HAVING to defend oneself against attack is not a pleasant prospect, but a little preparation can go a long way according to self defence teacher Carol Stephenson who has been running self defence classes for girls and women in schools, community groups and companies for 17 years.
"A toddler when threatened or restrained against her will, will kick head butt, hit with the open hand and shout `no' at the top of her voice. She'll make herself a dead weight run and she won't give up until she is either free or vanquished. Research shows that these are exactly the tactics used by women who successfully fight back when all else fails, says Stephenson.
On November 9th and 10th she is holding an intensive weekend course in self defence aimed at those aged from 13 to 60 years and she says there is no need to be particularly fit to attend.
The course balances discussion and role play to explore "attack avoidance" and topics to be covered include bag snatching, car crime, burglary and how to avoid `freezing up' if attacked.
The cost of the course is £48 and it will be held at the Newpark Sports Centre in Blackrock, Co Dublin. There is a complimentary minibus service from Blackrock DART station. Booking for the course is essential and the number to telephone or fax is (01) 289 2044.
Very little has been written about management in the voluntary sector in Ireland, but a new book from DCU lecturer Dr Treasa Hayes on the subject may be of interest to those working in voluntary and non-profit organisations. The book is based on 40 in-depth interviews with 10 voluntary organisations and explores aspects of management, control and accountability.
Building on her research findings, Hayes identifies the external and organisational factors which have an impact on voluntary organisations and shows that these characteristics can create particular demands for management in the voluntary sector that differ from those encountered in other sectors.
The book is called Management, Control and Accountability in Nonprofit/Voluntary Organisations and it is published by Ashgate Publishing at £37.50.
Preventing accidents through training is the aim of the industrial training company, NIFAST, which has several courses designed for those who drive as part of their work.
Defensive driver training is a one-day course for those who drive company vehicles and its aim is to help drivers towards safer and less stressful motoring while reducing accidents and keeping the wear and tear costs on company vehicles down.
Personal Safety is also a one-day course for drivers which is designed to increase participants' awareness of the risks of driving alone. It covers topics such as manoeuvring a vehicle with increased confidence, procedures to follow in the event of a breakdown, changing a wheel safely and how to deflect unwelcome attention from other road users.
For information contact Michael McAleer at (01) 842 4333 or fax (01) 8424461.
