I-KARATE GLOBAL

Non profit organisation

Thank you for your interest in our federation! We are looking forward to work together with you and your team. Please find hereby a brief overview of our offer, and how we would like to join forces. If you need more information, or if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

• To promote karate for people with a disability, expand and develop the principle of I-karate (ie. integrated karate) across the world. We focus especially on disabled persons who don’t do sports at the moment.
• To organize trainings, fellowships, competitions, sport days, holiday camps, tests, incl. formation of I-trainers
• To unite karate clubs, following their own traditions, but willing to integrate I-karate
• To organize activities, events, excursions, exchanges of sportive, cultural, social and other aspects, to help realize above principles and further integrate our I-karatekas.
• To promote mutual respect and integration, enhanced by the principle of buddies, ie. (young) valid karatekas assisting I-karakekas during training, competitions, etc. with the idea to create friendship during the karate-sessions but also in daily life.

I-Karate in more in detail:

I-Karate GLOBAL developed a method to teach all disabled people, regardless of the kind of disability.

This training method came to life by teaching, and has been continuously improved since its launch in 2007. So, training methods are different for ASS, wheelchair users, CP, visual impairment, walkers with learning difficulties and walkers with physical impairment.

In 2012, we organized or first competition in Belgium to see if we could integrate this safe method during competition. All athletes performed kata and kumite.The reactions of the I-karatekas were astonishing, so we knew that this was the right direction.

In 2015, we already organized our 7th competition. And as we speak, the way of organizing gets better and better.We developed a way to activate disabled people in schools and daycare centers, but also we connected and work together with cities and provinces.

We are happy to teach this practical working method to all of you.

Working method:

Important documents

• Scientific research by students of the College of Ghent, Belgium in 2013-2014, proving the positive impact of I-karate on the physical and mental wellbeing of children and youngsters with a mental disability who can walk.
• Scientific research to be started in fall 2016 by students of the same College of Ghent, Belgium, with the objective top roof the positive impact of I-karate for people with a physical disability, ie. wheelchair users.

Scientific background

Currently, we are an officially recognized federation worldwide, by federation “Recreas”, Belgium.

The I-Karate GLOBAL is also accepted within the structure of the Belgian karate federation. We recommend to that also in your country, with our support.

Within the Belgian karate federation, there is a commission for promoting I-karate, lead by Eric Bortels.

Recently, we applied for participation in the Erasmus+ Program, a European Union program for education, training, youth and sport of the European Commission, from 2016 to 2018. The application involves currently 6 countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Ireland, UK and Hungary), and the outcome of the application process is expected in October 2015.

Organizational development for the moment

• -A unique, approachable and safe training and competition league system, for I-athletes regardless of their disability.
• Formation and coaching of I-trainers and volunteers, including a specific program of specialized courses with in-depth explanations and video material.
• Continuous formation for I-trainers, as well in their country as internationally.
• Training and coaching for the further roll-out of the I-karate approach to stimulate mass participation.
• Access to the use of the unique Asai wheelchair katas.
• Possibility to invite I-karate trainers from other countries.
• Access to the use of tutorials, specially set-up to support I-karate.
• Advertising material, eg. leaflets, posters, … to promote I-karate locally.
• Administrative support, via structured documents, as a member of a worldwide recognized federation.
• Participation in a worldwide federation via eg. Competitions, exchange programs, trainings, stages…

Our I-karate package

Possibility for insurance: If you don’t have any possibility to connect with any federation, we can support you with our insurance.

The annual membership fee for trainers and members is 10 euro.

A one off contribution for the official license registration is 10 euro.

If you teach in schools or specialized facilities, it is only required to register the athletes who train outside the facility or who are participating in additional courses and/or in competitions.

With this license registration, you are allowed to join any competition, course, exchange, examination, trainers education (for I-trainers only) organized by the federation.

Membership and insurance

Everybody: all karate styles, martial arts system, combat systems, yoga, tai chi…

You can join in true I-Karate GLOBAL so true this federation there is a possibility that you can be connected by the karate federation.

Who can join ?

• 3 basic models
• Introduction to I-Karate GLOBAL basic training system
• Introduction to I-Karate GLOBAL judging system
• Competition overview
• Specific training systems per disability

Training and coaching for trainers

Each competition is combined with the 2 introduction courses on the day before the competition. Every competition of the I-Karate GLOBAL is open for all countries.

If you want to organize a competition with the I-Karate GLOBAL competition system in your own country, we are pleased to help you set-up the organization locally.

Each competition has to be submitted to the board of I-Karate GLOBAL, and after approval of the program by the board, the competition will be included in the official listing and will be promoted internationally.

We hope that the above information is clear, and has helped you to get a clear idea of what to expect when joining our i-karate federation. If you have questions, or remarks, please let us know!

Let’s go for it, and bring some I-karate sparkle to as many i-athletes as possible! Because that is why we are doing it: to put a smile on the faces of as many I-karatekas as possible, all over the world!

Agenda

Basic principles of the organization:

• everybody has to have a purpose in live
• everybody must have the possibility to participate in sport
• to take people out of their isolation, so stimulating social integration
• to make people happy
• this all leads to a healthier life

In summary, we aim to stimulate the integration of physically and mentally disabled children, youngsters and adults via sport, ie. I-karate or integrated karate, as part of their personal development by raising self-awareness, physical strengths and social contacts.

Who are we and where are we standing for: