ROCK AND WATER PROGRAM

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How do we teach social competencies so that students make changes on the inside?
How do we build a ssense of purpose in students?
How do we develop a social skills course that students like to do?

The Development of the Rock and Water Program

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In the Netherlands in the mid-1980s a program of self-defence for girls was developed. The program was a direct result of the women's emancipation movement. Changing role patterns, and a growing sense of being entitled to the same rights as men, were at its roots.

This "Self-defence For Girls" program taught girls and women to defend themselves against forms of sexual harassment and sexual abuse. As well as a number of effective physical techniques, they were also taught how to become stronger mentally. This program is still very successful and has become a standard subject in the curriculum of many Dutch schools. Its success is partly founded on the fact that its goals had - and still have - wide social support.

Noticing that boys wished to be involved in the self-defence course, Freerk Ykema developed a program that combined its physical and emotional aspects. This is how Rock & Water was born. Rock & Water has since developed into an international program. Thousands of boys have taken Rock & Water courses, and many, many teachers have become accredited in its delivery.

Twenty years on from that first self-defence course in the Netherlands, Australia hosted its inaugural Rock & Water conference at Newcastle, NSW in October 2006. A book of the conference presentations, Bringing It Together, is available from the Family Action Centre's publications and resources unit.

The Gadaku Institute

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The Gadaku Institute was founded in 2002 and has become the international coordinator of the Rock and Water program. In Australia the Gadaku Institute cooperates with The Family Action Centre of The University of
Newcastle. Their mutual goal is to stimulate any further development of the Rock and Water program in as many educational settings as possible throughout Australia. The name ‘Gadaku’, an Aboriginal word  eaning
‘young boy’, is used with the permission of Dätiwuy elders of Arnhem Land.

Rock and Water Program offers educators a new way to interact with students through physical/social teaching.

Four leading threads are inter-related in the program:

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Physical exercises are constantly linked with mental and social skills. The program leads from simple self defence, boundary and communication exercises to a strong notion of self-confidence. The program offers a framework of exercises and ideas about students and manhood to assist boys to become aware of purpose and motivation in their life.

Topics include: intuition, body language, mental strength, empathic feeling, positive feeling, positive thinking and positive visualising. Discussion topics include bullying, sexual harrassment, homophobia, life goals, desires and following an inner compass.

1   Grounding, centring and focusing
Learning how to stand firm and relaxed. How to concentrate your breath in your belly and focus attention (first external, later transformed to an internal goal).

2   The golden triangle of
– bodyawareness
– emotional awareness
– self-awareness
Emotions are expressed in the body by way of muscular tension high breath/ low breath etc. Therefore, increasing body-awareness can lead to more insight and experience of one’s own patterns of reaction which, in turn, can offer a chance to deepen and further develop emotional awareness and self-awareness.

3   Communication
The development of physical forms of communication as a basis for the development of other, more verbally oriented, forms of communication.

Evidenced based

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The Rock and Water program is an evidence based program. Evaluations and research have been published in a book called Bringing it All Together: 22 cases of Rock and Water in different educational settings. Each year new research comes up. Findings are always very similar. Rock and Water will reduce bullying in your class room, will increase self confidence and self control and enhance better social- and communication skills. As a result of this, academic achievement will increase. This book also contains questionnaires to
start your own action research.

Rock and Water and Autism

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Spectrum Disorder s (ASD ) Freerk Ykema has developed a new two day seminar supported by a new manual with many adaptations and new exercises. This seminar is open for teachers, parents, therapists
and offcourse also Rock and Water accredited trainers. The unique Rock and Water approach helps children (and adults) diagnosed with ASD to develop more body-emotionaland self awareness, more self control and
assertiveness, more body language awareness, less feelings of anxiety and better communication skills. In April 2011 seminars will be presented in NSW, WA and New Zealand.