European Social Fund in England
2007 - 2013
Case studies: ESF Opening Doors Award
YMCA Fitness Industry Training from London
Getting black and minority ethnic women employed in the health and fitness sector in London
Mother of four Amreena Husain Ali was in her late 20s when she decided to lose weight and get fit. As a practising Muslim, she had to find a women-only class, which are few and far between. But when she did, she loved it so much that she decided to train to become an instructor herself.
“By the time I had lost nearly all the weight, I spoke to my aerobics teacher about becoming an instructor,” Amreen, now 31, says. “She was very encouraging, so I got onto the internet to look for a women-only training course.”
That’s how she discovered YMCA Fitness Industry Training. More than 85 women – including Amreena – have qualified as either gym or studio instructors thanks to its women-only lessons.
Amreena went on to study the “Playing Games” children’s fitness course; she now works with children as well as running women-only exercise classes. Another graduate works with YMCA as a mentor for other women taking the course.
“The fitness industry suits women because they can work part time or be self-employed, which means they can fit it in around their family commitments,” says Rebecca Bridges, the project’s manager. “But a lot of ladies [from some ethnic or cultural backgrounds] find it difficult to get involved in the industry because they are not allowed to exercise in front of men, which is why we started the women-only training.”