More inclusive with the flick of a switch

FITREC is pleased to be partnering with WeFlex as part of FITREC DNA and to help raise awareness of disability and how we can make our workout spaces more inclusive. We also welcome the WeFlex initiative to provide education, training, and resources for fitness professionals with the intention of facilitating access to NDIS funding. This will allow fitpros to support more people in our communities.

Enjoy this article by Tommy Trout of WeFlex.

“Can we please leave? It’s too loud for me”

I stopped and stared at my little brother Jackson. It was only after he said this that I realised how loud the music was. Something that I had barely noticed was prohibiting him from feeling comfortable. Jackson is on the autism spectrum and is extra sensitive to noise, crowds, and lights. Too much of these can leave him feeling overwhelmed and wanting to retreat.

We went and asked the gym manager if they could turn the music down. After I explained why, she agreed, and my little brother was put at ease and had a great workout. And not a single other gym-goer was impacted, as most had their headphones on anyway. 

With a flick of the switch that gym became just a little bit more inclusive.

That is at the heart of both what inclusion means and also how the fitness industry can improve. This is just one example of a minor adjustment in a standard commercial gym that would go a long way in making those with unique needs feel more comfortable.

Inclusion is at the heart of WeFlex - a new business that is looking to improve the length and quality of life for those living with a disability. 

Recognising the power of regular exercise and improved fitness, it is our mission to help connect people with unique needs to the immense benefits that the fitness industry has to offer. 

This will also help create places where people with disabilities can go and feel included as part of society. 

Sometimes, I feel that my brother’s world is very small and by making the gym a more inclusive place, his world gets that little bit bigger.

With the help of the NDIS, WeFlex is also working towards a platform that will help match clients with unique needs to Personal Trainers in their area. It will be a part of our service to provide these Trainers with the education, training, and resources they need to work with these clients with confidence.