By Martin E. Hansen, Member until 2018
After my election to the position of chairman of Shindenkan Denmark, it is with awe that I have taken up the gauntlet after the outgoing chairman, Jens Iversen, because we are now entering the last year of the Shindenkan Strategy Plan 2010-2015 and our goal is to create growth with new fantastic Shindenkaners in 2014 after the 2013 consolidation year.
The replacement strategic plan 2015-2020 was adopted by the general meeting in 2013, thus the progress and the long-term goals can continue smoothly and everyone knows these.
Another year has passed since the last count of member schools and the number of members in the Shindenkan Association and also a year in which there has been the addition of a new Shindenkan school in Ørestaden - which we welcome to the Shindenkan family and wish them luck in their continued establishment and growth in Ørestaden's local community.
For Shindenkan Denmark, 2013 has been a landmark year of consolidation, where the end of Shindenkan's largest venture to date – POMW – has created fantastic results nationally as well as internationally.
Shindenkan has carried out with great precision and accuracy the final stages of the epoch-making and innovative and highly successful internationally recognized project; POW! – Project Old Modern Warrior.
In 2013, we kick-started the two SDK shooting associations, both of which are also member schools of the Shindenkan Denmark organization, and also members of DIF and DGI. It has gone 100% according to plan and POMW maintenance has run for all members, so that the very high standard and competence has been maintained.
POMW is a success for Shindenkan in every way - and fully lives up to our motto: "We do as we say and say as we do".
POMW is inspired by the old grandmaster Minouchi Sensei's theories that a clarified person/people who are put at the center of a creation process can achieve results that exceed imagination for the benefit of everyone in a very simple and uncomplicated way.
POMW's task formulation was therefore; "How can you learn to shoot using the fastest and most effective learning method - without any prerequisites. You only have you, your inner clarification and attitude and nothing else. For a completely plausible solution, both static and dynamic shooting disciplines must be included at both short and long distances, and preferably on both a national, continental and international level, following the Shindenkan saying about the fulfillment of your full potential by being good to yourself through others and yourself in a holistic coherent perspective.
Read all about POMW in the articles on the wheel and the deep dish.
In 2013, we also welcomed the support association Shindenkans Venner, where volunteers from members' families, friends and other networks will lend a hand to support the solid community in Shindenkan and at the same time create financial means for continued development. One of these initiatives was the sale of Christmas calendars, with the profits going to Børnenes Vilkår and Shindenkan's Friends. In this regard, on behalf of Shindenkan's Friends, I would like to thank everyone for their good efforts.
Member development
In Shindenkan Denmark, we do the member count from week 6 to week 6 the following year and we have done this count since week 6 in February 2009, when in February 2010 there were 665 registered members in the Shindenkan organization. That is:
- Calculation for the year 2009, calculated in week 6 2010: 665 members
- Calculation for the year 2010, calculated in week 6 2011: 719 members
- Calculation for the year 2011, calculated in week 6 2012: 857 members
- Calculation for the year 2012, calculated in week 6 2013: 1084 members
- Calculation for the year 2013, calculated in week 6 2014: 1101 members
The statement for 2013 has shown a membership increase of 2 %, which means that we per week 6 2014, in Shindenkan Denmark there are over 1100 members:
Yes, 2013 has been a year of consolidation and a growth of 2%, one new Shindenkan School, is not that bad even because Shindenkan, as an organization, is geared for even more growth in 2014 and we are strictly following that strategic plan 2010-2015 (2020 ), which is adopted by the federal board and the General Assembly.
The inter-agency coordination committee; SOPORG – Shindenkan Operation & Organisation, which creates the essential bridge building and cohesion between system and organisation, is successfully starting its first year of life after the general assembly decision in 2013, May. This General Assembly also adopted an important and major update of the statutes and guidelines since the year 2000. The rapid growth has meant that it has been necessary to focus on a more streamlined and transparent organizational structure, but still in such a way that the professional development moment will still function in a optimal symbiosis with the connected. SOPORG is subject to the association's statutes, rules and guidelines, and on given task and project-limited power of attorney from primarily the federation board, but also coordinating with the Honbu competence center's board and chief instructor, which is the Shindenkan organization's primary international professional competence.
We must continue to become better and more efficient in our use of the 5 KPIs in all member schools so that our decisions and measures are firmly grounded in facts, and via Shindenkan's standard template, gather and use that overview and that clarity for the benefit of all member schools new and old.
Shindenkan's competence and development center – Honbu dojo's KPI is development and all resources are dedicated to this purpose, and we look forward to an expanded number of competence courses, especially for the higher-graded students in the coming season, but also an upcoming and much-demanded health education , which will include; Shiatsu, Ki & meditation, proper diet, proper fitness training, exercise programs, etc. It is intended and clarified that specialist doctors would also like to contribute the latest western and scientific angle during this general practical training course, which is intended to be open to all members, their family and supporters.
Remember! All work in Shindenkan and Shindenkan's member schools is voluntary and unpaid, because we believe that our values make a difference - we believe that Shindenkan is the place for everyone who wants to practice multi-track martial arts, and we want to pass on our knowledge and skills to a new generation in an improved, unreserved and structured way for the benefit of them and us.
Shindenkan will soon have its 50th anniversary in Denmark, depending on whether the year of establishment is 1965 or 1967. We are the third generation, but the size and level of expertise has never been higher than it is now. We will allow ourselves to be proud of this, but also humbled by it, as we are also responsible for the fourth generation, who will be handed the torch.
The relationship of solidarity with Japan, where the 1,000-year-old martial art system comes from intact, was emphasized when Yamana-Itotani Sensei - Kimu Sensei, was at his 45th training camp with SST. The training camp together with the other grandmasters from Menkyo Kaiden and up (9-10 dan) took place in Japan. Another one is planned for 2014 and probably again in 2015. It is important to remember that no one gets too old to learn new things and be inspired by each other.
I wish all of Shindenkan's chief instructors good luck with your results and, in my position as federation chairman, I will seek to establish new paths and measures that can help Shindenkan's development in accordance with the strategic plans adopted by the general meeting, to the joy and support of all members and the community.
I take up the challenge - We want 2014 to be the best year in Shindenkan's history - ever.
Kindest Shindenkan greetings
Martin Hansen, Federation Chairman, Shindenkan Denmark
