Street Awareness

This program was developed jointly by the Elgin Association for Community Living and the E & T Jiu-Jitsu to assist adults with developmental disabilities to become "street smart". The program has since been adapted for children and women and is being taught across Ontario and beyond.
The program reviews safe community situations, i.e. safe people, the use of one's senses - sight, sound, smell, and feeling "funny" to avoid unsafe situations. Each participant receives a copy of the "Tips to Street Proofing Guide" which uses pictures and plain language to talk about safe living practices i.e. to go on outings with a friend, always carry a quarter, know the phone number for the police, how to answer the phone or the door when you are alone, where to walk at night on the street, . . . The teaching team encourages group participation. The final part of the program demonstrates and teaches basic self protection skills, for example how to break away from someone if they grab you. Through out the training participants discuss the need to be aware of and responsible for their safety and to respect the self-defence skills that they are taught.
The Street Awareness program is 6 hours in duration and the recommended number of participants is 20. Each participant receives a certificate and a data base of all participants is maintained.
As the program is sanctioned by the Canadian Jiu-Jitsu Association all trainers must be certified by a qualified instructor.
Training for participants and trainers is available upon request. Participant training is $10.00 per person plus expenses. For information on the cost of trainer certification contact either E & T Jiu-Jitsu or the Elgin Association for Community Living.

Contact Information:

Ed McLachlan E & T Jiu-Jitsu 12 Park Avenue St Thomas, Ontario N5R 4V3 Telephone: (519) 631-7239 E-mail: elwm@canada.com or Tom McCallum Elgin Association for Community Living Telephone: (519) 631-9222 ext. 228 E-mail: tom@eacl.wwdc.com