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| Fit 4 U Project |
Organisation and contact details: Armagh and Dungannon Health Action Zone Tel: 028 8778 9531 |
Project title: Fit 4 U Project |
Introduction: Fit 4 U Project is a partnership project funded initially by Big Lottery Fund for 18 months to Feb 08 and is now funded until Mar 09 by Southern Health & Social Care Trust, Armagh City & Dist Council and Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council. Future funding is currently being explored. Fit 4 U Project is co-ordinated by Armagh & Dungannon Health Action Zone. Project Partners Include: • Willowbank Community Resource Centre • Station Road Resource Centre • Moy Resource Centre • Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council • Armagh City & District Council • Southern Health & Social Care Trust • Southern Investing For Health Project Need: • People with physical disabilities tend to lead more sedentary lifestyles because of a complex range of physical, economic and social barriers. • Sedentary lifestyles can result in a range of health related problems such as obesity, heart related problems and poor mental health. Target Areas: • Willowbank Resource Centre, Dungannon (Physical Disability) • Station Road Resource Centre, Armagh (Physical Disability) • Moy Resource Centre (Sensory Disability) |
Aim: To implement a holistic programme to improve the health of people with physical and sensory disabilities, by introducing users of Willowbank, Station Road and Moy Resource Centres to a range of new Physical activity and leisure opportunities and to address wider lifestyle issues. Objectives: • To provide safe accessible physical activity opportunities, not currently available or normally difficult to access for people with physical/sensory disabilities. • To increase levels of participation in physical activity. • To improve the overall health and wellbeing. • To promote wider health benefits of physical activity. • To raise awareness among service providers of the needs of people with physical/sensory disabilities • To arrange training for coaches, leisure centre staff and Resource Centre support workers. |
Methods of engagement: Project targets service users of 3 Resource Centres in Armagh and Dungannon area – therefore project has a specific target group. Service users have been involved in every aspect of project including recruitment process, project development via Steering Group and other consultation groups and ongoing monitoring and evaluation via questionnaires, verbal feedback and focus groups. • Service users are involved on Project Steering Group. • Service users identify needs and activities which they are interested in. • Activities are researched and co-ordinated by Project Worker in partnership with Resource Centres and service users. • Project has support of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy. Project activities include: • Boxercise • Circuit Training • Fitness Suite • Boccia • New Age Kurling • Archery • Yoga • Bowls • Dance • Complimentary Therapies • Healthy Eating Workshops • Tai Chi • Armchair Aerobics • Golf • Fishing • Walking • Cycling • Off Road Driving • Climbing • Sailing • Canoeing • Water Skiing • Gliding • Dry Slope Skiing • Tandem Sky Dives • Climbing / Abseiling • Zip Wire |
Results / outcomes: People with Physical / Sensory Disabilities have: • Participated in a range of new activities, they had not imagined possible. • Raised awareness of their needs among leisure service providers. • Been involved in service user consultation with Leisure Services. • Established improved relationship with Leisure Services in Armagh and Dungannon. • Experienced physical, mental and social health benefits. • People who would not previously have engaged in physical activity are keen to take part. • Secured over £9500 additional funding to support activity costs through small grants. • Leisure Services and Resource Centre staff have participated in training. Reduced Health Inequalities: • Social Inclusion – through group activities and integration with public at Leisure Centre and community venues. • More Positive Attitudes - people with disabilities are now more confident and service providers are more aware of needs of people with disabilities. • Improved Access - service providers have made adjustments to ensure activities and buildings accessible, and tutors have adapted activities to suit individual needs of groups. |
Evaluation process: Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation: • Service users complete an evaluation questionnaire and an evaluation report is written after each taster activity or structured programme. • Service users have been involved in focus groups. Key to success of Project: • Commitment to PARTNERSHIP working and co-ordinated PARTNERSHIP approach, between Health, Local Government and Community. • Project is service user driven and service users have and continue to be involved at every stage of the project. |
Comments: Sustainability: Funding options for sustainability are being explored with the possibility of extending the Fit 4 U model across the Southern area. |
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