Four Western Faculty of Health Sciences students have created a culturally inclusive fitness program for women as part of an experiential learning placement at a London, Ont. YMCA. The program is now part of a larger partnership with the City of London to bring it to more women in the city.
The placement, offered by the School of Health Studies, provides fourth-year undergraduate health sciences students the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice by working with a community partner.
Helya Mahmoudy-Baybourdy, Emma Slater and sisters Zahraa and Hind Al-Mosuli worked together to develop and market a women’s-only fitness program for the Startech.com Community Centre, YMCA, & Library on Southdale Road West.
“A lot of people don’t feel comfortable going to the gym for many different reasons,” said Zahraa.
They wanted the fitness program to appeal to all, she said. Women who attend include seniors and those who are pregnant, as well as those from different cultures and backgrounds.
“Creating a women’s-only fitness program that appeals to all cultures and all adult ages empowers so many women who maybe didn’t have the option or didn’t feel comfortable working out otherwise.”
The program was the brainchild of Tracey Skouris, health and wellness manager at the Startech.com Y, who is supervising the students during their placement this school year.
“I wanted to do the women’s-only program for a long time, but it was really the students who were instrumental in making it happen,” said Skouris. “They created the initial workouts and reached out to the broader community to bring in women from all cultures and backgrounds.”
The program – now called Women’s Only Fitness – expanded to become a registered program in partnership with the City of London in January.
“It has given the city an opportunity to connect with a wider audience to encourage active lifestyles. Participation in recreation activities declines as girls reach adolescence. Also, some women prefer women’s-only exercise classes, so there was a need for increased programming specific to women,” said Brian Tschirsow, supervisor of recreation services at the City of London. “This partnership allows YMCA members and members of the general public to take part.”
In addition to the workout program, the students developed wellness infographics, explaining the science behind “10,000 steps” and other health-related topics.
With upwards of 3,000 people using the facilities at the Startech.com Y every day, the students see their work as bringing research to a broader community.
“It’s really empowering being able to break down research articles and make sure people are getting the right information in a visually appealing way,” said Zahraa.
The placement also provided real-world experience for the students and helped them understand the value of their work in the community. Mahmoudy-Baybourdy was in her third year at Western when she felt the need to use the insights she had received during her university experience.
“I was acquiring all this knowledge from my courses, but I wanted the opportunity to use it outside of the classroom,” she said.
After discovering the experiential learning and independent study options offered for fourth-year students at the faculty, Mahmoudy-Baybourdy signed up last spring. She hasn’t looked back.
“It’s such a nice feeling to know that you can apply yourself,” she said. “And now I have connections outside of school; I feel like I’m part of the London community.”
Andrew Johnson, associate dean of undergraduate programs for the Faculty of Health Sciences believes the strength of the placement program lies in combining community expertise with student knowledge.
“Experiential learning opportunities offer benefits to both community organizations and students. Community organizations get to work with students who are knowledgeable, engaged, and excited about the work, and students benefit from hands-on experience with a trained professional,” he said.
For Hind, it meant pushing herself outside of her comfort zone. “Before applying for the placement, I was very hesitant because I consider myself to be shy and introverted. But if I hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t have had this great opportunity.”
“The placement is such an amazing way to implement the knowledge we gain in class,” said Zahraa. “You go out into the community, meet new people and implement the knowledge you have in ways you may have never thought of.”
“I think a lot of us in fourth year are wondering: What do we want to do in our careers? Where do we want to go after this? So, having the placement was an outlet for all the information we’ve learned over the past three years,” added Slater.
