INCLUSIVE FITNESS
Our long-term aim is to influence fitness training providers and
leisure operators to the extent that an intervention like
InstructAbility will no longer be required
Thirty per cent of members at Aspire’s centre in Stanmore are disabled
eastern and central England, with plans to roll out the scheme in northern regions next year. To date, 90 people have qualifi ed as fi tness instructors through the scheme, with impairments ranging from spinal cord injury, spina bifi da and cerebral palsy to visual impairment, missing limbs and loss of function caused by stroke, brain injury and neuro-muscular disease. According to Hilary Farmiloe, national
project manager for InstructAbility, the scheme was set up to tackle the under- representation of disabled people in the fi tness industry, both as employees and users. “InstructAbility is not just a project, it’s a movement, and I believe the army of disabled people we’re equipping to work in the fi tness industry will provide a legacy of lasting change. “Our long-term aim is to infl uence
fi tness training providers and leisure operators to the extent that an intervention like InstructAbility will no longer be required. “When disabled people have more role models within the industry and
no longer face physical and attitudinal barriers to accessing training and employment, we will have succeeded.” The key to success, adds Farmiloe, is
buy-in from the industry, and feedback from operators with whom the scheme has partnerships – including GLL, Fusion, Everyone Active, DC Leisure and Fitness First – has invariably been extremely positive. “We regularly hear how an InstructAbility student has raised awareness of disability among other staff and, in some cases, helped the centre make small adjustments to improve their accessibility,” she says.
“Managers have also reported an impact on retention of current customers, as well as an increase in the number of disabled people using the facility.”
Quest for excellence Recently, InstructAbility received a boost from the Quest quality scheme for leisure centre operators, which has announced the addition of a compulsory Community Outcomes module to its assessment process, starting this
summer. “If a centre can show it’s supporting disabled people, encouraging them to participate in sport and fitness, this will certainly help them do well in our new module,” says Caroline Constantine, Quest operations director. “One of module’s key aims is to make
sure that Quest-accredited operators are reaching out to people from all backgrounds and levels of ability, including those who might traditionally have felt they didn’t belong in this kind of environment. Taking part in an inclusive scheme such as InstructAbility and/or employing disabled staff is a great way for operators to demonstrate their commitment to this goal.” Farmiloe agrees: “I’m delighted that
Quest is supporting InstructAbility and recognises how the programme can support centres in their drive to do well in the Community Outcomes Module, while also encouraging greater diversity in their workforce and customer base.” However, there’s still education to be
done to get more operators on board, particularly in the private sector. Central to the InstructAbility
concept is the role of the disabled fi tness instructor as an ambassador for inclusivity – with their unique ability to relate to disabled users as well as other hard-to-reach groups in the community – and it’s this message that Farmiloe is keen to push. “Operators often respond by saying
they don’t do work placements or accept volunteers,” she says. “But we want them to realise there’s a business case to answer, because if they want to remain competitive, they can’t keep focusing only on the clients they have. “It’s about making the industry
Disabled instructors can be role models for prospective disabled clients 46 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
understand that an instructor who has an impairment can be a real asset – not despite, but because of, their experience of disability and their ability to reach out to others.” ●
June 2014 © Cybertrek 2014
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