Popular self-defence workshop for women returns to Guelph
Posted Mar 10, 2026 12:51:10 PM.
Last Updated Mar 10, 2026 01:44:59 PM.
After a highly successful first year, Guelph Family Martial Arts (GFMA) is bringing back its Community Self-Defence and Empowerment Workshop for women.
Nathan Skoufis, owner and instructor at GFMA was inspired to host the workshop after a pair of assaults in Guelph.
He believed that everybody, and especially women, need to feel safe in their community, and he could do something to help with that.
He told 570 NewsRadio that once they decided to do the workshop last year, word spread like wildfire.
“We were suppose to do it at our studio which is pretty big, 3,000 square feet, but we had to go to a conference center just because of the amount of people who were interested. You know, several hundred women from throughout the province in ten days notice of when it was happening. We definitely thought there was a need for this.”
Skoufis went on to say the feedback they’ve received since last year’s workshop has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Since the event last year, people have come up and said, ‘It was an amazing event,’ or, ‘it’s the first time I’ve really been somewhere and felt that sense of community,” Skoufis said that sense of community is what the workshop is all about.
A significant element of the workshop is that it is free. Skoufis said that it was very important to them.
“We knew we wanted to do it for free because we didn’t want anyone to not participate in the workshop. We didn’t want any cost to be a barrier.”
New this year is a partnership with the Guelph YMCA.
Skoufis said they had partnered with the YMCA on other events throughout the year, and with a much larger facility, having the YMCA jump on board with the workshop was a natural fit.
The workshop is intended for women only. Girls as young as 11 are invited to participate. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
The second annual Women’s Self-Defence and Empowerment Workshop will take place on April 12 at the Guelph YMCA-YWCA, 130 Woodland Glen Dr.
Email gfmakarate@gmail.com to register.
Walk-ins will be welcomed.
