Karate Instructor for Kids

Martial arts became popular in Europe and Italy starting from the 70s after the success of movies depicting famous fighters such as Bruce Lee.

A rising number of young people were fascinated by the way in which the sport was portrayed in these films and since then a number of martial arts have attracted their attention.

Karate is one of the martial arts which has experienced a boost in participation but it has become apparent that there is a severe shortage of coaches and funding available to maintain this momentum, particularly in a country such as Italy where soccer attracts almost all people interest. This is clear in Naples, the place where one of the most famous soccer player, Diego Armando Maradona, was the star of the local team for seven seasons and leading the local team to win its first Italian Championship among the other trophies. Further in Naples, where there's one of the highest unemployment rate in Europe (about 25%), families don't have enough resources to pay sports classes or equipment for their kids, so basically means that for most of the kids playing soccer in the streets is the only way they have to practice a sport.

In this scenario in 2012, Karen a Karate Champion and an English Teacher in one of the School in Naples area, was called by a priest of the Spanish Quarters, one of the most unprivileged area of the city, who was trying to involve the kids of the area in sporting and edcuational activties.

“Quartieri Spagnoli” (Spanish Quarters) is not only a much talked-about district in Naples. It is a world of its own, a complex and fascinating ecosystem where the outside rules do not apply. Local people accustomed to their peculiar lifestyle developed original, unwritten conventions. On every day Quartieri Spagnoli are packed with pedestrians, cars and whirring Vespas. Neapolitans do their living in the streets, especially in the Quartieri Spagnoli where you can find friendly shopkeepers, hear loud conversations in dialect between pizzeria busboys, and where you are most likely to accidentally interrupt a two-on-two soccer game. Shopkeepers and house inhabitants pour water down their basement floors and the street is slick. Bunches of people slip and nearly fall. This is not a sport club like others in a place typically associated with mafia gangs and lawlessness.

Karen started with just 8 kids which had just the money to pay 15 USD for the membership and mandatory insurance to the Federation... after a few weeks the kids started to trainee more frequently and got brilliant results in the first competions. In 2014 they have to quit from their gym and they found a new location, the only affordable with the fees paid by the young athletes, an old dismissed small church that they started to set for the increasing number of children who want to learn karate.

In 2016 Karen decided to bring her students to the World Championship in Japan, where she competed herself too and becoming World Champion in the style Tate Kodachi: one of them became World Champion too and another one became vice champion. Even if the athletes got an high number of success in Italian, European and World tournaments, the sporting team has too face a lack of resources for everyday activities and in particular for expenses due to tournaments participation.

Karen is a Karate 4th level (Dan) instructor and a Sports Chanbara International Instructor 3rd level (Dan) and she teaches Karate (Shotokan Style) and Chanbara (Japanese Sword fighting from Tanabe School) involving about 40-50 kidz of different ages and ability. Volunteers could support Karen and the other instructor in giving to the younger kids psychomotor education and exercise and if volunteers have enough karate ability you could help instructors during their classes.

Given the above mentioned lack of resources volunteers could help this sporting NGO in fundraising activities, promoting some crowdfunding campaigns, helping in some grant making activities or help in small renovations and in settings activties for the gym.

After the initial orientation, volunteers will have an afternoon shift at your placement and will work for approximately 4  hours on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays if you're coaching. 

Training are on M/T/W/F from 4.30 - 8.30 pm. The other days volunteers could support fund raising and communication activties.  

You may therefore plan daily activities which could include sightseeing, shopping or taking Italian language lessons. 

Please notice that according to the partner's need (i.e. matches or training camps) your shift might be requested offer support also on weekends.