SkillsActive, in partnership with REPs, has introduced a new Employer CPD Training Licence designed to help health and fitness employers and their staff boost their performance.

The two-year Employer CPD Training Licence has been developed by SkillsActive in recognition of the increasing need for fitness employers to address skills gaps quickly and effectively. The licence allows employers to deliver in-house training, which also earns exercise professionals REPs’ Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points, as required for their membership.

As well as allowing employers

SkillsActive launches new employer training license

to deliver SkillsActive-endorsed courses at any time and date to suit their employees’ needs, the granting of a licence will allow employers to match content to training needs, skills gaps and business objectives and raise their level of in-house provision as they see fit.

SkillsActive endorsement manager, Tom Bell, says: “As an employer, attaining a licence will save you time and money and most importantly, it will demonstrate to your employees that you are committed to their development, which in turn

FIA News

Over the last year the Fitness Industry Association has taken significant steps to narrow the gap between the fitness sector and medical community. The FIA has appointed its first Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr John Searle OBE, who has built relationships with the British Medical Association and Royal Medical Colleges, and extended relationships with the Department of Health.

Working closely with the Medical Royal Colleges has enabled the FIA to put the fitness sector in a prime position to access the expertise, which the medical community offers. The FIA is working to support the culture shift among healthcare providers and professionals towards wellbeing, and is driving the understanding of exercise as an integral treatment

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can improve the performance and retention of your staff.” The licence will also bring new benefits to exercise professionals on the Register by enabling them to access timely training from their employer that meets their specific needs and which is recognised externally.

For more information on the Employer Training Licence, visit http://bit.ly/4f26vm

NATIONAL

SURVEY REVEALS PUBLIC ANXIETY OVER BODY IMAGE

A survey of people’s attitudes towards body image has revealed that 90% of those taking part believe we care too much about the way we look, and not enough about how healthy we are.

Almost a quarter of those taking part admitted feeling depressed at some point about their body shape, and 90% believe advertisers should be using differing body sizes in their campaigns.

FIA builds bridges with the medical community

for a range of long term and chronic conditions. One example of this trend can be seen by the work done by the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (FSEM), with whom the FIA will work closely to ensure that consultants do not just concentrate on professional sport but have a shared role in promoting exercise and fitness. Within the last year sport and exercise medicine has been recognised as a distinct and important medical speciality; the first batch of consultants will enter the medical community in the next few years.

Skills Active has been leading the exercise community in the formation of standards for the treatment of chronic conditions, and the creation of REPs in 2002 shows the sector’s continuing commitment

to standards and professionalism.

The extensive evidence

surrounding the medical benefits of physical activity allows the FIA to

push the industry forward in this arena, working to enhance the benefits that the fitness sector can bring to the medical community, including patient choice and improvements to public health.

Dr Searle, was recently invited to speak to the Royal College of Physicians’ exercise referral group, highlighting the importance of both communities working together. He added, “We know that exercise is a crucial part of the management of chronic diseases but if this is to become a reality for all those who suffer, then both medical and fitness professionals must work together”.

The research commissioned by Central YMCA, the UK’s leading activity for health charity, also showed that: l 88% judge children to be under more pressure about their physical appearance than they were 20 years ago l 81% think that pupils in secondary school should be given an opportunity to discuss body image issues in schools l More than 50% feel body image issues should be addressed at a younger age (i.e. in primary school) l 77% believe airbrushed photographs should carry a warning

Central YMCA is now calling for a debate about the use of airbrushing, including the proposed use of labeling for airbrushed images. In addition they are campaigning for resources to be made available to help children and young people discuss body image, including having lessons in school on body confidence and positive body image within the national curriculum.

The REPs Journal 2009;15(Dec):8-9