Red Rhino Resilience awarded for great idea

A LOCAL kickboxing club has been awarded a place on Social Entrepreneurs Ireland’s Ideas Academy for its resilience workshop for young people and adults.

Karl Flynn and James McGuirk of Red Rhino Kickboxing Club are behind Red Rhino Resilience, a six-week workshop promoting physical, mental and emotional resilience.

The Tallaght lads are among 45 ‘changemakers’ from across Ireland awarded a place on this year’s Ideas Academy, which received 180 applications.

The three-month academy works with people who have an innovative idea to a social problem, providing participants with the support and direction to help kick-start their idea.

The 2022 Ideas Academy has started, with head coach Karl and champion kickboxer James hoping to develop Red Rhino Resilience through the support and expertise on offer.

According to Karl, Red Rhino Resilience was developed during the pandemic in response to an “overwhelming demand for youth work and mental health services”.

Karl and James put their heads together and designed a free, six-week workshop for young people and adults, with weekly sessions tailored around self-awareness, self-esteem, self-confidence, self-enlightenment, self-care and self-belief.

According to Karl, the piloted workshop combines positive personal self-development techniques with the disciplines and principles associated with traditional martial arts.

“[The workshop] aims to promote and reinforce healthy and positive physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing so that you become your best self,” Karl said.

Well known across the area, Karl and James work alongside local groups and receive referrals for young people and adults from community-based services.

“I have a background in community development and youth work and have done similar things [to Red Rhino Resilience]. We wanted to open up our club, we love helping out and it’s really needed,” Karl said.

“The programme in a physical and practical way stabilises and reinforces the importance of looking after your body and mind. It’s about young people and adults showing themselves compassion and care.”

According to Karl, a lot of the young participants are not ready for a large social setting, so engage in small groups – with positive outcomes already being experienced from the pilot workshops.

“The feedback from participants, parents and organisations has been powerful, humbling to say the least,” Karl said.

“We are now seeing past participants come back to mentor new students and progress to a larger social group or activities both in our club and the greater community.”

Each project selected for the Ideas Academy received a bursary of €400 and at the end of the programme can pitch for a portion of a €40,000 pot to further pilot their idea.

CEO of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Tim Griffiths said: “The 45 innovators taking part in our 2022 Ideas Academy are leading the way and being the change they seek.

“We applaud their courage and determination and look forward to supporting them over the coming months to refine their ideas, hone their skills and develop an action plan to pilot their solutions.”

For further information on Red Rhino Kickboxing, which is based in Rathcoole, visit HERE.

More information on Social Entrepreneurs Ireland its Ideas Academy  HERE.