Our partners Aspire have released three guides to support the industry to attract more disabled people to the sector workforce
Although 1 in 5 of the working-age population in the UK are classed as disabled, only 52% are employed compared to 81% of non-disabled people, and there are indications that the employment gap is far greater within the leisure sector workforce.
It is recognised by many industry stakeholders that the fitness and leisure sector is often portrayed in narrow terms that lacks diversity and inclusivity.
The guides have been produced by Aspire, a disability charity and community leisure operator, following its successful ‘InstructAbility’ programme which helped hundreds of disabled people become qualified fitness professionals.
There are three guides available:
- Guide A for disabled people, ‘Training and working in the fitness and leisure sector’ is a guide to inform and inspire disabled people to start a career in the sector.
- Guide B for training providers and awarding bodies, ‘Training disabled learners in the fitness and leisure sector’ supports those delivering training to provide inclusive and accessible courses.
- Guide C for employers, ‘Employing disabled people in the fitness and leisure sector’ provides guidance about inclusion and how to become a disability confident employer and recruit and develop more disabled staff.
For further information on this initiative, see CIMSPA news story.
The initiative is funded by Sport England, that has placed tackling inequalities at the heart of its ‘Uniting the Movement’ strategy. It’s backed by ukactive, Activity Alliance, UK Coaching and Community Leisure UK.