Kick Start in Europe ?

[Azimuth]

In a year or 2 , 3 from now
I would like to start/organize something for street kids and kids from parents
with small incomes that don't have the opportunity to pay high monthly fees .

The intention is to give free lessons for kids from the age of 12 till 18 to teach them some values in life
and to keep them of the streets.The only requirement for them would be to have sufficient good points in school.
bad results equals no training until they improve their results.
or something similar.( open for comments)

I picked up this idea from a dutch boxing program for young delinquents
http://www.opboxen.nl/index.html
(sorry,only in dutch )
and a similar program in the US from Chuck Norris
http://www.chucknorris.com/html/kick.html
http://www.kick-start.org/

I have a few questions now.
How do you guys see this work ?
Do you have any suggestions or how would i start this ?
Should i try to keep this very local or can we see things big ?
Do you have any suggestions for a name ?

I want to make this more than just a dream and involve as much organisations as possible .

[Martin H]

sounds very good as long as you can handle it financially.
Did you intend to have separate classes or just simply have them train for free in regular classes?

[Spirit]

In the USA this is very common... the government gives grant money to non-profit organizations (many dojo’s set-up non-profit organ; to gain these grants) relating to inner city kids (poor families & many other types of grants as well). My old instructor has one and I to will have one soon. You raise money any way you can and threw grants, though writing grants take some skill. You can use the profits from a tournament or demo’s or just have a jar for people to drop their loose change in it at the dojo.....
Basically in the USA you need to get your non-profit status , a lawyer does the paperwork (it’s about a month for paperwork, some pre paperwork maybe another 2-6 months, and 6 months of waiting to get it) and you’ll need to follow the strict guidelines to keep it. But the benefits are worth the efforts involved. Not only will you be able to help the kids come to Karate lessons, but you can give the money to any non-profit organization you wish to. You can help so many as your foundation grows with the money you gather as well with the money you receive from grants.

I guess you would need to talk with a non-profit lawyer in your country to find out the details, I would not count on us to give them to you since rules are much different per country... BUT the Idea is sound and very well excepted.
I would start now if I had any advice for you, since it takes so long to get things going and finding the correct people to run it and sit on the board (if that is needed in your county as it is in ours)

Good luck and keep the idea moving through your students. I will require each student to do X amount of hours doing some type of volunteering or fund raising with/for an non-profit group(s) per each rank testing, besides their normal material for each rank. This keeps the idea growing within the dojo as well helps to teach the students the importance in giving back the to society as well.

Keep us all informed of your efforts and possible others on the forum will donate to yours, mine, or other forum members foundations.

Maybe even Kyokushin4life will set up a place for its members to donate or learn about, other forum members non-profit foundations!!!

Keep working on your foundation and may all your efforts be helpful to a cause!

[smoothsake]

Azimuth, you should also know that setting up a NPO (Non-Profit Organization), at least here in the US, is a tax write-off to any donations you may receive. This could be quite beneficial to those donors that want to help your NPO and receive a tax expense benefit at the end of the year.

I think its a great idea. Too many inner city, young delinquents are just out on the street learning how to be criminals.

[kakatootoshi]

Dear Azimuth,
I hope your programme will become successful and I feel proud of you as a karateka.
Something about getting good school results for the free training. Aren't the kids who're falling behind at school need help most?

OSU!

[Azimuth]

Originally Posted by Martin H

sounds very good as long as you can handle it financially.
Did you intend to have separate classes or just simply have them train for free in regular classes?

I was thinking like separate classes but integration in regular class could be an option in the beginning . Although difficult to separate normal fee from special fee

[Azimuth]

Originally Posted by kakatootoshi

Dear Azimuth,
I hope your programme will become successful and I feel proud of you as a karateka.
Something about getting good school results for the free training. Aren't the kids who're falling behind at school need help most?

OSU!

You have a point there , i was just brainstorming to find a way to stimulate
them for doing there best in school aswell

[Azimuth]

Originally Posted by smoothsake

Azimuth, you should also know that setting up a NPO (Non-Profit Organization), at least here in the US, is a tax write-off to any donations you may receive. This could be quite beneficial to those donors that want to help your NPO and receive a tax expense benefit at the end of the year.

I think its a great idea. Too many inner city, young delinquents are just out on the street learning how to be criminals.

I still have some time to work things out , but the main thing here in Belgium is that you only get governmental aid if you can prove for two years that you are really non profit . So you first need to survive with sponsoring .
Luckily i found a sponsor but we have to work some things out and negotiate
about the place trainings will take place an stuff.

Thanks 4 your replies so far,
Japman-san i think regulations here to set up a Non profit organisation
is quite similar over here .
I will go and find myself some juristic information on setting up a npo

Keep ideas coming , lets brainstorm together .
Osu

[ksan]

http://www.opboxen.nl/index.html


I live about 15 minutes from that.. its very close to our old honbu in Hoogvliet...

What they do is legend around here.. think some pretty awsome fighters came out of that school... I though Regilio Tuur did but i am absolutely not sure about that.....

[Azimuth]

Indeed Regilio "Tuurific" Tuur started his boxing career under
Ome Jan .