St. Johns Sports Centre in Worcester, has struck up a partnership with Deaf Direct, to arrange a series of sessions to welcome deaf and hard of hearing people to their fitness suite, with a view to them using the facilities independently at the end of the programme.
Traditionally, participation figures for users with a hearing impairment are lower than other impairment groups across the board, so to get a dozen people to attend was quite an achievement from the point of view of all parties concerned.
'We were hoping we could break down some of the barriers to deaf and hard of hearing people becoming users of the facility, making them feel welcome, and giving some basic advice on exercise and healthy living. At the end of the programme they will know the staff, the facility and the equipment, and we hope they will feel confident enough to take the next step and sign up to become a member', said Simon Hawkins, Duty Officer and IFI point of contact at the Centre.
He continued 'fitness Instructor Matt Peacock has struck up quite a rapport with the group, and the interaction I've had with Gordon Hay from Deaf Direct has been both informative and rewarding – a real example of IFI in action.'
Funding has come from the Health Improvement Fund Project, which aims to enable deaf young people and adults to more fully understand the implications of an unhealthy lifestyle, take responsibility for their own physical condition and put in place actions that will help to improve both their health and well-being and that of their families.
During Inclusive Fitness Week 2010, in May, Gordon Hay is looking to run a six hour training workshop to give the staff at St. Johns an even better appreciation of the issues concerning those with a hearing impairment, 'as the association with the Sports Centre develops we are looking to make alternate Thursday evenings a time when deaf and hard of hearing people can come in and discuss things about the fitness room with a representative of Deaf Direct' said Gordon.
Simon hopes that other groups will now come forward 'I recently had a very positive meeting with an organisation called Onside Advocacy, which works with people facing disadvantage, discrimination or exclusion. I hope this will be the start of St. Johns Sports Centre really capitalising on its status as an IFI Mark Accredited facility.'
