AKSB Teams up with Fighting Back Mentor Program

(Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse)

This week, our Executive Director and Head Instructor Lia Suzuki Sensei, will be meeting with Juliana Lee, the Mentor Program Coordinator from Fighting Back Mentor Program, part of the Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse. Fighting Back Mentor Program is a school-based mentoring program that matches adult volunteers with 4th-8th grade students in South Santa Barbara County.

Suzuki Sensei and Ms. Lee will discuss a collaboration between Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara and Fighting Back Mentor Program slated for sometime this spring – probably March. March being National Nutrition Month, seemed like a fitting time, so the agencies are setting their sights on that time.

Testimonial:

Past collaboration between Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara and the Counsel on Drug and Alcohol Abuse

If you’re having trouble viewing this video, click here.

The event will focus heavily on The Family. Lee stated,

“That means that the mentors, mentees and the mentees’ families are invited to join us. It’s a chance to bring together everyone who is involved in this program and encourage the families to become involved more with their children and healthy lifestyles. Although we are a mentoring program, we do see the family unit as a really important factor in children’s lives. A mentor is simply one part of the equation, but someone who the child can look up to as more of a friend than as a parent; the parents need to step up in that regard.”

Suzuki added,

“The family unit is so very important in what we do. Parents sign their kids up so that the child can enjoy the benefits of Aikido training – benefits such as increased self esteem, discipline, focus, sportsmanship, fitness, etc. If the family (or a mentor) doesn’t back the child up by first of all getting them to every class, lending moral support in their training, feeding them a healthy diet, etc. there’s no way that child can actually receive the potential benefits that Aikido training has to offer. We need families to get involved so the kids can take full advantage of good programs offered in the community.”

In regard to the collaboration of the two nonprofit organizations, Lee communicated to Suzuki,

“I’m excited to finally work with you to help address the at-risk youth population in our city.”

Ms. Lee and one of the members of her advisory board will also be participating in a class in order to get an idea of what they’ll be offering to the at-risk youth from their agency.

“I’m thrilled about taking a class this Saturday as well and have invited a few friends to join me… Needless to say, it will be fun.”

For more info about Fighting Back Mentor Program, you can visit their web page at the Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse web site or go to their blog.

Stay tuned for more details on the program as they develop and check out this video from a past collaboration between the two groups.