion groups
and free dinners (provided by the Mayor of Los
Angeles’s office).
53
Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts Youth development
Overview:
A sport-based martial arts programme using Muaythai to provide opportunities for youth to participate in physical activity and to provide on-going
psycho-social support
1. Nature of programme delivery Bi-weekly Muaythai lessons, additional support session (discussion group) and ad-hoc legal advice.
organization:
2. Were programme participants Yes, girls and boys (9–18 years). The programme is designed for youth living in East LA, specifically those
clearly identified? from immigrant and disadvantaged families.
3. What was the scope of participation Twice weekly, on-going (active since November 2017).
(months of participation, sessions per
week etc.)?
4. Were programme objectives clearly The programme objectives are somewhat articulated.
articulated?
5. What components did the Bi-weekly Muaythai lessons, additional support (talking groups) and ad-hoc child psychologist
programme deliver interventions.
6. Did the programme provide The age group is specific (9-18 years).
different activities for children and
youth of different ages?
8. Did the programme identify the There is no clear pedagogy at this stage.
pedagogy used, and did the
pedagogy change with the age of
the participants.
11. Was a process for sustaining the The programme is currently supported by Elisa Salinas. The gym is focusing on finding additional support.
programme in place?
Conclusions:
This gym has potential to become a community institution, delivering a unique sport in a community where youth are in particular need. A
second evaluation should be conducted at the end of 2018 to determine the progress since its launch in November 2017.
54
Selected good practices Part three: Examples of youth development through martial arts
3.2 Conclusions
Based on the curated intervention programmes 6. Very few programmes collect data beyond
reported above, some broad conclusions can be names of participants and dates of activities.
drawn regarding the value of martial arts as a youth It is very difficult to monitor effectiveness and
development tool. ensure a systematic cycle for development and
improvement in the programmes is in place. This
1. Many martial arts organizations actively seeks
makes it difficult for any type of evaluation of
opportunities to improve the lives of youth
effectiveness to be undertaken.
through a range on sport activities targeting youth
issues. The degree of professionalism and quality of 7. Many programmes are reliant on external
these programmes varies. funding, and are vulnerable to that funding being
withdrawn. One potential way to mitigate this
2. Martial arts have strong potential as tools for youth
problem would be through creation of social
development. The success of such programmes is
enterprises that used martial arts to first train and
realted to quality of design and implementation.
education participants and as they develop use
3. The articulation of clear objectives and pedagogies them as instructors in satellite fee-paying martial
varies (but is often absent) making it difficult to arts schools.
evaluate success.
4. Successful programmes appear to have three
things in common, whether they are run by
sport organizations, issue-based organizations,
or location specific organizations. The
commonalities are:
a. Sport is used to attract and retain
participants.
b. In addition to sport participation,
additional interactions or services are
offered or provided. These are frequently
educational, health, or related to either
social services support or employment
opportunities.
c. The programmes make significant efforts
to connect participants to their local
community.
5. In general, programmes do not have (or at least
do not clearly report) well defined targeted
participants beyond “youth” or “disadvantaged
youth”. The consequence of this is that
programmes rarely have objectives, activities,
or evaluations that are optimal for all ages of
participants, and do not appear to differentiate
between males and females. The exceptions to this
are programmes designed to empower females,
but even here, there is little appreciation for how
age/developmental differences influence optimal
programming.
55
PART FOUR
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES FOR
MARTIAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
© ICM
56
Selected good practices Part four: Youth development principles for martial arts organizations
This set of draft principles is designed to assist martial reviewed and up-dated to reflect international and
arts organizations in determining whether or not they national standards from the peak sporting body,
have in place policies, procedures and support to best national laws and local by-laws and human rights.
protect all members of the organization; including
1.1 Establishing a monitoring and evaluation feedback
participants, youth leaders, adult instructors and
cycle (sub-principle to be developed)
volunteers, and the organization’s management and
governance personnel. They outline the requirements
for martial arts organizations working with children Principle 2: Safety (1)(2)
and youth to ensure they are taking all reasonable There are a several factors critical to safeguarding
precautions for the safety and protection of participants children and youth and the forms available in the
in their care. annexes elaborate on these. The nature of martial arts
mean that the sport itself entails physical risks. The
The principles draw from key elements of a range of setting may contribute further to a range of other risks.
international documents relating to sport including They include:
the Kazan Action Plan, the Draft International Standards
for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport, ●● Organisational policy on safeguarding
developed by the International Safeguarding Children children and youth
in Sport Working Group1 and the Olympic Charter, as ●● Trained and responsible personnel operating
well as from guiding documents on youth development under guidelines that prioritize safe-guarding
such as the UN Youth System-wide Action Plan2 and ●● Written consent procedures
the UN Youth Strategy3. The draft principles consider
●● Adequate supervision
not only safety issues, but personal development and
universally agreed development standards. ●● Use of safety equipment including
protective clothing
These preliminary twelve principles should be ●● Adequate first aid equipment and procedures
considered in project design. These will be further
●● Procedures for participants to safely and
developed in the production of the next stage of
confidentially report abuse or harm of any type
the project. Principles 1 to 4 should be mandatory
regardless of whether the programme is primarily Principle 3: Health (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)
focused on training in a specific sport or martial art.
Ensuring good health means covering sanitation,
Principle 5 and onwards will assist to achieve a higher
hygiene, nutrition and physiology. This standard applies
degree of social outcomes and personal development.
to the setting of the programme (clean environment),
The last four are principles that start to move towards a
the personnel, the activities and the learning outcomes
transformative programme that is very deep, not only
that can accompany the programmes.
in learning about the martial art and the skills involved,
but a range of attributes that contribute to strengthen 3.1 Fighting non-communicable disease (sub-principle
youth ownership. to be developed)
Some additional areas for development are indicated 3.2 Addressing aggression and violent behaviour
as sub-principles. (sub-principle to be developed)
57
Part four: Youth development principles for martial arts organizations Youth development
Given the strong connection between martial arts and (1) Draft International Standards for Safeguarding and
culture, understanding the heritage of the tradition of Protecting Children in Sport
the sport and the community heritage from which it
(2) Kazan Action Plan
grew is intrinsic to developing a deep connection to
the sport. It also enables participants to appreciate (3) Olympic Charter
cultural diversity and heritage, which can be applied in (4) Global Action Plan on Physical Activity
other aspects of their lives.
(5) Sustainable Development Goals
58
Selected good practices Part four: Youth development principles for martial arts organizations
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