About Us ONE AND ONLY ONE PRIORITY At Realworld we have only one mission: to improve the lives of those children who find themselves at the farthest reaches of American society. With the Gargoyle Project we offer them love, support and long term commitments. With Somatic Integrity we provide them with skills to help deal with the hand they’ve been dealt. We have no secondary political or social agenda. Period. If you want to help, we want you to help.  OUR DIVERSITY STATEMENT The need is great and no group has a monopoly on caring. We enthusiastically accept help and volunteers from ALL communities. Everyone is welcome: all races, colors and creeds; all religions and philosophies; left wing, right wing, liberal or conservative; straight, gay, lesbian, transgender or unsure; tattooed, pierced or in a suit; monogamous or polyamorous; biker, stripper or accountant. Well, you get the idea. All that matters to us is if you have an open heart and the willingness to use it. We expect all volunteers to have good boundaries when working with our clients. Your lifestyle or religion may be important to you but it should never be shared with a child regardless of whether you’re a professional dominatrix or an devout Christian.  A SPECIAL NOTE TO THE FRINGE We’d like to make a specific effort to reach out to groups that are not normally associated with children’s charities. Members of the sex positive community, the BDSM community, bikers, martial arts fighters, etc. We know that your ability for caring and commitment are equal to anyone. You are welcome here in any capacity. THE EXCEPTION We will not accept help from any individual or group looking to abuse or exploit the children we serve.  All our volunteers must undergo a full background check, Livescan, and interview process.  Child abuse, domestic violence or association with abusers will disqualify you without exception.  And if you’re thinking of trying to use us to get close to kids for inappropriate reasons, you may get your ass kicked. OUR HISTORY Realworld was founded in April, 2002 with the goal of bringing the benefits of Aikido, Tai Chi, meditation, and other martial arts to under served communities. When most people think about martial arts they’re distracted by the violent and competitive aspects, but underneath the flash and conflict is a core of compassion, discipline, respect and honor. We started out teaching more traditional Aikido and Tai Chi classes but the restraints of the classroom and the necessity of avoiding physical contact made this very difficult. Somatic Integrity grew from these early experiences and has proved successful in teaching the underlying principles without sparring or fighting. Part of the Dojo experience is feeling the support of other students, almost as an extended family. Because kids in the Foster Care system are frequently moving, we created the Gargoyle Project. This allows a small group of volunteers to support the kids regardless of where they may end up. OUR FOUNDER Angus McIntosh has an eclectic background that has informed all of our programs.  He has 20+ years of experience in the martial arts including Aikido, Tai Chi Chuan and Kenpo.  He has worked for IBM, run bookstores and was a certified personal trainer specializing in rebuilding body relationships.  Realworld and its programs are his passion, along with motorcycles and causing trouble. OUR BOARD Our Board is made up of highly skilled professionals whose contributions are greatly appreciated.  We also have an advisory council made up of therapists, social workers and educators.   Board Members:        Angus McIntosh         Debra McNeil Mark Mackler Sharon McIntosh Tim Halpin Tim Helwig President: Sharon McIntosh SOME PAST CLIENTS INCLUDE: Lincoln Child Center, Oakland Oakland Unified School District Oakland Jewish Community Services Encinal High School, Alameda South San Francisco High School Home School Association National Conference Redwood Day School, Oakland Latina Women's Health Initiative, Oakland ASUC Coop, Berkeley