The IFI Mark Action Plan will highlight the exact requirements from your facility to meet the IFI Mark standards at each of the 3 different levels. It is your choice which of the three levels to aim towards provided you meet at least the Provisional level within the required timescales.
The Provisional Level is intended to be an initial starting point only. For this reason, facilities will only be permitted to achieve this level of accreditation during their initial application. At the reassessment two years after the initial accreditation, any facility accredited at the Provisional Level will be required to aim for the next level of accreditation (Registered) or above. The Provisional Level provides only a basic standard of access and service provision to disabled people and therefore service providers reaching this level should be continuously striving to reach the next level.
Access
Physical access forms the basis of the Action Plan each facility will receive. The access audit focuses on the route a disabled person would take to access the fitness suite, including all areas that they may encounter along the way. Areas that are for staff use only are therefore excluded.
In addition, the IFI Project Coordinator will provide an access audit of the remainder of the facility that is open to the public at no extra cost (e.g. swimming pool, other sports facilities, other changing areas etc.). This will be included as a separate report and implementation of these recommendations will not be required to attain IFI Mark standards, although they will highlight areas that may require attention to ensure an equitable provision to disabled people to these areas.
Staff Training
The value of training in the development of inclusive facilities should never be underestimated. If staff attitude and culture are not inclusive then this will prevent many users from getting much further than the front door of your facility.
The IFI ensures that its Sites have an inclusive culture through delivery of three training packages outlined below:
Disability Equality Training (IFI Level one) training is provided for staff at IFI approved sites involved I supporting the delivery of fitness opportunities to disabled people. This will include all front of house leisure centre staff e.g. fitness suite staff, supervisors, facility staff, receptionists, caterers, cleaning staff and management.
Award in Supervising Exercise with Disabled People (IFI Level two)
As part of the IFI funding up to 5 staff from each facility may access the IFI Level 2 training course. This course is provided by YMCAfit. It is a nationally recognised Course and accredited to NVQ Level 2 giving automatic entry to the REPs register at Level 2. This is a course specifically for REPs level 2 qualified fitness/gym instructors to enhance their learning and understanding of disabilities within a fitness suite environment.
Award in Programming Exercise with Disabled People (IFI Level three) As part of the IFI funding, up to 2 people per facility may access the IFI Level 3 training course. This course is also provided by YMCAfit and is a nationally recognised Course and accredited to NVQ Level 3. Training courses are tailored specifically to meet the needs of fitness instructors ensuring that they have the knowledge required to deliver, safe and effective inclusive workouts. It will provide you with the training, confidence and expertise in supporting relevant and safe fitness programmes with disabled people within the facility that you work.
These training Courses has been made available free of charge to all National Sports Foundation (NSF), Main Scheme and Pilot sites through grant aid from the IFI and is supported by your employer through their partnership with the IFI.
Inclusive Marketing
In the past, fitness facilities have not typically attracted disabled people. The image the industry has presented has typically attracted confident, fit people likely to feel comfortable in the fitness suite environment. Unless some changes are made to the way a facility markets and presents itself this is unlikely to change, despite any alterations made to the facility’s accessibility, equipment or level of staff training. Marketing therefore forms a critical element of the IFI’s holistic approach to inclusion without which the programme would be significantly devalued both in terms of participation levels and commercial success.
Marketing to disabled people presents you with a commercial opportunity, an opportunity that the IFI Mark will support you to harness.
Equipment
To meet the IFI Mark standards, facilities must have a range of IFI accredited equipment to enable disabled people access to a full body workout. An absolute minimum specification has been developed for facilities aiming for the Provisional IFI Mark accreditation to ensure that enough equipment is available to allow a full-body workout. This minimum package, combined with additional staff training allows staff to be adaptable in their approach to exercise programming and consists of one IFI accredited:
· Treadmill
· Recumbent bike or upright bike
· Upper body ergometer
· Leg extension or leg press
· Leg curl
· Upper body resistance equipment including chest press, row, shoulder press and lat pulldown or equivalent upper body multi-station
· Small equipment (e.g. range of hand weights, ankle/ wrist weights, resistance bands, gym ball etc.)
In order to meet the IFI Mark standards at the higher levels (Registered or Excellent levels), additional IFI accredited equipment is required.
It is important to recognise that this equipment is available to all users and should be incorporated within the whole of the fitness suite.
