1. Project Information Sheet European Fitness Inclusion Training for Work
E-FIT-W: European Fitness Inclusion Training for Work: LLP/LdV/TOI/2013/IRL – 511 Timescale: November
2013-October 2015
The UNESCO Chair in Inclusive PE, Sport, Fitness and Recreation in the ITTralee in partnership with the European
Observatory of Sports Employment, Universidad Poltecnica De Madrid, Skillsactive UK, Palacky University in
Olomouc & MomentumBD Ltd/IHRSA will refine and transfer resources for VET trainers designed to equip
fitness professionals with sufficient knowledge, competence and skill to work with people with disabilities in
fitness work environments. In addition the project will exemplify the 7P framework for Inclusive Fitness and
provide direction to centre managers regarding inclusive practice. The project draws together a Sector Skills
Alliance and Knowledge Alliance to maximise the impact and to ensure responsiveness to labour market needs.
Project Aims:
People with disabilities are 3 times less likely to be physically active and twice as likely to be obese than the able
bodied population (CDC, 2009). They are underrepresented in the mainstream fitness environments. Many
fitness centre managers & instructors do not feel confident working with people with disabilities and this is
exacerbated by a lack of awareness among employers, those with disabilities and their families regarding the
benefits to be gained from their participation. A number of factors contribute to this including: the vocational
preparation of professionals and operating polices and attitudes of staff, employers and society as a whole
(Mulligan et al, 2012). Few VET training programmes equip Fitness professionals with sufficient knowledge,
competence and skills to work with people with disabilities while, the Convention of the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (2006) says States Parties shall: a) encourage their participation in mainstream sporting activities;
provide opportunity to organize, develop and participate in disability-specific sporting and recreational activities
and; ensure equal access to.. recreation and leisure.. activities. This E-FIT-W project builds on the work of two
previous projects EIPET and APAVET and Xcessible, a Cara Centre initiative.
This project draws together a Sector Skills Alliance and Knowledge Alliance to maximise the impact in real work
contexts and to ensure the quality of the transfer of the training programme and model for Fitness Inclusion
Training for Work, (FIT for Work) developed in the ITTralee to Europe (E-FIT-W). The training resources and 7P
model which underpins it will be piloted in the Ireland, the UK, Spain, France and the Czech Republic with
instructors in work environments. Resources will be tailored to ensure sectoral needs are met. In addition we
aim to accentuate current promotional resources to create a Multimedia European Awareness and Education
Campaign to be used in wide-scale dissemination activities across the social partner and stakeholder mix of VET
Trainers, Employers, Employees, and Representative Bodies. As a result of this project more fitness instructors
will be equipped with competence needed to work with people with disabilities and more workplaces will cater
for their inclusion. Our partnership can impact upon 30,000 Clubs, over 1 million staff and associated VET
providers.