Attract and support adults with a learning disability in IFI gyms

Adults with a learning disability are often hard to reach customers in terms of accessing service provision independently. They may face barriers that mean that they are unaware that inclusive sport and leisure provision exist or know how to access them and participate.

To help break down this barrier for people with a learning disability, the Inclusive Fitness Initiative has worked alongside one of the National Disability Sport Organisations (NDSOs), Mencap Sport, to create a useful resource to attract and support adults with a learning disability to use gym facilities.  

This resource provides advice for leisure and gym facilities on how to market their service provision to fully engage with adults with a learning disability within the local community so that they are aware of activities and how to access them. The resource also gives useful tips on how to adapt communication to be more inclusive and accessible to adults with a learning disability when they are in a gym environment.

The fact sheet forms a series of resources to be included within the resource and marketing sections of our website. They will support people with different impairments more proactively and give useful tips for all elements of the Inclusive Fitness journey. To further support adults with a learning disability we intend to develop future resources which will support communication with Makaton and accessible symbols that can be used in the gym.

If you require any specific information you require or have any ideas or examples of better practice that have worked well for you, then we would love to share it with other inclusive gyms and partners.  Let us know - contact Jules Twells or call 01509 227750

You can visit the Inclusive Fitness Initiative section of our website for further information.