IMPACT for Girls

In IMPACT, we often hear adult women say "I wish I had taken IMPACT when I was a girl." While we can't go back in time, girls do have a chance to take IMPACT now.

Girls benefit from taking IMPACT 

Jill says: “I’m more aware now and, although I still feel scared, I feel more in control. Taking IMPACT made me feel safer, in case someone decides to grab me…not just because I learned it (in my head), but because I actually got to practice and experience it”

Sarah says: I feel confident and IMPACT classes are always FUN!!!”

Parents benefit from their daughters taking IMPACT 
Lisa says: “I have always known that I have wanted my girls to learn to defend themselves.  I wasn't sure how I was going to teach them, as none of the self-defense workshops and classes I took as a young adult seemed sufficient enough for me to feel fully empowered and confident. IMPACT changed my life. Knowing my girls are equipped, not only with knowledge but with experience, to defend themselves helps me sleep a little better at night. I know violence against girls and women is an issue that must also be dealt with at a societal level, but it is also deeply personal.”

Lili says: “I couldn’t wait for my daughter to be old enough to take the IMPACT course. I counted the days until she turned 16. Before her 16th birthday, she was already signed up and she was excited to take it.”

IMPACT Programs for Girls
The Core Program is for women and teens 16 years and older. It is IMPACT Chicago's most intensive program, allowing women and girls to gain the most self-defense training in the shortest amount of time (22 hours). Training progresses from verbal boundary-setting to responses to a physical assault, culminating in simulated attack scenarios where women and girls begin in both upright and prone positions. In these simulated attacks, defenders are coached by one instructor while another instructor wears heavily padded armor and portrays the role of an aggressor, allowing women and girls to deliver their strikes and kicks with full force, just as they would need to in an actual attack. By the end of the course, women and girls have used their skills to assess danger, set boundaries, and respond effectively to a variety of verbal and physical attacks.

IMPACT for Girls program is for girls12-15 years old. In this 8-hour program, participants learn how to handle situations that girls are most likely to face and then have an opportunity to practice in simulated scenarios. In IMPACT for Girls, young teens and pre-teens learn crucial skills for dealing with everyday life situations and potentially unsafe situations. 

For more information or to register

A sliding scale and payment plans are available for both these programs. To register or for more information, 312-971-7119,  www.impactchicago.org or info@impactchicago.org