Main Programs

Our programming enables the creation of a safe learning environment where trust is built and communities are formed. We know that MJKO participants have a strong desire to be accepted by their peers, no matter race, gender, or country of birth.

We know that our participants are using and benefiting from the skills learned through non-contact boxing and MJKO’s life-skills training in their post-MJKO lives. Our participants shared evidence that the inclusive and supportive nature of MJKO’s volunteers / paid staff have inspired them to give back  [as they put it] as ‘Community Champions’ within Toronto.

Goals

1. Provide a free, safe and active after school space in South Parkdale
2. Teach boxing as a tool for aggression, trauma, anxiety, stress, depression, grief, and suicidal thoughts
3. Help train police officers on how to use sport to build trust with youth who are at a high risk of gang life and criminal activities.
4. Provide youth a safe space to encourage newly certified coaches to develop skills within a system of support

Learning Outcomes

1. Participants gain a “second family” of caring community members providing them an alternative to joining a youth gang
2. Participants gain confidence and skills allowing them to apply for summer employment with MJKO or the sport and recreation sector
3. Participants become confident in using non-contact boxing to help build positive mental and physical health
4. Participants deepen their sense of leadership and return to MJKO as volunteers
5. Continued creation and development of an inclusive culture based on meaningful relationships with participants, volunteers and community police officers.
6. Participants gain adult mentors and connectors allowing them to better navigate their daily lives.

Goals

1. Provide children and youth access to nutritious food every single day
2. Annually redistribute 10,000lbs of food rescued by Second Harvest to children in South Parkdale 
3. Educate participants on how food affects their physical and mental health
4. Empower at least 4 youth per year through training to attain Public Health Food Handling certifications.

Learning Outcomes

1. Participants enhance their physical and mental health through access to nutritious foods.
2. Four youth per year will develop job training certifications allowing them to work in the food service industry
3. Participants can trust MJKO as a safe and valuable program to address their daily hunger or food insecurity
4. Food scarcity will be reduced amongst Toronto’s most vulnerable citizens; children and youth
5. As an organization, MJKO is able to further examine options to become “sigma free” by providing access to daily nutritious food

Goals

1. Provide safe transport of youth and children
2. Educate participants on pedestrian safety
3. Strengthen social capital through adult to youth mentorship

Learning Outcomes

1. Families choose walking as a reliable and safe transport method
2. Participants learn and use safe walking procedures making the South Parkdale community safer and more child-friendly
3. Families express peace of mind knowing their loves ones are safe during the afterschool time slot
4. Social capital will be matched between youth and adult walkers, increasing role models and mentorship at a local level

Goals

1. Allow youth in Toronto to access opportunities for paid employment
2. Provide youth a safe space to encourage newly certified coaches to develop skills within a system of support. Skills include time management, organization, group dynamics management, varying levels of fitness ability modifications, and leadership
3. Provide youth with poor academic standings an opportunity to see options other than criminal activities

 Learning Outcomes

1. MJKO students will feel confident when looking for work
2. MJKO will be addressing youth unemployment by providing Canadian Coaching Certifications while creating jobs for our older youth.
3. Participants will have a reference for their job search
4. Participants will have the confidence and self-belief to be successful on Canada’s competitive job market.

 Goals

1. Provide free access for families to learn non-contact boxing together
2. Introduce families to other families and community members
3. Continue to support a “no watching” policy for all members inside the gym space

 Learning Outcome

1. Deepen ones sense of belonging and community, where our differences unite us
2. Encourage family communication through action (sport)
3. Teach parents and children how to inspire and congratulate each other on overcoming challenges inside the Champion Centre.

Goals

1. Introduce athletes to the Learn to Train, Train to Train and Train to Compete stages in Sport Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development plan (LTAD).
2. Strengthen athlete fundamentals
3. Introduce techniques and tactics of boxing
4. Introduce athletes to rules, weight categories and expectations as an MJKO athlete
5. Introduce athletes to competition

Learning Outcomes

1. Athletes will be able to demonstrate proficiency in basic boxing skills
2. Athletes will be able to run their own independent 60-minute workout
3. Athletes will have an understanding of the rules of amateur boxing in Canada
4. Athletes will take part in a provincially organization tournament
5. Athletes will have an understanding of their mental, cogitative and emotional development
6. Athletes will have tools for dealing with stress and anxiety caused by performance

 Goals

1. Keep teen girls involved in sport by creating a social element
2. Improve communication and writing skills of MJKO girls
3. Create a caring and supportive peer group

 Learning Outcomes

1. Learn “self-love” and acceptance
2. Improve attitudes about what “girls can do”
3. Break down classroom walls for those involved and explore a world outside of Parkdale
4. Reduction of teen girls dropping out of sport

 Goals

1. Enhance students’ physical literacy skills.
2. Strengthen students’ leadership skills.
3. Support students’ social and emotional well-being.

Learning Outcomes

1. Participants will illustrate developed physical literacy skills.
2. Participants will be able to demonstrate the technical skills required in non-contact boxing.
3. Participants will collect new tools for dealing with their physical and mental health allowing them to create a state of well-being.