Today (19 October) saw the official launch of a new initiative – Universal Fitness Innovation & Transformation (UFIT) – which aims to transform the way the physical activity sector engages with and provides for people with disabilities.

Launched alongside the annual IHRSA European Congress – which this year is taking place in Marseille, France – UFIT is a UNESCO chair-led programme which champions inclusivity by developing awareness and delivering leading transformational programmes.

UFIT's main goals are:

• To inclusivise the fitness industry and get diversity into the mainstream.

• To enthuse and support fitness club owners, managers, training organisations, instructors and personal trainers about working with clients with disabilities.

• To provide tailored training and a UFIT inclusion toolkit, offering practical, affordable and positive ways to embrace 'fitness opportunities for all'.

The comprehensive UFIT programme includes a range of resources designed to guide fitness clubs through a systematic transformational process that will increase the 'UniversAbility' of a fitness club.

The programme guides fitness centre staff in developing practical, workable and realistic service offerings in partnership with key user groups, as well as setting up partnerships at local level to drive ongoing, sustainable collaborations with disability service organisations.

The managers’ training focuses on the application of the Universal Transformational Management Framework (UTMF) to devise an implementation plan for their facility. The fitness professionals’ training builds on existing skillsets by developing 10 core competencies for inclusive practitioners.

The launch event included a number of inspiring presentations, including one from Lauren R Darensbourg – director of the 'I Can Do It, You Can Do It!' programme in the US, and a member of the US President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition – who urged delegates to commit now to embracing inclusivity and to share their experiences via #inclusionmeans

That need to commit now was echoed by the UFIT team, who asked: "What are you willing to commit to? What can we do to influence the fitness sector's adoption of inclusion?" The output of those discussions will be incorporated into a Marseille Declaration – a statement, to be issued over the coming weeks, around which the whole fitness industry can rally.

For further information on UFIT, visit http://www.justdoufit.com/ or email: [email protected]