By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
SELF empowerment is the best way to ensure personal safety.
The Mount Evelyn Neighbourhood Watch annual general meeting will be held on Thursday 16 October with guest speaker Kyoshi Andrew Roberts, CEO of Edge Martial Arts, speaking about martial arts for personal safety.
Mr Roberts’s martial arts club is to devoted to developing and training young people and adults about the leadership and communication skills taught through martial arts practice as well as the spiritual self-empowerment that is nurtured through the sport.
“I teach my students how to kick, punch and block but we teach it for insurance.
“It’s nice to know you have those skills there but we hope our students will never have to use them,” Mr Roberts said.
Mr Roberts will touch on stranger danger, bully busting and self-protection at the meeting and how to resolve a situation before it gets to the point of using physical self-protection.
“We teach our students the importance of understanding why people react to certain things and to always treat others with respect rather than exacerbate the situation,” Mr Roberts said.
Mr Roberts has spoken at Lions clubs social events about self-defence, conflict management and protection with his primary focus on conflict management and teaching about body language and dealing with situations before they have the chance to worsen.
“Learning about personal protection and the customs that come with practicing martial arts has helped so many of our young students through some hard journeys in their lives and has taught them the importance of good decision making and building self-confidence.
“Martial arts is as much about kicking and punching for fitness as it is spiritual.
“A lot of what we do has underlying deeper concepts relating to bulling, confidence, self-empowerment and, most importantly, feeling good about yourself,” Mr Roberts said.
Mr Roberts has recently returned from a four-day seminar with motivational speaker Anthony Robbins to learn about dealing with situations before they worsen.
At Edge Martial Arts, Mr Roberts runs a leadership team with about 70 teenagers, where they discuss the effects of particular chemicals on the body.
“Martial arts lets off endorphins like all exercise and does make you feel better.
“You are in a group environment and getting mentored, unlike a gym.
“I will be speaking about what martial arts has done for me and for the community at the meeting,” Mr Roberts said.
“The Safety House committee do an amazing job and it’s really important that the community has the right awareness about dealing with conflict situations,” Mr Roberts said.
The AGM will be held in the Community Room, Station House, Wray Crescent, Mount Evelyn, at 7.30pm with a light supper provided.
Book by Monday 13 October with secretary Anne Walsh on 9736 2139.
