Project On Guard is using karate and self-defence training to educate and empower young individuals to make informed lifestyle choices.
Suffia Hussain is a karate and self-defence coach with Goshukan Karate Academy in West Yorkshire. After identifying a need for a safe space for local young people – particularly those in ‘harder to reach’ communities – to discuss and learn more about real life issues around personal safety, she worked with West Yorkshire Police to develop Project On Guard: a five-week youth empowerment and resilience building programme aimed at educating and empowering young individuals to make informed lifestyle choices.
The programme is designed for young people between the ages of 11 and 17 and is delivered across five weeks, with each workshop lasting for two hours. The initial segment of each session focuses on practical, scenario-based self-defence training, followed by discussions on various topics including healthy relationships, grooming, controlling and coercive behaviour, gangs, and drug and knife crime awareness. These discussions are facilitated by young mentors, chosen from past programme graduates who have become advocates and champions for the initiative.
Initially designed for girls and young women, the programme has now expanded to offer sessions for boys – with each set of workshops tailored to the individual needs of each gender, creating a safe and open environment for all participants.
The programme has continued to grow in popularity through word of mouth – a testament to its positive impact and Suffia’s approach to engaging with the young participants. Feedback from both participants and parents and guardians has been overwhelmingly positive, as the below testimonial shows:
“My children have attended and trained with Suffia for several years. My daughter attended the very first Project On Guard programme. At the time my daughter was going through some serious emotional difficulties after suffering bullying at her previous school, and even though she loved martial arts, she was very reluctant to attend. The style of the programme was amazing, however, and the facilitator Suffia’s excellent engagement skills were exactly what she needed.
“My daughter attended every single session after the first one, and is a real testimony to how Suffia is empowering young people, and the overall success of the programme. After the programme my daughter was offered a chance to volunteer and help deliver the workshops to other young people in different areas of Bradford.
“Suffia’s coaching style makes her stand out over others. She is able to really understand the people she works with and especially young people. She will always offer additional time and go above and beyond to support her students and members, and get the best out of them by motivating and encouraging them to be the best version of themselves.
“My daughter had low self-esteem and confidence and was making some wrong decisions that were having further negative impact on her emotional mental health. Suffia’s engagement and support came at the perfect time. Over the weeks, Suffia gave her space and time to build a trusting relationship and then allowed my daughter to reflect and work out solutions for her behaviour. This restorative approach allowed my daughter to believe in herself. I am forever grateful to Suffia for her support.”
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