In Japan, we have more than 1,000 years of history. But we are one of the oldest Danish martial arts organizations, which in 2017 can celebrate 50 years of history in Denmark and Europe - we are very proud of that and we think it's fantastic!
2016 – 2017 was another fantastic season for Shindenkan Denmark, which culminated with a well-executed summer convention as the crowning glory of a year where everyone, and especially the Shindenkan honbu-dojo, made an extraordinary effort.
Because it is no secret that we at Shindenkan take great pride in having a very high level of competence. We get this through the total cooperation we have with Shindenkan Honbu dojo, where Yamana-Itotani Sensei is the chief instructor, and with Shindenkan's Competence and Development Center, where the project manager is Yamana-Itotani Sensei, with SOPORG as the steering group.
After the completion of all local Shindenkan associations' annual general meetings in May, it was time to hold the national general meetings for the respective Shindenkan connected and Shindenkan Honbu (JGS) with input from the local schools so that the old season could be concluded successfully and the foundation stones for the new season could be laid.
The national general meetings for season 2016-2017 were held as planned on 18 June 2017 and for all those present it was the Shindenkan organisation, which consists of Shindenkan Denmark connected, the political and democratic association and Shindenkan Honbu-dojo which represents the 1000-year-old competence system. Shindenkan Honbu-dojo which consists of Jokokan Greve Strand & SDCC; Shindenkan Development & Competence Center (respectively JGS and SDCC).
The general meetings were conducted according to the adopted formalities and took place in good order.
At Shindenkan's general meeting, I was elected as the new federation chairman for the next 4 years, with Søren Nielsen as deputy chairman and support. On behalf of the board and I allow myself to write minutes, with the permission of the various national chairmen and at the same time introduce myself to those who do not know me.... Yet J
My name is Jens Richter Iversen, I am 55 years old and have been training karate since 1974. I am the second generation in Shindenkan and have been able to shape Shindenkan's development, from a small elite federation to today where we are a large elite federation with room for everyone – the elite as the exerciser.
Shindenkan is today a large federation with many democratic member schools and activities that spread over all aspects of Yakami Shinsei-Ryu and I am proud that it is now me who has the torch for the next 4 years.
At all general meetings we take stock of the year and this one is no exception, so what is the status of Shindenkan Denmark.
It has been a very busy year in which we have followed the strategic plan 2015-2020 with a focus on member development and growth as well as retention and progression. Shindenkan has participated 100% in the international health project ShieldKISS, which has become very large internationally. The project takes place in 8 countries. The experiences of the first years with total openness around the project and all the sub-projects put pressure on the resources, so that these were not used optimally and according to the project's purpose. Philosophical and ego-driven dialogues without any end goal are fruitless and time-consuming. Therefore, the project is now like an iceberg, the most important 90 % of the work gives work peace, and the last 10 % gives dialogue after; "Everything to gain, nothing to lose - Try it if you feel like it", as well as discreet predictive indications in many different medical fields, which fortunately a few years later turn out to be published in scientific journals. It is optimal in such a project if the overall picture is coordinated, so that each individual piece creates maximum value for the overall coherent picture. Especially if this piece is in several layers and uses all knowledge and experience coherently. It creates results with seven-mile steps, but according to the motto "To be more than to seem - for the good of everyone now and in the future, is the greatest honor and achievement".
Since 2015, we have implemented Steps 1-5 with room for "More fun" and NKT - scheduled National Competence repetitions. We have launched concepts for SB, BB, 9-5.kyu and new concepts for SST, joint rallies.
And not least, we have taken the first steps with OBC – Shindenkan's mandatory competence Certifications and stop tests armed/unarmed.
You can read more about all this in two separate articles that follow this one J.
But what is OBC?
OBC draws the future through a continuous development circle that maintains and gradually increases the level of competence of all Shindenkan members. OBC is a cascade from the original – from Martial Arts grandmasters to Honbu instructors, to chief instructors, to deputy chief instructors, to black belts and brown belts – yes to all members. From national level to local schools and in short to everyone who wants to maintain and further develop their level in their Shindenkan life cycle - from year to year!
OBC is a prerequisite for graduation and progression in a true multi-track martial arts system on the road to Black Belt! At the same time, OBC offers that all Shindenkan members can stand over a period of their lives and through OBC get back to the same level as they have previously achieved through Shindenkan's competence courses - in other words, OBC is a social network that holds the hand of all Shindenkans members as they go through their changing life cycles. We use our knowledge and experience, because what is knowledge and experience worth if it is not used?
Status
The status at this general meeting is that the Shindenkan association has had growth in the number of members over the past several years and is therefore a success when it comes to the number of members - and we are very proud of that.
Shindenkan Denmark is currently unable to create the necessary finances itself and the operation is therefore covered by several voluntary private investment sponsorships of varying sizes, Honbu investments and other smaller priorities.
The primary income is created through federation quotas and this is not enough - therefore the federation Shindenkan's deficit has increased over the years. The lack of finances creates great pressure on Honbu-dojo and SCDC, which thereby lacks money for new development and the prestige projects that are adopted at the general meetings, locally as well as nationally.
It is unsustainable in the long run because, among other things, it means that Shindenkan's commitment to the internationally successful project SHIELD KISS will end at the end of 2019 – that is, 2 years before the original time. Shindenkan's agreement with the project follows the agreement adopted by SOPORG April, 2017 and presented and adopted at GF17.
Shindenkan's lack of finances also means that other revolutionary international prestige projects such as POMW and SHIELD KISS, which are financially costly, no longer take place - unless the funding IS secured in advance.
It's quite a shame as it really put Shindenkan on the map internationally and put Shindenkan in the progressive world league. The results and conclusions of the POMW have now been progressively to discretely evaluated by many different countries and are partially to fully implemented. Which we are very proud of! It is free knowledge and conclusions that have been collected and made available free of charge to those who are open and need it.
SHIELDKISS WWW is clearly the biggest and the Shindenkan project that has had the biggest influence and impact in so many areas. It has exceeded our wildest dreams, but is the coordination and mediation of knowledge with results for the future that we ourselves do not yet fully understand. But we understand the spirit of the project! Helped by the naivety of the first years and traditional project communication, to total focus on the higher purposes without thinking about "honor, fame and rewards" - only solving the task. It is very selfless and beautiful.
My focus for the next 4 years
So what can I offer? Well, let me see - collaboration, experience, heart blood, continuity and competence, so it will be my task as the new board to create new paths and opportunities in the coming 4 seasons - which will lift the economy decisively.
After the review, the annual reports for 2017 were put to a vote after the review and were unanimously adopted. The accounts for 2017 were presented and unanimously adopted. The budget and the confederation quota were agreed to be at the same level as last season. However, if the Shindenkan confederation is to be financially self-sustaining in the coming years, we must solve the primary task - which is to obtain support crowns in the form of grants, sponsorships, etc.
Shindenkan's Activities
All the national activities in Shindenkan are offered by the Shindenkan honbu-dojo, which both creates the content and takes care of all the planning, has the competence, provides the instructors and ensures the implementation. The Shindenkan association provides the framework in the form of premises, set-up and clean-up. This collaboration works perfectly for all members of Shindenkan Denmark.
The activities for the new season are always planned according to the needs of the Shindenkan organization and the number of potential participants per year. activity and this plan is presented to the association at Shindenkan's annual general meetings and adopted by vote.
I encourage all members, instructors, local board and parents to keep an eye on the Shindenkan calendar because this is where all the important dates for the national activities are made public. The activities are available on Shindenkan's calendar from early June each year - so always remember to look at Shindenkan's calendar at the end of June J
The calendar is a Google calendar and in our modern world with smartphones you can subscribe to Shindenkan's calendar - so that you are always up to date.
SDKSkyt
The POMW – Project Old Modern Warrior project led to the establishment of a new association; Shindenkan Shooting Association in 2012. The reasons for that can be read at; www.pomwproject.com and www.sdkskyt.dk
The year has also gone well in SDK Skyt, where we have held many activities for our members - primarily outdoors because most of our members like to shoot outside best, - and it is also healthier J. This is mainly at Hanebjerg Shooting Center, Hillerød, which also houses a number of IPSC shooting associations. The winter shootings take place at Tapeten, Ballerup. All formalities were observed, report, accounts and budget adopted for 2017-2018.
