Sev Necati Training worked in partnership with Comic Relief and Willesden Sports Centre

Sev Necati Training worked in partnership with Comic Relief and Willesden Sports Centre, to deliver our award winning project “Women & Young People’s Safety Solution.” 

Our workshop for women and girls in personal safety, self-defence and confidence building took part in Willesden Green and had a very positive and empowering impact on the group.   The project worked with women and girls, from the local community, from various backgrounds, ages, and abilities and who had multiple-complex needs.  Women aged 70 took part as well as young girls aged 13.  They all took part in the same practical training and drills and trained together with their own peer group as well as mixing with different members so they could push themselves beyond their limits.

The group took part in discussions and through the training were able to increase their stamina and strength.  Each week their confidence and self-worth grew and by the end of the course women and girls felt empowered to deal with and manage conflict as well as having more positive relationships.

Our projects look to empower women and girls and change lives!  Read how we do this and come join our next series of workshops!

The Participant - Case Study - One

Pauline, 19, Black-Caribbean, Single, no children.

Please tell us why they became involved in your project/activities?

It was an important thing for me to learn as I am going on holiday and it’s an all-girls group I wanted to feel confident and not be afraid if danger approaches us.  I was attacked a few months ago and made me feel vulnerable and I thought it would be a good confidence boost.  Basically it was with my brother he thought I was being rude and he started hitting me and I went to call the police but my mother asked me not too as I would then have to leave the house.  After that incident nothing felt the same, I was afraid he would do the same thing again.  I don’t talk to my brother. My mum is scared of him.  I have now moved out.

Please tell us how participating helped them?

It has boosted my confidence and I feel more-safer on the road.  I know what to do in a situation how to protect myself and I have a chance of surviving and not becoming a repeat victim.  And I can protect others around me, as well.

Please tell us what has changed for the participant as a result of engaging with the project?

I have changed a lot.  I realised I am stronger than I think and I am.  I can overcome things.  Like completing the course I am capable and I can do it, I am much stronger than I think I am.  I was able to do the striking and I thought I wouldn’t be able too.  So this has helped me a lot.

Thank you for everything!

Some of the Females Comments

“I feel much more secure and confident!”

“I learnt a lot will defiantly help me in different scenarios.”

“The course inspired me!” 

 “Self-Defence is important and the opportunity to train in an all-female environment is great.”

“This course showed me how physically strong I was and by the end I realised my stamina had increased.”

“It boosted my confidence greatly.”

“I enjoyed the floor work immensely.”

“I did not realise how unaware of my environment I was.  This course has made me so much more aware.”

“Sev really showed me how much strength I actually had.”

“I have actually changed positively as a person.”

“My confidence and self-worth has definitely increased.”

“From the first week until the last week I noticed the confidence within myself to deal with situations, in case of a possible attack or mental or emotional abuse.”

“The workshops helped build my confidence and self-esteem.”

“The power and knowledge I acquired to know what to do in situations I feel threatened in.”

“The training assisted me in having a positive mental attitude to resolving conflict.”

“The drills helped me build my stamina.”

“I enjoyed learning new skills and getting fitter.”

“I have more confidence in my daily life.”

 “The course helped to develop my overall health.” 

 “The training was well presented, hard work but fun as well.”

“The practical activities were very interesting and helpful.”

“I felt Sev managed to train everyone individually.”

“It was physically demanding at some point, but it brought a satisfaction of going over my limits and pushing further.”

“All of the knowledge was given in a very clear and joyful way.”

“I really enjoyed both practical and theory parts of the course.”

“The theory and practical both parts were perfectly balanced to keep me very focused.”

“Sev is enthusiastic, encouraging and positive and positive about women being able to protect themselves.”

“The training was great and inspiring.”

“Sev feels strongly about what she does and passes this knowledge on well to all of her students.”

“I really enjoyed the course and was eager to attend each week.”

The Participant - Case Study - Two

Karen, 25, East European, Single, no children.

Please tell us why they became involved in your project/activities?

I joined the course I realised that before I came to London I didn’t realise in was so dangerous, were I was working there was so many incident’s so I thought I could learn some tactics and strikes I could learn as a single woman to protect myself.  Mostly when I was back home I felt safer but in London it’s not like this.  I knew a woman was perceived weaker than a man but it doesn’t have to be like that.

Please tell us how participating helped them?

It has helped me the first thing it has made me much more confident mentally and when it come to the attack from anyone I was scared about the attack would they go away and now I feel more confident on what to do if I do feel scared.  Learning about muscle memory and feel more confident in case of an attack and what to do before something happens.  Physically it has made me stronger and it has reduced my smoking!

It was very nice to see like that at the beginning women thought they were so weak but they improved week by week and saw how strong they were and built their confidence and it was nice to see that.

Please tell us what has changed for the participant as a result of engaging with the project?

What has changed, the first thing I broke up with my boyfriend as he doesn’t respect me enough as I learnt this through the relationship’s work.  I realised he wasn’t treating me well his behaviour and what he was saying and it put me down.  I told him I didn’t like it and how uncomfortable I found his joke’s, but he didn’t understand so we broke up and it’s a relief to be quite honest.

I feel confident coming home late at night and if someone is looking at me threatening or intimidating or sexual way, or a way I feel uncomfortable I feel more confident within myself as they have no right at looking at me in this way and it has made me feel confident in dealing with this kind of situation.

I use to me so nervous before but I have calmed down now, maybe because of the relationship and everything else.  I was very active before but it didn’t make me feel relaxed.  I use to do so many things, horse riding and other sports.  The training I have done with you has really relaxed me.

Before I went for the course I thought it would be more just physically fighting I didn’t realise it would be theory and I took more from the theory and mind work.  The physically side pushed my limit’s.  I will be continually the training at another martial arts place.

I think the theory was amazing.

I feel going into a new relationship I know who I am and how I want to be treated which is so positive and empowering for me.

Thank you!

All names of participants have been changed to protect their identity.

If you are looking for sessions, workshops, projects and programmes that are both engaging, interactive and fun, but also informative and educational then please contact us at:

info@sevnecatitraining.com

If you think that you would like to get involved in our projects then please get in contact.  Our aim is to reduce violence and the fear of violence especially towards females and young people and we do this by delivering empowering projects to the local community.  Please contact us: info@sevnecatitraining.com