Your challenge
I challenge you to look around your
workplace, your fitness space, and note
what – or rather who – you see. If it’s only
people that look like you, why?
Befriend someone with a disability, and
if appropriate, offer your training services
to them. You will be amazed by what you’ve
been missing out on. This is a chance to slow
down, have some fun, enjoy conversations,
share the excitement of a participant
mastering a new skill, and witness the smiles
on the faces of people feeling huge joy at
simply being included. Learning to include
everyone in your workouts will improve your
communication skills, make you a sought-
after trainer, open up new pathways and give
you a new appreciation of what it means to
be fit and healthy.
If you are in a position to do so, employ
someone with a disability. This will not only
change their life, but yours too. Additionally,
your workplace will more accurately reflect
society, and when people with a disability
are reflected in the workplace, they will be
more likely to patronise your business. Team
up with a local TAFE that runs courses for
students with disabilities and establish your
fitness business as a potential first step into
employment, either through a paid role or
via work experience. You can contact your
local and state government to enquire about
grants to assist your business in funding
positions for people with an ID, and Disability
Sport and Recreation may also be able to
offer assistance in the form of information
and connections.
With regards the NDIS (National Disability
Insurance Scheme), it is worth noting that
it is specifically for people with significant
disabilities. Of the over 4 million Australians
living with disabilities, the scheme will be able
to fund only around 10% of these. Despite
this limited reach, the NDIS has had the
positive effect of making business operators
more aware of people with disabilities, and
prompting them to start looking at what
they can do to provide access and change
services to suit.
By
making
your
fitness
facility
accessible, creating appropriate programs,
and educating your staff, colleagues, friends
and family on how to be more inclusive of
those with an ID, you will enrich the lives
of everybody concerned and position
yourselves to welcome the 20% of the
population that you may have inadvertently
been excluding until this point.
Enabling exercise for those
with intellectual disabilities
In collaboration with group fitness legend Marietta
Mehanni, Carol Syer and Caitlin Syer have created an
instructor training workshop called Enable. Enable
has been designed to empower instructors to have the
confidence and knowledge to teach group classes for
both adults and children with an intellectual disability.
Presented by Carol and Caitlin, the one-day course
covers the definition of disability, different types of
disability, the social and economic impact of living with
a disability, the language around disability, legalities and
the opportunities for the fitness industry to change lives.
Two practical sessions feature ideas for both adult and
child classes and cover how to include physical literacy
patterns to deliver effective, fun workouts.
Having Caitlin co-present brings an authentic voice and
experience to the workshop, a unique quality that the
course creators hope will lead to a more comprehensive
understanding of the challenges that people with disability
face on a daily basis.
The next course takes place
on 28 July in VIC. Click here for
more information.
Carol Syer
With 31 years’ industry experience, Carol is a passionate group exercise
instructor as well as the Program Coordinator for Active Monash, a role in
which she oversees programs for older adults, children, teens, those with
chronic conditions, and people with a disability. monash.vic.gov.au/Leisure
Caitlin Syer
Caitlin is 24 years old and lives with an intellectual disability and dyspraxia.
Currently employed as an assistant at Department of Premier and Cabinet and
at YMCA Dandenong Oasis, she also sits on the Disability Advisory Committee
for Knox Council and is active in advocacy.
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