Disabled people are getting active together through a new scheme in Salford.
Empower You supports disabled people to take part in activities they may otherwise find hard to attend: everything from gardening and cycling groups to intensive gym workouts.
The new group-based approach builds on earlier success of a one-to-one model, which has been incubated by local social enterprise, Unlimited Potential.
Funding by Salford CVS with support from NHS Salford Clinical Commissioning Group will enable Empower You, to support more disabled people – and carers – to be more active. It will engage already established groups in communities, groups and organisations across the city.
“We know that disabled people are twice as likely to be inactive as non-disabled people yet 70% would like to be more active” said Ben Andrews, Project Manager and founder of Empower You. “Empower You creates new opportunities for disabled people to improve their health and well-being, therefore reducing avoidable demand on NHS and social care services.”
One agency interested in working alongside Empower You is Aspire. Nigel Johnson, Business and Development Officer, said “Unlike traditional activities, Empower You considers people’s motivations. This means that people stay active after the end of the structured programme.”
If you feel that Empower You might benefit a group you are part of, know or setting up, or to get more details about Empower You, please contact Ben Andrews by ben.andrews@unlimitedpotential.org.uk or on 07482 990378.