A year has passed and we are now in the year 2021 and can look back on an associationally tough year 2020 for the organization, which was characterized by the Corona pandemic with shutdown March 12 and until the outdoor training in May/June, with indoor boxing training from August onwards to October and again with further restrictions in November and early shutdown in December! A turbulent year of planning, replanning and replanning again.
A year with a pandemic that has made it virtually impossible to run effective recruitment campaigns, to hold open house events for new or prospective members or to hold exhibitions. A pandemic that has made it virtually impossible to plan and implement competence activities for our members or for us as a management team to live up to the goals in Shindenkan's GF-Strat23 plan.
A year in which we also found new ways to cultivate our community through box-controlled training, with a huge focus on the members' safety and compliance with all conarrestrictions - at any time.
But where do we stand now? Because it must be said to have been another very eventful year in Shindenkan Denmark's history and once again it has been fantastic and very positive to see how all the member schools and members have stood together to protect and maintain the community in Shindenkan.
We have now also been closed down with restrictions in the first 2 months of 2021, and this has produced a result that makes the infection numbers appear to be falling. The vaccination is in full swing and that it may be that society opens up schools, businesses, companies, etc., but we do not know exactly when association life will be opened up again, so that we can once again occupy our dojos and once again create supergood training for all of us.
In Shindenkan Denmark's management, we have met virtually and talked together every day throughout the period, to do the best for Shindenkan Denmark and to constantly evaluate and improve, and to constantly be as much at the forefront of the situation as we possibly could. We have had fantastic collaboration and focus - together with Honbu's chief instructor, who is the one who laid out the strategy and developed the concepts that we have been able to use nationally for everyone and locally across the schools together with you.
We constantly listen to you as members and constantly try to think outside the box - is there anything we can do, create or say to improve the situation - we can do it better than last time.
Mental health is the most important thing in our society right now and that also applies to us! We must always ask ourselves what we can do and, as role models, we can be a good example for motivation, for reaching out to each other and for standing firm on unity - which forms the foundation for the development of ourselves as people and perhaps a foundation for lifelong friendships.
It takes so little - but it means so much to us that things are extended.
Because like all people we need to support each other, we need to come together, to take back mental health, to let mental health benefit us, we need the tools that Shindenkan gives us - we need to stand together, because we can do much more than ourselves and others tell us!
As federation chairman of Shindenkan Denmark, I am very proud of all the initiatives we have taken and the support we have received from our members.
Shindenkan – Multitrack Martial Arts
In Shindenkan we train the multi-track martial arts system Yakami Shinsei-Ryu Karate-do and when I look back at us over the last year, we have - through Honbu-dojo's Chief Instructor - shown again that we are multi-track in every way - and that we truly believe that there is something bigger than ourselves. This is also what Shindenkan's value set offers us.
It is therefore with pride, but also with mixed feelings, that I look back on the year that has passed and write "State of the nation", which is always the rounding off of the year and gives the temperature of our Shindenkan - and the result of that effort and energy that we all do voluntarily and unpaid.
A multi-track assessment of the past year also shows that despite a huge effort and a very positive result from the feedback we have received along the way, Shindenkan Denmark has suffered a decline in membership and a financial situation that clearly shows that we have to work a lot to get back on the horse – when society opens up. The good thing about it is that we are 100 % ready for the task! We can go the distance - together 🙂
I don't even dare to think where we would have been if we hadn't carried out all the multi-track activities that we have.
And I am proud of what we have done - of all our initiatives and the reception it has received. And we would do it again and again. We have been in business from day 0 and we have created and carried out initiatives across schools. Of course, we drive multi-track, because that's who we are.
The list of members
Every year, all voluntary and democratic associations under the Public Information Act in Denmark must calculate their membership numbers for the previous year and this also applies to all member schools in Shindenkan Denmark - this must always be done no later than 31.1.20xx.
That is why Shindenkan Denmark's overall calculation of membership numbers is also adapted to the membership calculation of all local associations and runs according to the same national model and agrees with memdelstal.dk.
The statement of 2020 is no exception.
Status of members
The status in week 6 of 2021 shows that Shindenkan Denmark has lost members during the Corona pandemic! After the calculation of all member schools in connection with the annual updates to memdelstal.dk, it is clear that Shindenkan Denmark has experienced a membership decline of 21 %.
Seen through my eyes, as the chairman of the association, this is far from satisfactory! - But to a large extent expected after a season where it has been largely impossible to create a basis for recruiting new members. Shindenkan Denmark is at the level of 2011 in terms of membership.
In Shindenkan Denmark's management, we 100% agree that this is the result of the Corona pandemic, where in the second half of 2019 and the first 2 months of 2020 we had the best membership intake for several years! Then came the shutdown on 13 March 2020 and despite all our fantastic initiatives, since then we have only been able to recruit new members for perhaps a fifth of the season and this under conditions that have been Corona restrictive.
Now we are at the end of February 2021 - we have done everything we could and the final membership statement means that Shindenkan has a very large net loss in the 2019-2020 season and in the first half of the 2020-2021 season, and this is now a reality that it has been continued into the second half of the 2020-2021 season – that's a lot for an organization like Shindenkan Denmark!
But we also know that it is not over yet, because it may be that the voluntary associations will remain closed until after Easter. We are in the process of preparing ourselves as best as possible, but only when we know the Danish government's precise opening plans for the voluntary associations - can we initiate our plans 🙂
Economy
The Corona Pandemic has also been a stick in the wheel for Shindenkan Denmark's economy and that has not made it any easier. It has been another year in which the association has not been able to create the necessary finances that are needed - an economy that is also needed during a Corona Pandemic! Therefore, operations are once again covered by several voluntary private investment sponsorships as well as Honbu investments and other smaller priorities.
We have moved and canceled activities again and again throughout the season with great financial loss as a result! And as previously emphasized, Shindenkan does not have a credit card with transaction protection, which means that we have no right of objection and thus no right to refund the investments that have been made.
Every time we move or cancel, a contingency plan is made - to ensure the implementation of the activities in the adopted strategic plan! This again means that every time we do this, we have to create new financial security to be able to carry out the moved activities and, as previously emphasized, the activities are most often financed through private approved outlays, which are then subsequently reimbursed after validation and control locally or nationally by the respective democratically elected managements and committees.
All this creates an enormous amount of extra work for the management and it entails financial losses, because it is certainly not all refunds that can be done at once - far from it.
The challenge is still that the system is backwards and we at Shindenkan are of course always looking to achieve the best conditions and discounts. This means that advance payments and purchases are made in good time with timely care. This was also the case for season 2019-2020, which was the season where all the outlays that were adopted by the general meeting in 2015/2016 and implemented, finally had to balance!
In Denmark, only the large sports organizations with paid employees can get this, and since everything in Shindenkan is voluntary and unpaid, we only have a Debit Card - just like 99 % of all the other sports associations in Denmark! This is regardless of whether the Shindenkan are big in Martial Arts.
But as we all know, martial arts in Denmark is a smaller and more dispersed sport than, for example, football, handball, badminton, tennis, golf and so on.
In Shindenkan Denmark, we do not yet know the full effect of the past Corona year, but await the results of all pool applications which will be calculated in the second quarter of 2021 and are therefore ready for the local as national general meetings. But it must be emphasized that we have done what we could on an equal footing with the other associations and applied to all the possible support pools for 2020 and what has been possible until now in 2021 - but this continues right into the second quarter of 2021 .
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.
Shindenkan's board aims to create a larger economy. But we have to crawl before we can walk and we continue to work to create a more secure financial foundation for the future. We will go about things differently in the coming season and have made a number of realistic milestones which will be the foundation for the coming years.
Precisely because our expected funding has not been large enough, we are largely dependent on sponsorships. We have been lucky enough to receive a small sponsorship in connection with our POMW settlement and we are VERY grateful for that, but sponsorships always come with a bond and that means we cannot plan large projects - because sponsorships are a very uncertain basis.
However, we are not the only sports organization that has experienced this. There is therefore currently again another agreement has been made with the main creditor. It is not something we are proud of, but we have no other options. The critical situation is the same for all sports associations in Denmark with voluntary and unpaid association work for the benefit of society and all members. It has been, and is, a hard time, and it will also be hard work in the future. But TOGETHER we can do it and TOGETHER we can reach the goal with GF-Strat23.
National General Assemblies.
The national general meetings are always after the completion of all local Shindenkan associations' annual general meetings in May, so the national general meetings for Shindenkan Danmark connected and Shindenkan Honbu (JHLE), can be run with input and election of delegates from the local schools, so that the work and knowledge that has been in the old season can lay the foundations for the new season. We are proud that all local and national general meetings were held on time, which thus became a victory for democracy and normality in Shindenkan.
This could be done because all members of the board of representatives were out collecting proxies in the respective local associations - so that all the formalities of the general meetings could be observed. We carried out all general meetings perfectly according to rules and guidelines, the budgets were adopted and all plans can and will be implemented / realized in 2021 / 2022.
It is absolutely crucial for a martial arts organization like Shindenkan Denmark that democracy is respected, and despite the challenges of the ban on gatherings, it succeeded fantastically well to carry out both local and national general meetings 2020 in the best democratic way. This was democracy at its best, which was expressed through local votes and subsequent collections of proxies for the national general meetings, so that the local delegates could support the community in the best democratic way - and at the same time comply with the Corona legislation in force at all times.
The democracy in Shindenkan Denmark and the member schools' support for maintaining democracy mean that we are a very harmonious and well-run organization - where cooperation is the focus.
We know that this year we will be able to carry out the national general meetings as planned at the end of June 2021, cf. official calendar. We did it in the difficult Corona year 2020, so of course everything can be done again in 2021!
Therefore, we hereby invite all member schools to collect proxies from all members, so that the democratically elected leaders and representatives can represent the member schools at the annual general meetings in 2021, which consist of both the Shindenkan Denmark association and the board of representatives - which make up the political and democratic association and of Shindenkan Honbu-dojo – representing the 1000-year-old skill system.
As you know, Shindenkan Honbu-dojo consists of Jokokan Honbu-dojo & SDCC – Shindenkan Development & Competence Center (JHLe and SDCC respectively).
Strat23 was otherwise well underway.
Despite the fact that the Corona Pandemic has put a big stick in the wheel of Strat23, this is unchanged and OBC is an important part of Strat23 because OBC helps to ensure that the essence of Yakami Shinsei-Ryu is intact. The essence means that Yamana-Itotani Sensei must ONLY correct one place, after which the correction spreads like ri
nge in the water for the rest of Shindenkan 🙂 That is why OBC is crucial for Shindenkan Denmark's future and for the outcome of Strat 23, not only for the level of competence but equally for the current and future generation of Shindenkan members - because there is room for everyone, the elite as the exerciser.
In the long term, OBC and NKT will ensure an increasing level of competence in Shindenkan and each annual OBC will be at a slightly higher level. The goal is at least one full belt per third year for black and senior brown belts.
Important: It is still important that all members see that there is a limit to how long you can be away! And then still away could resume your development at the same point where you have let it go! Here are a few examples: A 2nd Kyu from 2017/2018 corresponds today to a 4th Kyu. A 1. Dan from 2016/2017 corresponds today to a 2. Kyu in competence level.
REMEMBER: OBC can ensure both the level of competence and if the accident happens and you become injured or ill for a long time, or if you are challenged in your life cycle with divorce or death or if you take on a career challenge such as posting or if you simply need a break.
You can do this for up to one year. But it is still our recommendation that you are not away for more than a year from your annual certification. And should you choose this anyway, the OBC support structure supports that you can get back to competency level according to the curriculum manual applicable to everyone, but then it just takes a little more or something more than one year. This also means that you can train for many years - and welcome throughout your life at Shindenkan. There are a lot of people who already do that - now just for several generations.
Leadership development: In a multi-track martial arts organization like Shindenkan Denmark, leadership development and competence development is a must - it is crucial! Due to the Corona Pandemic, Shindenkan Denmark's normal 24-7 face-to-face leadership development has been put on hold for almost a year and it can be felt everywhere. But it is of course also our duty, as Chief Instructors and Instructors, to take the lead when we are in a Corona Pandemic and show that we are true role models who can see beyond the tips of our own noses, that we can reach out and stick to it we have created together – that we believe in something bigger than ourselves.
Remember that we – the democratically elected leaders and chief instructors – are in exactly the same situation as everyone else. We have families and a job to look after, we miss our friends, comrades and Shindenkaners. But if we don't do EVERYTHING to be role models for others, help and support others, then the light and hope of many of our closest people goes out. Which not only includes our family and friends, but definitely also where we as zealots believe in something bigger and higher – Shindenkan since 1967.
Multitrack Truth: I would like to quote Honbu's Chief Instructor, who again and again emphasizes the importance of this to us Instructors 🙂 :
"The corona time offers ALL of us a unique period of time - once in a lifetime, a unique time and opportunity.
A time when you cannot escape from reality without serious consequences, a test of whether YOU can selflessly help your neighbor and other people in need, and ALL ACTIONS come from yourself and the person you want to be and create".
"It's real-time crisis management training so it beats! And that cannot happen optimally without you developing yourself, towards your best potential – YOURSELF”!
This is a direct quote from Honbus' Chief Instructor and he is 100 % right about that!
It is equally important to state that, like everything else, this also has a cost, both financial and human. Honbu's chief instructor has done a huge job to plan, support and help us chief instructors to carry out the tasks and be constant in our efforts to keep ourselves and Shindenkan Denmark's banners high. Because motivation is needed and we need the constant power that comes from our Sensei, we need people to reach out to us, we need the cooperation, the conversations, the meetings and yes, not least the training to maintain, maintain and develop ourselves.
Although there has been partial support via the national Corona pools, for which we are very grateful, the organization has suffered a great financial loss in activities and leadership development, which after replanning after replanning and after cancellation after cancellation has several lost expenses and costs that we do not have the opportunity to correct again within Strat23.
For leadership and competence development, the Corona Pandemic means that all leaders in Shindenkan Denmark have selflessly had to set aside their own needs and own development, in order to serve the community and do the best for us all - and we have done our duty, FIGHTED and kept our eyes open on the ball and we still do that 🙂
But as an organisation, we must also keep an eye on the competence ball, on leadership development – because this is where Shindenkan Denmark differs. If the top does not develop, then the development for everyone is reduced. So now we have to look forward to leadership development again and try to make up for lost time - because without higher skills at Chief Instructor level we will not reach the finish line with Strat23!
Shindenkan's Activities
After a year of planning, replanning upon replanning, we very much hope that 2021 can provide a stable basis for the conduct of Shindenkan's activities.
All the national Shindenkan activities are offered by the Shindenkan competence center Honbu-dojo, which both creates the content and takes care of all planning, has the competence, provides the instructors and ensures the implementation. It has the advantage that the same minimum level of competence is ensured for all local and national member associations, according to the common curriculum manual. The Shindenkan association provides the value-based community, effective joint structure and optimal joint processes, support functions for activities and 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. Shindenkan's activity calendar is updated with what we can until the summer and will be continuously updated for next season.
The calendar: Again this year, 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 announced. The activities are available on Shindenkan's calendar from the beginning of June each year - so always remember to look at Shindenkan's calendar at the end of June 🙂
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.
Exciting initiative in Honbu Dojo.
It is still planned that Shindenkan Honbu Dojo Camps, in the coming seasons, will plan the holding of "The Viking Samurai" - an increasing number of joint events in Camps to draw a historical line between the Danish Vikings and the Japanese samurai warriors. The host of these historic events is the Jokokan Honbu-dojo and a proposal was therefore made that the name of the association going forward is Shindenkan Honbu-dojo + city name Lejre - The proposal was unanimously adopted and it will be very exciting 🙂
Focus for Shindenkan Denmark's presidency in the next 2 years
Can we change ourselves and our perception, can we learn something from Shindenkan Denmark's management of the Corona Pandemic and the initiatives that we have implemented? – The answer is Yes, we can! We can learn M
OWN of the multi-track initiatives we have carried out over the last year, and we can translate it into a new way of approaching our tasks, a multi-track approach and that is of course what we have to do. But the task and focus have not changed, but it has been difficult to make a huge difference to growth during a Corona pandemic..
The task is still to bring Shindenkan Denmark back on track and it will be the chairmanship and the federation board's noblest task to create new paths and opportunities for growth and cooperation across the member schools in the coming 2 seasons.
So that together we can attract more new Shindenkaners, so that together we can retain current Shindenkaners and so that together we can add new energy to the positive attitude that all members of Shindenkan have, to do their best for competence retention and development.
Season 2021-2022 will be fantastic - because we are facing a breakthrough, a new beginning, a sunrise - cloudless blue sky and after Corona. A multi-track season more important than ever!
We must invest in economic growth, investment in competence development and leadership development at all levels - because without food and drink the hero will not do, or in other words: if competence is not increased, the system will be diluted! If the leaders do not develop, then the members do not develop either and the associations are diluted.
So the road is clear right in front of us 🙂
Because isn't Life really Positive?
My answer is a BIG resounding YES! I dare say it - because no matter what, I think that life is positive, because we can inspire each other without being physically together - because we share Shindenkan's Soul and If there is one thing we have learned - regardless of whether we are in the middle of a Corona pandemic - So it is that our fighting spirit is intact and we don't let it destroy Shindenkan's soul - because together we stand strong!
BOKS graduation: I would like to emphasize once again that it was absolutely fantastic that we were able to complete the 3 fantastic BOKS graduations that ended 2020. The planning and safety were top notch and of course 100% coordinated according to the Danish Health Authority's guidelines and rules - reinforced with Shindenkan's own safety rules such as was nationally coordinated by the Honbu dojo.
There was plenty of really high intensity and especially a sense of community with a high technical level, and as always the rules were respected so that everyone could feel safe and have a good time and get the maximum benefit from the graduation.
There were fantastic results at the BOKS graduation, where both competence graduation in Kotachi 1 and 2 as well as Kenjutsu 2 was carried out at the usual high level, but also graduation of students up to TG3. There were quite a few people who jumped more than one belt, which is very rare, but not least one who jumped a whole 2 belts by being absolutely fantastic all the way through.
I was very proud of all the graduates and wish everyone a huge congratulations on their new degrees and belts.
New members 🙂
We need new members and we need your help. So if you know someone who would like to try our fantastic training, pay attention to our newsletters. Because as soon as it is possible to train together again, we need your help! So please spread the word that Anyone who wants to is welcome - We are accepting new members - as soon as possible.
Reach out to people both near and far! It takes so little - but it means so much to all of us that something is done.
We need you all to help hold on to the old members - most just need a friendly gesture and to feel that we are thinking of them and want to train with them. Take care of each other.
The last seasons have shown that positive friendly recommendations from all our existing happy and whole members about our community and multi-track martial arts - attract many old members who have come back and strengthen the attraction of new members.
The word of mouth recommendation from our existing members is the strongest and most genuine attraction we have and we believe it will also help actively before, during and after the Corona pandemic.
It is almost spring now and the sun is shining from a cloudless blue sky, the days are getting longer and my heart feels an increasing light of joy. I look forward to this season with ALL of you.
Shindenkan - Train the Good Values - It's Common Sense!
Shindenkan's multi-track martial arts system trains your body, mind and spirit through 1000 years of knowledge and good values that are universal, and teaches you who you are!
