FAMILY SELF-DEFENCE COURSE
Train together. Grow together.
Our Family Self-Defence course gives parents and kids the chance to learn real-world safety skills side by side. Teens and Kids ages 6 and up train alongside a parent, grandparent, or guardian in a 90-minute Saturday class built for mixed ages and mixed abilities.
When the whole family learns the same skills, safety stops being a one-time conversation and becomes part of how you do things. You’ll know exactly what your child is learning, they’ll see you learning it right alongside them, and you’ll leave each class with a shared language for staying safe that carries over into everyday life.
Each class follows a structured, family-friendly format:
- Safety Chat: We begin with an age-appropriate discussion on self-defence topics like when it is/isn’t appropriate to use physical self-defence, paying attention to your surroundings, listening to your gut, and using your words to de-escalate things before they get physical. These chats are a great starting point for conversations you can continue at home.
- Dynamic Warm-Up: Movement-based activities to get bodies and brains ready to learn, burn off some energy, and build coordination for every age in the room.
- Skills & Drills: Families learn effective, practical self-defence techniques, including strikes, escapes, and defensive movement, through hands-on practice with your own family members as training partners.
- Skill-Building Games: We wrap up with high-energy games that reinforce what everyone learned and build teamwork, resilience, and a whole lot of fun.
How the Course Works
The course runs for 15 Saturdays. Because each 90-minute class covers the material of two regular classes, families can complete the full Level 1 Program together in a single season.
It begins with a 4-week Introductory Course (January 9 to January 30), designed to build a strong foundation in basic skills and safety concepts. From there, families can choose to continue with the remaining 10 weeks to complete the full Level 1 Course. Families may also register for the full 15-week course up front.
Missed classes: We know families get sick, travel, and have busy schedules, so we’ve built three review classes into the course to give everyone room to catch up. Participants must still attend a minimum of 12 of the 15 classes in order to complete Level 1.
Who Can Register
- Youth ages 6 and up, registered with a parent, grandparent, or guardian
- The registered adult must be present and participating in every class with their child
- One adult may register with as many of their children as they’d like
- Registrations are non-transferable. The same adult and child(ren) must attend each week, so we can track attendance and build on skills from class to class. For example, if Mom and daughter register together, Dad can’t step in for Mom the following week.
FEEDBACK FROM FAMILIES ABOUT OUR OTHER PROGRAMS:
Google review from Grace McDonald – parent and former student
“We love it! My daughter (8) and I (40) joined Empowered Defence Centre back in March/April of 2024. We love the drills games and amazing technical stuff. I watched my kiddo do an over the shoulder throw at tonight’s class!! It amazes me how fast she’s learning. She’s also in the Summer Camps and loves meeting new kids and the constant learning through play, crafts and fitness and self defence portions. Sarah is amazing and we look forward to every class!”
Check out what parents and students are saying about our programs
Have questions about whether this course is a good fit for your family? Email Sarah directly at info@EmpoweredDefenceCentre.ca.
Pricing Information
All pricing is per person. For example, a parent training with one child registers as two participants.
Each participant is also required to purchase a uniform t-shirt that is to be worn in class. Uniform t-shirts are $20 plus tax per person.
Introductory Course
Four weeks, 5 x 90min classes
$100 plus tax per person
*Option to upgrade from the Introductory Course to the full Level 1 Course is available for an additional $200 plus tax per person, before the Intro Course ends on January 30 2027.
Full Level 1 Course
Fifteen weeks, 15 x 90min classes
$300 plus tax per person
All participants receive a 20% discount on our periphery programs (camps, seminars, workshops) while enrolled in the course.
What’s Next
Once participants have successfully completed Level 1, they are invited to continue their training in our year-round Level 2 classes for their age group:
Students who have completed the Introductory Course may also transition into the year-round Level 1 classes pending available spots.
Upcoming Courses
Intro and Level 1 Family Self-Defence Course
WINTER 2027
Starts Saturday January 9 2027
11:00AM-12:30PM
Intro Course ends Saturday February 6
Level 1 Course ends Saturday April 24
*no classes on Easter weekend
Limited to 6 families
Please note: registration for this program is non-refundable.