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8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesdày, AprIl 19, 2005 487 Laurier Ave. Cmu iyP ge 878-2881 Program helps girls deal with bullying Action for Safety teaches more than just physical self defence techniques By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion There's no minimum age requirement for bullying, and it certainly doesn't discriminate against the fairer sex. With that in mind, a relatively new local program ais ts arn' young girls with the verbal skills to diffuse schoolyard con- frontations, as well as self defence tech- niques for when that's jusA flot possible. Started up late last year and now in Ats second Ehree-montb session -made pos- sible through funding by the Milton Lions Club -Action for Safety is a joint venture between Girls lncorporated of Halton (for- merly Big Sisters of North I-lton) and the Milton School ofiJiu Jitsu. Classes are beld Wednesday evenings. under the direction of long-Aime martial arts instructor Darlene Kranstz. -Tbere's obvisusly the self-defence and physical fitness compontent of it, but the program also teaches verbal assertiveness training and conflict resolution tech- niques," 'explained Girls Inc. Executive Director Claudia Scobie. "The skills help girls increase botb their sense of personal Aafety and their ability to take a leadership in their communities to reduce violence and its effeets." Set in a non-threatening. small group environment, Action for Safety has had an immediate impact on its young partici- panEs, including nine-year-old Emma. "I'm leamning how to do a lot of tbings safely, like break falîs, and it's given me more confidence," she said. Best firiend and felluw group member Shannon, 10, stresses that a program like Action for Safety is necessary, because sadly enough, bullying is a very real prob- lem - even at ber age. "We're told to get a teacher if there's any trouble, but sometimes that's not possible," Abe explained. 'il wouldn't use therru (self defence techniques) unless it was absolute- ly, poAitively necessary, but I'm not afraid to use tbem. We're also taught verbal akilîs Eu try to solve problemrs without violence. l'vie done that." 'Big Sister' Jennifer Jones said that while Shannon's always been fairly confi- dent, Action for Safety bas done wonders for her. "It's given her sometbing Eu look for- 'The skills help girls increase both their sense of personal safety and their ability to take a leadership in their communities to reduce violence and its effects.9e CLAUI NUE ward to every Wednesday and someone to look up Au in Darlene"- said Ms Joncs. "The girls see her as a strung woman and want to learn fron' her." Ten-year-old participant Kennedy admits that ber cousin bas been a victim ut bully- ing and tbat ber recent self defence training bas given ber a sense of empowerment. She added, 'lt'll belp keep me sale and allow me to stand up for myself. and nEst by fighting.' Wbile certainly nu stranger Au self defence training. Ms KranstL said teacbing young girls presents a unique challenge. "I've bad to make some adjustiments and really add the element ut fun, because otb- erwise tbey just don't lean'." Wbile Action for Safety's still quite new. its instructor said its effects are already quite evident. "We bad some girls come bere that were somewhat witbdrawn, unsure of them- selves and really just nervous." recalled Kranstz. "BuE I can see the confidence building in tbemn. Wbat we're trying to do is create a founidation, nut just for nuw but later su that by the time they enter bigb sebool tbey're more prepared Eu deal with peler pressure and say 'No' Eu some of the Ehings Abat could Ereaten Eheir well being. "The key is Eu get these girls Eu feel coru- fortable and secure. Tbat's what alluws you Eu go forward positively." Action for Safety still bas tbree spots available for its spring session, which began just last week. Anyone interested in joining can cal] Ms Scobie at (905) 854- 9953 or e-mail ber at girlsincbalton@aol.com. Steve LeBlianc can be peached ait site- blanc@ehaltonsearch.com. 01 C GEC Coge-co Cable Channel 14 Programming Schedule - Tuesday, Apnil 19 - Monday, April 25, 2005 %Ily LOCl IblmVDIOI 5 Up PPigg MmO tel EXTRA EtOpm Simply Hallon 6 Otpm SinnpIy Hahon 5 OSpm A'Amas tel EKTRA A ODm TSCogeco Epos: TEP TE Xtsm ISCogeco Sports SPA CA0pm- 0p Plugged In! EXTRA AtO0pm Nset HeafTE 6:0pm Plugged In! EXTRA 6:30m s le Pa hriatAA 6:0Opm Midnight PluAed In EXTRA 6:0Ep -800p Plugged sn! EXTRA 5 O0pm Living Healhy: 6OEpsm Lving HeaPyý wiww.cogeco.ca CornetArts n Swap îTa (Lsve> 8uae01e Wa.Ap Di essontpeoo A: i o Rugg ln' EXTAtREAst Ln 7 o0p Living Healthy Don tCaiIl tapdure 60p srHeakh T:0p o a WAMP NORTH HALTON STUDIO T EusHUAD Auto5f Junsets (tie um. esio AIIIaIKUCUU itpu P'get'ts aitus Launer Plaza *à la TOApso PSipAp, HAae 5N0 LaurieAVenu Ma, ON Lgr4R3 aommýB1 9058780306n* TV MW wNmaa Tna, 2W