13 Questions & Answers
Everything you need to know about EHFA
Q1. Is EHFA a new Association?
Q2. What is EHFA governance structure?
Q3. Who is on the Board of EHFA and who are Executives?
Q5. What is EHA strategy regarding national associations?
Q6. What is EHFA involvement in Brussels?
Q7. How can a training provider become an EHFA Accredited Institution?
Q8. What is EHFA Public Policy Strategy for the future?
Q10. Who can become members of EHFA?
Q11. Can individual clubs become EHFA members? How does this effect National Associations?
Q12. What are the key areas of activity for EHFA?
Q13. What is the European Register of Exercise Professionals?
1. Is EHFA a new association?
No. EHFA has operated since 2001 and emerged out of the successful European Network of Fitness Associations that was established in 1996.
Since 2001, EHFA has represented the health and fitness sector in the ECVET and EQF processes, as well as on the EU Platform for Action on Diet Physical Activity and Health. EHFA is a European Union approved accrediter of training for health and fitness professionals.
EHFA is a recognised stakeholder for the European health and fitness sector by DG SANCO (the EU Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection).
2. What is EHFA governance structure?
EHFA is a not-for-profit organization, registered and based in Brussels, Belgium, and owned by the members.
EHFA is governed according to its statutes which state the membership decides the strategic direction of the association at a General Assembly.
The General Assembly of 21 August 2007, approved a strategy which EHFA is currently implementing.
Voting at the General Assembly and in the Board of Directors is based on a ‘one-member, one vote’ basis. EHFA is governed by democratic decision.
3. Who is on the Board of EHFA and who are Executives?
Currently the Board consists of the following people:
- President - Harm TEGELAARS
- Treasurer - Paul KIENSTRA, High Five Health Promtion & Intenz, the Netherlands - Employer
- Members:
Paolo A. ADAMI, SIAF, Italy - Traning Provider
Luca CECCARONI, Technogym SpA, Italy - Supplier
Franck GUEGUEN, Club Med Gym, France - Employer
Armando MOREIRA, AGAP, Portugal - National Association
Rosi PRESCOTT, Central YMCA, United Kingdom - Accreditation Organisation
Frank VAN DE VEN, Life Fitness, the Netherlands - Supplier - Executive Director - Herman RUTGERS
- Head of Brussels Office - Kasia SCOGGINS
- Director EREPS - Cliff COLLINS
- Chair Standards Council - Alfonso JIMENEZ
4. Is EHFA truly European?
Yes, EHFA is based on EU statutes, has a Board of only European citizens, and has European organizations as members.
EHFA is based in Brussels, Belgium, at the Maison des Associations Internationales, Rue Washington 40, B - 1050 Brussels.
5. What is EHFA strategy regarding national associations?
EHFA hopes to count on the support of all European Associations as members. There are two ways in which this can occur: first, at a level that enables the HQ to become a member, and secondly, in a manner that enables all members of the National Association to become individual EHFA members under the banner of the national association.
The FIA (UK) was the first national association to support EHFA, not just with HQ membership but also by signing up all 2250 of its member clubs, followed by AGAP, the Portuguese national association who joined EHFA with its member clubs in 2008.
The following associations are currently members of EHFA:
In the European Union:
- BELGIUM - DFO
- DENMARK - DFHO
- FINLAND - SKY
- FRANCE - GERF
- GERMANY - DSSV, VDF
- IRELAND - ILAM
- MALTA - MEHFA
- NETHERLANDS - FIT!VAK
- POLAND - PZFW
- PORTUGAL - AGAP
- SPAIN - FNEID
- SWEDEN - FRISK
- UK - FIA
Outside the European Union:
- NORWAY - TRENINGSFORBUNDET
- SWITZERLAND - SFGV
6. What is EHFA involvement in Brussels?
EHFA has been instrumental in designing the Standards for the fitness industry under the European Credit (Transfer) System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) and European Qualifications Framework (EQF) programmes. Funded by the European Commission, and developed in partnership with a number of European stakeholders, EHFA has played a driving role in the harmonisation of standards in Europe, working to ensure that quality of training is in place.
EHFA is an active member of the DG Sanco Platform for Action on Health Physical Activity and Diet.
EHFA is also an active partner in developing a social dialogue for the health and fitness sector.
EHFA is a recognised stakeholder for the European health and fitness sector by the European Commission.
7. How can a training provider become an EHFA Accredited Institution?
As the Standards setting body for the European Health and Fitness Sector, EHFA coordinates a programme accreditation process. This process will allow organisations at National, Regional or Local level to apply for their fitness programmes to be mapped against the EHFA Standards and Competence Framework developed in partnership with the European Commission.
A government recognised accreditation body has been appointed by EHFA as the EHFA Accreditation Unit (EAU) to undertake this process. Initially the programmes which can be mapped to the Standards are those aimed at training Basic and Advanced Instructors dealing with healthy adults.
Each submission will be considered on its merits and the EAU will evaluate content and process to ensure that the programmes are fit for purpose in producing candidates that can demonstrate the skills and competence required and identified in the EHFA Standards to produce a Health and Fitness Professional.
The EHFA Standards have been agreed as the minimum requirements for an individual to be called a professional. The accreditation process will not rate one programme against another.
EHFA works with National Associations, where they exist, and also liaises closely with National Authorities responsible for qualifications within a particular country.
Steps to Accreditation:
- Step No. 1 - is to complete the online registration of interest
- Step No. 2 - once this application has been received you will receive, by return, an application pack from the accrediting body which will outline the process in full and the costs involved. The pack will enable you to undertake a self assessment against the check list and this will influence the time required by onsite assessors which will also influence the final cost of accreditation.
- Step No. 3 - will be the visit from the assessors. The visit needs to coincide with observation of the practical assessments (at whichever level you are applying for).
- Step No. 4 - will depend on Step No. 3 but will be either full acceptance or a remedial action plan towards compliance.
8. What is EHFA Public Policy Strategy for the future?
EHFA officially opened its new Brussels HQ on 1 December 2007. This will enable EHFA to better serve the European health and fitness sector by being the “eyes and ears” of the industry on the ground.
EHFA Public Policy mission is to:
- Protect EHFA members from policy, legislation or new regulation
- Identify new opportunities for EHFA members by keeping aware of new policy developments
- Build support for the European health and fitness sector among politicians and civil servants for policy development
- Raise the profile of the European health and fitness sector among decision makers
The strategy for implementation is to use EHFA position on the ground in Brussels to understand the policy environment, influence the key decision makers and deliver on measurable objectives.
9. How is EHFA funded?
EHFA is funded through membership fees, sponsorships and grants from the EU.
In addition to these sources of income, EHFA is grateful for the continued support from its Platinum (Plus) Partners which include the largest multi-national health and fitness operators and key suppliers:
- Cybex International
- Fitness First
- Fitness Industry Association UK
- HealthCity
- Les Mills International
- Life Fitness
- Lifetime
- Pellikaan Construction
- Precor
- SATS
- Technogym
Other key Partners include:
- Achmea Health Centers
- Aspria
- David Lloyd
- EFAA
- High Five Health Promotion & Intenz
- Nintendo
- Reebok
- SportCity
- The Leisure Database Company
- VNU Exhibitions
10. Who can become members of EHFA?
EHFA is an open organisation. From the largest companies in the world, to an individual passionate about exercise, every individual and every company is free to become an EHFA member. EHFA is a ‘broad church’ that represents the whole industry and all its stakeholders. This is enshrined in EHFA’s statutes of establishment (available on request) and has been the case since 2001.
EHFA represents the whole industry, including associations, suppliers, training providers and individuals because it has a simple unifying purpose: to raise standards in the health and fitness sector and get more people more active more often.
It is that message that EHFA takes to the European Commission, the WHO, the IOC and any organisation that shares those objectives is welcome as member of EHFA.
More information on the EHFA's current members, membership benefits, and the membership application form, can be found here
11. Can individual clubs become EHFA members? How does this affect national associations?
EHFA wants 27 strong national associations to represent the interests of the health and fitness sector at the national level.
It is EHFA’s commitment to see that national associations thrive.
To that extent, EHFA will not sign up single operators as members when there is a national association that already holds collective membership of EHFA.
As soon as a national association becomes a collective member of EHFA, the funds and addressee of membership from the operator(s) that joined EHFA directly will be handed over to the national association.
It is EHFA’s goal to ensure that the infrastructure is in place across Europe and that the industry is organised in each Member State. EHFA will not undermine this goal by interfering in national matters. EHFA will only engage in local issues upon invitation or request from national associations.
More information on the EHFA's current members and membership benefits can be found here.
12. What are the key areas of activity for EHFA?
Key areas of EHFA activities:
- Encourage an optimal European policy agenda for physical activity and fitness
- Drive professionalism through the promotion of quality standards and certification
- Improve the perception of the sector by politicians, media, consumers and other key stakeholders
- Increase participation in health and fitness centres and positively influence public health - meaning more people, more active, more often
- Increase the sector's influence on EU Institutions and governments to boost European funding for the encouragement of greater physical activity
- Fully document the European fitness industry and promote research.
EHFA organises high profile meetings and events to support the above key areas and also to keep members and other stakeholders informed about the most relevant industry issues. In addition to the regular Board meetings, and the Annual General Assembly, these include:
EHFA Standards Council and EHFA Working Groups, National Associations Forums, European Fitness Forums, EU Policy Forums, Executive Leadership Forums, Research Forums, and EREPS (please see below).
13. What is the European Register of Exercise Professionals?
As the Europe-wide scheme for registering instructors, trainers and teachers in the exercise and fitness sector, the EREPS fulfils a key objective of the EHFA. It helps to coordinate the development of national registers, within an agreed set of common procedures and framework. Through its quality assurance process EREPS recognises that exercise professionals are qualified to do their job thus giving consumers, employers and partners in the medical and health professions the necessary level of confidence in their professionalism and a structure for increased mobility of workers.
The central European database is based upon the integration of individual national registers. Inclusion on the European register guarantees that an exercise professional meets prescribed minimum standards of good practice, including the adoption of a Code of Ethical Practice, and that he or she is committed to continuous professional development through a process of lifelong learning.