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Thread: What's the going rate?

  1. #1
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    Default What's the going rate?

    Hey there all. I'm looking for some advice from anyone with experience on the matter. I was approached by a representative from a local charitable shelter to teach self defense to the employee staff. I agreed to meet with the person who contacted me in order to assess their needs. On the day of the meet, she told me that they scope of the request has changed. Here is what they want from me:

    1. Self Defense and Personal Safety instruction for the staff. They have already had attacks on the employees, so they are looking to put that to an end. Also, they need to be able to safely intervene and break up fights between residents.

    2. The same training for the male residents. They want me to train the residents who are still currently homeless so that they don't get beaten up on the street just because they are homeless.

    3. A program for the women residents that will help them to protect themselves and their children in cases of domestic violence.

    There are about 30 employees and about 1000 residents on the campus. They want to make the 3 courses available to any of the staff and residents that want to attend. Ideally, I would do this class twice a week. The problem I'm having is coming up with an amount. If it were one or two people asking for private lessons it would be a no-brainer. But I feel like basically, I would be teaching a seminar everytime that I go to this place. Keep in mind that these are people that do not have the time or the interest to join my regular class that I teach, or anyone elses for that matter. Any advice would be welcome. Thank you.

  2. #2
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    Default Teaching karate to the homeless?

    I'd be a little concerned about teaching karate to "the homeless". YES, I agree, they deserve to defend themselves, but I'd be somewhat concerned that SOME of "the homeless" might be doing most of the attacking OUTSIDE the campus.

    How about just making sure they always walk in groups, hire a security guard for the door, and forego teaching a possibly-mental-health-patient know how to "defend himself"?

    Later,
    Stephen W.
    ________________________________________________
    "Vi at tamen honore" (By force, yet with honor) - WYATT

  3. #3
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    I have to agree with Stephen......the staff should have time to train over the course of time....if they are at all serious.

    If they are not willing to make the time to get proper instuction then they probably are not that serious to begin with.......maybe.
    Chris Thomas

    "While people are entitled to their illusions, they are not entitled to a limitless enjoyment of them and they are not entitled to impose them upon others."

    "Team Cynicism" MVP 2005-2006
    Currently on "Injured/Reserve" list due to a scathing Sarcasm pile-up.

  4. #4
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    Since the request was for "self defense" lessons, and not "karate lessons" I think you can safely teach some common sense methods without worrying about the residents misusing what they were taught.

    A single class of 2 or 3 hours, stressing things like situational awareness, how not to look like a victim, etc., with minimal emphasis on actual fighting techniques.

    For the staff, breaking up fights between residents doesn't require a yondan in karate, rather it's about strategy: two or three staff members for each each of the combatants. PART (physical apprehension and restraint techniques), not kumite is what's needed.

    For domestic violence prevention, the main thing is psychological, rather than physical, empowerment. Teaching that no one has a right to abuse another, how to stop a bad situation from becoming worse by getting to a safe place and calling for help, and other such topics.

    Whether teaching 10 or 100, I myself would charge the same rate for that kind of program; probably $30 - $50 per hour.

    HTH.
    Last edited by Brian Owens; 4th November 2008 at 17:41.
    Yours in Budo,
    ---Brian---

  5. #5
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    Default

    Yeah, I have no intention of empowering the shelter residents with more tools than the employees (imagine that). But like I said, that is what they asked for.

  6. #6
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    I don't think I ever said Karate by the way. I don't know if that makes a difference or not...

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