EHFA Update No. 003/2008

Welcome to the third edition of EHFA Update

Dear EHFA Friends

EHFA Update is delivered to your inboxes once a month. 

Items in our newsletter cover issues related to the health and fitness industry, such as, the latest developments at EU level; features that EHFA are currently working on; EHFA Members’ activities, and many others.  

If you are an EHFA Member and feel that your news should be included, please contact us on thesecretariat@ehfa.eu

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Thank you

EHFA Editorial Team

 

In this issue:

1. EU Competence on Sport & Lisbon Treaty

At present, the EU has no explicit competence in the area of sport. Its sport-related activities are based on the interaction between sport and other competences, such as competition, the Internal Market, justice, freedom and security, health, etc. Even after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, which creates a supporting EU competence for sport, the vast majority of sport-related competences and actions will remain in the hands of the Member States and of sports organisations. European value added in this area can mainly be achieved through exchange of good practice and other supporting activities at European level.

Regular dialogue between the European Commission and governmental and non-governmental actors in the field of sport is, therefore, of vital importance to implement the White Paper on Sport and, after the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, the new provisions in this field.

The White Paper on Sport points out that "The Commission will follow up on the initiatives presented in this White Paper through the implementation of a structured dialogue with sport stakeholders, co-operation with the Member States, and the promotion of social dialogue in the sport sector." More on the re-vamped website of the DG EAC. 

2. EHFA attends Sports Intergroup meeting at EU Parliament in Brussels

On 1 July the European Parliament’s Sports Intergroup invited Michael Trinker, of the EU Sports Office, and Michal Krejza, Head of Unit of the DGEAC Sports Unit – European Commission, to discuss the present and future of EU Funding for Sports with key selected stakeholders and MEPs. EHFA was represented by its Executive Director, Herman Rutgers.

Both presenters underlined the key element in determining a successful bid for EU funding. They drew participants’ attention to the fact that the EU tends to regard sports/physical activity as tool to achieve policy objectives such as the promotion of education, tolerance, fight against obesity, amongst others goals of social nature.

Regarding the near future, both speakers spoke with reservation. If the Lisbon Treaty does come into force the Commission will acquire new competences in the field of sport. However the real impact of this change will take some time to be felt. Both the White Paper on Sports and the EU Sports Programme will have to be approved and implemented, but timelines are protracted. The latter programme is foreseen to be implemented at the earliest by 2012. At institutional level there are still many details to be worked out concerning the management of funding and programmes, as the Commission bodies involved adapt to their new competences. Also, in the initial stages the funding available will be modest, as will the number of projects accepted. EHFA will be keeping track of developments in order to seize the best opportunities for our sector.

Should the Lisbon Treaty not come into force, current programmes and funding mechanisms will remain in place.  In either situation the Physical Activity/ Fitness sector can continue to apply for funding, provided it is 'packaged' with other benefits like education standards for instructors, combating obesity, etc.

EHFA is working on several of these opportunities, like for example, EQF and ECVET latest projects (please see below).

3. EQF ‘Fitness into Practice’ – EHFA bid for the EU funding submitted

EHFA has responded to the European Commission’s call for proposals to develop the European Qualifications Framework with project plan to promote the implementation of the European Qualifications Framework within the health and fitness industry.

EFHA is able to do so using the EHFA Standards, developed with the European Commission, as the European benchmark for vocational education and training within the health and fitness industry.

This will be achieved by establishing the EHFA Standards based European Register of Exercise Professionals (EREPS) in four countries.

EHFA will be working with Central YMCA Qualifications Centre, Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior (Portugal) and European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (France), and promoting the register with the following associations AGAP (Portugal), FIA (UK), VDF (Germany) and Fit!Vak (the Netherlands).

The short-term impact will be the promotion of EHFA Standards as the European benchmark for vocational education and training, facilitating the free movement of labour in the European health and fitness to the benefit of both exercise professionals and operators.

By enabling the integration of EHFA Standards within the EREPS structure and website the project will provide for an independent and transparent process of training, recognition, employment and continuous professional development.

Over the long term it will allow for the establishment of pan-European qualification systems that can be validated and assessed in a number of individual EU countries, promoting the mobility health and fitness professionals across Europe through guaranteed quality fitness instruction and training providers.

EHFA is currently awaiting notification concerning the outcome of its bid, which should be forthcoming at the beginning of 2009.

4. ECVET ‘Fitness on the Move’ - EHFA bid for the EU funding submitted

EHFA has also responded to the call for proposals regarding the implementation of ECVET – The European Commission supported system of credit transfer that allows for training providers to split their curriculum across national boundaries.

The EHFA project sees the concept of ECVET tested at the frontline of operational practice with the leading organisations in the sector. The partners include six multinational operators of health and fitness facilities including Fitness First, Health City, Holmes Place Iberia, Holmes Place Worldwide Injoy and SATS.

The project will see an international scholarship programme built, which sees four EHFA Accredited VET providers working with six multinational organisations to build an international curriculum and examination strategy based on the outcomes of EHFA’s previous ECVET related projects. For the first time, the potential of ECVET will reach the grassroots of the fitness sector.

This project will take six fitness professionals at EQF Level 3 and provide them with the opportunity to undertake an international curriculum with four EHFA accredited VET providers to move to EQF Level 4.

Training providers will work with the EHFA Standards Council to establish an international curriculum and assessment strategy that is compatible with the demands of the modern fitness employer.

ECVET Fitness on the Move will provide instructors with a unique career development opportunity which employers can present as an incentive to their workforce to commit to lifelong learning.

The period of training will be interspersed with periods of real work-experience with one of the major multinational operators.

The process will culminate in the award of the “Jean Monnet European Exercise Professional of the Year Award” which will be awarded to the best performing candidate.

The results of this project will be disseminated to all European stakeholders.

EHFA is currently awaiting notification concerning the outcome of its bid, which should be forthcoming at the beginning of 2009. 

5. EHFA first European Meeting of National Associations 2 October 2008

EHFA will be holding its first National Associations Meeting on 2 October 2008 to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing our sector. 

The meeting will also provide a platform for national associations to raise and discuss issues they feel are important to their organizations.  As you may recall, one of the EHFA’s core roles is to help national associations in their developments where possible, share best practices, in addition to representing them at the European level.

The meeting is aimed at executive staff of existing associations (secretary generals and/or presidents / board members of the associations), and those who are planning to establish a new association in their respective countries.

Should you like to join us or find out more about the event, please contact thesecretariat@ehfa.eu

6. EHFA Members' Corner

  • Two new associations signed up their support for EHFA
    Two new members have recently joined EHFA, Fit!Vak from the Netherlands, and Norges Treningssenter Forbund (NTF) from Norway bringing the total number of national associations in EHFA membership to 15.
  • Star Trac - Works with Nike + iPod to enhance cardio workout experience
    Star Trac has announced that it is pleased to be part of the introduction of the Nike + iPod experience into the commercial fitness market. Randy Bergstedt, Star Trac vice president said ‘Star Trac is committed to enhancing exercise experiences for our users and Nike + iPod compatibility brings a new level of excitement to the cardio arena to keep people motivated and successful with their exercise programs’.

    Nike’s innovative Nike + iPod running experience, combining music, personal coaching and fitness networking had changed the way people run, creating in its first year the world’s largest online running destination at nikeplus.com. Launched just under two years ago in partnership with Apple, Nike + lets your iPode nano talk to Nike+ enabled running shoes through the wireless Nike + iPod Sport kit. Data on time, distance, calories burnt and pace is stored onto the user’s nano and is easily downloaded through iTunes to nikeplus.com. Nikeplus.com users not only can track their own data, but can also challenge other and participate in online forums.  More on www.startrac.com
  • MEHFA – getting Malta 'more active, more often'
    The Maltese Exercise, Health and Fitness Association (MEHFA), is a non-profit association whose aim it is to encourage people in Malta to become 'more active, more often'.  You have seen these words before, and it is no coincidence. MEHFA’s founder and current President, Gino Schiavone, was inspired by EHFA’s work at European level, and sought to instill a similar dynamic into the health and fitness panorama in Malta. MEHFA seeks to do this by raising understanding and awareness of the health and fitness industry’s role amongst politicians, the media and the public, for a fitter and healthier Malta.

    As of October 2008 MEHFA will launch the 'Walk with us' initiative, combining walking integrated with exercise stops, aimed at reaching out to a wide public. Previous initiatives have targeted Aerobics and Aquaerobics fans, as well as general exercise enthusiasts. Presently MEHFA is developing exercise programs for companies who wish to promote a healthier lifestyle for their employees.

    For more information please consult MEHFA’s website www.mehfa.eu