New Round Of Funding For Bilingual People To Train As Fitness Instructors
A new round of funding has just been announced for the popular Multicultural Multiactive Seniors (MMS) Project co-ordinated by the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV).
Now in its third year, the hugely successful Multicultural Multiactive Seniors (MMS) project is run in partnership with the YMCA and funds the training of bilingual people to become qualified fitness instructors.
Mr Sam Afra, Chairperson of the ECCV, said the course was an ideal opportunity for people with some experience of working with older adults to share their passion for healthy living.
“Leading exercise classes is a wonderful means of self-improvement and community engagement,” Mr Afra said. “There are few things more effective and gratifying than helping seniors to become stronger, happier and independent for longer.”
Applications are sought from people proficient in English and another language who can demonstrate an interest in fitness and some experience working with seniors.
Successful applicants will receive YMCA training in Certificate III Fitness Instruction in a part-time course over 6 months plus a weekend course in teaching older adults. This qualification will allow people to work professionally leading group exercise.
“Over the past two years the program has trained people from the Chinese, French, Italian, Filipino and Spanish communities,” Mr Afra explained, “and the feedback from everyone involved in the project is overwhelmingly positive.”
Mr Afra added that by 2011, it is expected that 40% of over 65s in Melbourne will be from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
“The fact is that we are an ageing population,” Mr Afra said, “and unfortunately, research indicates that seniors from ethnic backgrounds tend to be more likely to experience a higher rate of illness associated with a sedentary lifestyle.”
“We need more instructors from within the community who can help reduce the barriers to exercise for our seniors.”
The courses offered are held at YMCA Fitness Training facilities in Fairfield, Knox and Ballarat. The program is funded through the Victorian Office of Senior Victorians (OSV) in the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD).
The deadline for the current round of applications is Friday, 30 October 2009.
For an information pack and details on how to apply, please contact Kate Ling at ECCV on (03) 9349 4122 or email: kling@eccv.org.au.
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