What is Akeru Aikido?

Akeru Aikido is a community martial arts club committed to making Aikido accessible to
everyone. Working in partnership with the Active Tameside Sport & Physical Activity
Network, the club has undergone significant organisational development, strengthening its
foundations while creating new opportunities for people who traditionally face barriers to
participation.

The support provided to Akeru Aikido

Using a place-based approach, Active Tameside worked closely with the club to build a
sustainable, well-governed organisation capable of growing its community offer.
Key areas of support included:

• Delivering a community engagement plan to gauge interest from Tameside SEND
  families.
• Establishing a formal governance structure with club officials in place.
• Developing safeguarding policies and training a dedicated Club Welfare Officer.
• Creating the club’s legal structure to support future growth and funding
  opportunities.
• Producing a comprehensive Club Development Plan.
• Restructuring and developing the club’s volunteer workforce to improve capacity and resilience.
• Supporting volunteers to complete First Aid training.
• Helping secure a new permanent venue at Kamiza Dojo, providing a stable base for
  delivery.
• Supporting the development of a dedicated SEND Aikido session at Active Oxford
  Park, creating inclusive opportunities for children and young people with additional
  needs.
• Securing a successful £1,000 Tameside communities fund, enabling the purchase of
  new matting and specialist equipment.
• Providing marketing and promotional support, including targeted engagement with
  SEND schools across Tameside to increase awareness and participation.

What impact has the support made?

The support has transformed Akeru Aikido from a developing club into a stronger, more
sustainable organisation with the confidence and capacity to grow.
The club now has:

• A clear governance and legal structure: Providing strong leadership, accountability and long-term sustainability.
• Safer environments for participants: Robust safeguarding procedures, trained welfare provision and qualified first aiders ensure members can participate safely and confidently.
• Increased volunteer capacity: A strengthened volunteer workforce is helping the club deliver more sessions and plan for future growth.
• Improved facilities: A permanent home at Kamiza Dojo, combined with new grant-funded equipment, has significantly enhanced the participant experience.
• Greater inclusion: The introduction of a dedicated SEND session has created new opportunities for children and young people with additional needs to access martial arts in an inclusive, supportive
  environment.
• Stronger community engagement: Targeted promotion through local SEND schools has helped raise awareness of the club and reach families who may previously have been unaware of the opportunities available.

Key outcomes for the club

• Formal governance structure established
• Club legal structure created
• Safeguarding policy implemented and Welfare Officer trained
• Volunteer workforce restructured and strengthened
• First Aid training delivered
• New permanent venue secured at Kamiza Dojo
• Inclusive SEND programme launched at Active Oxford Park
• £1,000 grant secured for new equipment and matting through Tameside
  Communities Fund
• Increased promotion and engagement with SEND schools across Tameside