Disabled people invited to train as fitness instructors
InstructAbility, a multi-award winning project expands its coverage to the Midlands, delivering courses at Portway Lifestyle Centre in Sandwell and Peterborough Vivacity – Regional Fitness and Swimming Centre, is offering disabled people a FREE opportunity to become qualified fitness instructors.
Places are still available for delegates to apply on both courses. Interested parties should apply online before the closing date and be available to attend the selection day as follows:-
Leisure Facility Closing Date Selection Date 12 week course
Portway – Dudley 05/04/2014 08/04/2014 April – July
Regional Fitness 05/05/2014 13/05/2014 June -September
Further courses being delivered in the South East and Midlands during May and June. For more details visit: http://www.aspire.org.uk/2014-courses.aspx
InstructAbility, was created by Aspire, the spinal injury charity and YMCAfit, the fitness industry training provider, to enable unemployed, disabled people to train as gym instructors. The newly qualified instructors are then placed within gyms to engage more disabled people in fitness sessions.
Hilary Farmiloe, National InstructAbility Project Manager says,
We are really excited at the prospect of delivering the InstructAbility program at IFI Mark facilities within the Midlands. These will be the first courses delivered outside the South East region. IFI Mark facilities and InstructAbility are both designed to make fitness accessible to everyone, so this is a valuable partnership.
Including disabled people as part of the workforce can encourage other disabled people to use the facilities. It sends a message that the gym is a place where everyone can feel welcome and enjoy the benefits of exercise. We hope to have a qualified instructor on placement, work with the various services to engage more disabled people in fitness sessions.
Portway Lifestyle Centre is an exciting new leisure facility for Sandwell committed to achieveing the IFI Mark. It is a vibrant and unique sports, health and wellbeing centre for the whole community and centre of excellence. John Harling, Facility Manager, is delighted to be able to support the project, as it really compliments the inclusive programme at Portway and perhaps encourage more disabled visitors to come and use the centre.
Due to the current lack of role models disabled people don’t often consider a career in the fitness industry but since InstructAbility launched in 2011, over eighty people, with a wide range of impairments, including wheelchair users, have qualified as instructors and been offered employment.
The FREE programme, funded by Sport England is open to unemployed, disabled people who are over sixteen years old and have some gym user experience. You can apply online at www.aspire.org.uk.
