IMPACT offers workshops for businesses, colleges, community centers, schools, and other organizations. Participants learn and practice self-defense tools and strategies in realistic scenarios. Our workshops typically range from 2 to 5 hours. We can also work with you to offer one of our longer programs: IMPACT for Girls (8 hours), Core Skills (12 hours), or the Core Program (22 hours).  Ideally, there is a minimum of 8 and maximum of 15 in a workshop.

In addition to the workshops described below, we offer workshops and presentations customized to meet your organization's needs and to accommodate larger and all gender groups.

Workshop Fees
The cost of a workshop varies depending on the number of participants, the length of the program, the number of instructors, the space and equipment requirements, and other factors. We will help you select a program that will most closely fit both your budget and your desired program outcomes.

​Talking IMPACT, 1 hour, $450
What is Self-Defense, 1.5 hours, $500
Speak Up, Speak Out, 2 hours, $650
Personal Safety Tools, 3 hours, $1,250*
Personal Safety Tools, 5 hours, $2,000*
*includes a second instructor. Please see below for workshop descriptions.

Schedule a Workshop
To schedule a workshop, please fill out the Workshop Form or  contact   info@impactchicago.org preferably at least three weeks in advance of when you would like a workshop.

Workshop Cancellation Policy
IMPACT Chicago must be notified in writing of all cancellations. If the cancellation occurs 7 or more days prior to the scheduled workshop, a full refund will be issued. If the cancellation occurs from 6 days to 1 day prior to the scheduled workshop, 50% of the fee will be refunded (IMPACT Chicago retains the balance to cover administrative costs). If the cancellation occurs within 24 hours of the workshop, IMPACT Chicago retains payment in full.

Talking IMPACT
This 1-hour program is an introduction to a unique personal safety, assertiveness, and self-defense training program. IMPACT self-defense is part of a comprehensive effort to prevent sexual assault and other acts of interpersonal violence and boundary violations.

What do we address

• What women and girls and their loved ones gain from IMPACT self-defense training, including self-training and bystander intervention
• What IMPACT contributes to stopping violence against women and girls
• ​The importance of the voice in self-defense and bystander intervention and learning to say NO
• This introduction includes video footage (need a projection system) to illustrate the effectiveness of these personal safety tools and some practice for participants.

What is Self-Defense
This 1.5-hour workshop is an introduction to basic personal safety principles and tools, with a focus on individual practice. This workshop includes all of the elements covered in the Talking IMPACT workshop with additional technique introduction and practice for participants.

What do we address

• Current knowledge about risks of violence and effective prevention
• Confidence and awareness
• Safe distance
• Strong voice
• Generating power
• Getting to safety
• Foundational techniques

Workshop Request Form

Speak Up, Speak Out
This 2-hour workshop provides participants with the opportunity to develop and practice speaking up for themselves and for others (bystander support). It includes all of the elements covered in the What is Self-Defense workshops and includes more instruction and practice for bystander support.

What we address

• What boundaries are and why they are important
• Recognizing boundary violations
• Projecting confidence and awareness
• Recognizing the power in one's own body and voice
• Speaking up for ourselves and for others

Personal Safety Tools Workshops
Participants  develop and practice awareness, assessment, verbal and physical self-defense tools in realistic scenarios with one instructor who plays the role of an aggressor and the other is a personal coach. 

The aggressor wears full body armor which gives participants practice striking and kicking with full force, just as they would need to do in an actual physical attack.  These workshops require participants to complete a liability form because they are full contact (under 18 requires parent/guardian consent).

What we address in the 3-hour workshop

• Fears and concerns of participants
• Introduction to the mock aggressor armor
• Distinction between role of aggressor and male instructor
• Role of the personal coach
• Scenario-based practice
• Distinguishing safe and potentially dangerous behavior and situations
• Using a powerful voice to stop or interrupt an attack
• Responding to verbal testing
• Responding effectively to a grab from the front
• Responding effectively to a grab from behind
• Getting to safety, getting support, and telling someone

Workshop Request Form

What we address in the 5-hour workshop       

• Fears and concerns of participants;
• Introduction to the mock aggressor armor
• Distinction between role of aggressor and male instructor
• Role of the personal coach
• Scenario-based practice
• Distinguishing safe and potentially dangerous behavior and situations
• Using a powerful voice to stop or interrupt an attack
• Responding to verbal testing and using one’s voice for bystander intervention
• Responding effectively to a grab from the front
• Responding effectively to a grab from behind
• Getting to the ground safely if pushed or threatened with a punch
• Responding effectively to a threat when on the ground 
• Getting up safely from the ground
• Getting to safety, getting support, and telling someone

Past Workshops

Apna Ghar
Au Pair in America
Boston Consulting
Career Builder
CDW
Christopher House
Delta Gamma Pi
Demand Media
De Paul University
Feminist Collective

Fleet Feet
Girls Rock!
Hadley Junior High
HealthScape Advisors
Howard Brown Health Center
ICC Cultural
Illinois Institute of Technology
John Marshall Law
Loyola School of Social Work
Matteson Public Library

Oprah Magazine
Project NIA
RSNA 
SAIC
SEIU Healthcare
SGA Youth and Family Services
Teen Living
Tula Yoga
York High school
YWCA USA