The Newham Primary Care Trust and GLL
have established a new project in partnership at Newham Leisure Centre, an IFI
accredited facility since September 2007, to increase the number of adults with
learning disabilities accessing the fitness centre entitled 'Get Fit For Free'.
This initiative, which is also supported
by the Newham Unit for 2012 and the London Sports Forum for Disabled People is
designed to increase exercise levels by providing people with supported
sessions, staffed by IFI trained Fitness Instructors and specialist
physiotherapists, at a regular time every week: Tuesdays 1.30pm-3.30pm.
The design of the sessions is simple. Adults with
learning disabilities can book a free induction, which is conducted jointly by
fitness instructors and physiotherapists to ensure that all the needs of the
participant can be met and a valuable, personalised fitness programme can be
constructed. Once fully inducted, the participants can be supported to meet their
agreed fitness goals by attending the project for free every Tuesday. If a
participant has a carer, the carer is also encouraged to be an integrated part
of the project by supporting and motivating the participant.
The long-term objective of the project is to support
as many participants as possible to go onto access the facility in the long
term independently of the designated 'Get Fit for Free' two hour time slot. In
this way, even though all of the schemes participants are welcome to access
the project itself on a continuous basis, the leisure centre can promote
independent access that is sustainable, and this is aided by the relationships
that are being built between members of the project, the centre staff and other
fitness centre users over a period of time.
Gareth Kirk, Partnership Manager for GLL in Newham
states
'This project is an excellent way of delivering
inductions and quality fitness programmes to local adults with learning
disabilities by fully qualified IFI Fitness Instructors and Physiotherapists.
Newham Leisure Centre is working more and more closely with disabled people of
all ages and disability organisations on a local and national level since we
achieved IFI accreditation. This includes coached aerobics, trampolining and
swimming sessions as well as hosting coaching courses in partnership with
bodies such as the London Sports Forum and Cerebral Palsy Sport.'
If anyone would like any further information about
this project, especially if you are thinking of replicating this model, then
please feel free to contact Andrew Nippard, GLL Community Development Officer
for Newham, via e-mail at
Andrew.nippard@newham.gov.uk
