MBA student helps build support for Oceanside youth program

Xin (Alec) Guan didn’t realize his martial arts background would come in handy when he enrolled in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Vancouver Island University.

Guan studied taekwondo for three years at high school in WuHan in the Hubei province of China. His appreciation for the discipline and commitment of martial arts practice has helped him work with promoters of an innovative Parksville-based program aimed at reducing teen violence, vandalism and other crimes.

“Alec was a God-send. Right from the first meeting, he understood what had to be done,” said Detlef (Joe) Friede, co-founder of the German Ju Jutsu Systems (GJJS) Foundation and the Oceanside Youth Ambassador Program.

Guan is nearing completion of a four-month internship with the foundation as one of the requirements for his MBA. He has worked on projects ranging from producing promotional materials and raising awareness at special events to developing a marketing plan.

“I was excited when I first heard about the program,” said Guan.

Aside from his personal interest in martial arts, he could see the benefits to participants and the Oceanside communities of Parksville and Qualicum Beach.

“Some teenagers do crazy things. This program can help teens develop self-esteem and discipline. It trains them to be respectful of their parents and communities,” Guan said.

The GJJF Foundation’s Oceanside Youth Ambassador Program evolved out of meetings between Friede and community representatives including Parksville councillors Al Greir and Sue Powell as well as active and retired members of the RCMP.

Based on the theme “Life Without Fear”, the program offers valuable martial arts and other training for teens who may be at risk of violence, vandalism or other anti-social behaviour.

The free program is offered Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 8:30 pm to midnight. The timing is intentional since it coincides with periods when “at risk” teens are prone to get into trouble.

“Over the past two years, we had tremendous success in helping youth in our community to find their individual pathways,” said Friede, who holds a second-degree black belt in ju jutsu.

In addition to martial arts training, participants can improve their skills in communication, first aid and fire prevention.

For Guan, the challenges include promoting the program to teens as well as government agencies, financial institutions and other potential sponsors.

“To attract teenagers, it needs to be seen as a cool thing,” Guan said.

He added that the project had a distinctive international feel with his Chinese background and Friede’s German background. They found it rewarding to share their diverse perspectives in pursuit of the foundation’s goal of building community and government support.

“We did a lot of brainstorming,” said Guan.

Friede said the unique aspects of the program underscore the importance of raising awareness about the foundation’s work. “We are a pilot project in BC. There is nothing similar out there, which makes our lives sometimes harder, because we always have to explain the details and prove it over and over.”

Internships are an integral part of the MBA program at Vancouver Island University. Students spend a minimum of 24 hours a week with mentors in businesses and other organizations in the mid-Island region during the 16-week internships that run in the summer and fall.

For more information about VIU’s MBA internship program including proposals to host an intern, visit:


www.viu.ca/mbaintern

For more information on Vancouver Island Jujutsu Systems and the Foundations youth initiatives, visit: www.gjjs.ca