Increasing the Physical Activity Levels of BME Communities of Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan A Good Practice Guide Asma Khan, January 2011 Contents

Introduction...... Page 4

Background - MEWN Cymru as the Lead Organisation...... Page 6

The Changing Lifestyles Project Staff...... Page 7

The Changing Lifestyles Activities...... Page 10

Key Considerations for Planning a Schedule of Activities...... Page 12

Research with Beneficiaries...... Page 14

Social Groups and Social Networks...... Page 15

What Does ‘Exercise’ Mean to Beneficiaries?...... Page 16

Social Groups, Exercise and Religion...... Page 18

Social Cohesion...... Page 19

Accommodating Difference...... Page 20

What are the Benefits of Outdoor Physical Activity as Opposed to Indoor Activity?....Page 22

The Importance of Promoting Physical Activity to BME Communities...... Page 24

Statistical Analysis of Changing Lifestyles Data...... Page 26

Summary of Changing Lifestyles Activities Attendance...... Page 27

Gender Statistics...... Page 28

Language Statistics...... Page 29

Age Statistics...... Page 30

Annual Levels of Participation...... Page 31

Introducing 2 Changing Lifestyles Instructors...... Page 32

Advice for Instructors - Lesson Plans...... Page 34

Steering Group Members...... Page 36

The Steering Group as a Two-Way Exchange...... Page 37

Sustainability...... Page 38

Background to the Guide: Asthma Khan...... Page 39

Contact Details for Changing Lifestyles Project Activity Providers...... Page 40 “Lovely fresh air. If I walk, I sleep well and it's good for me as I have diabetes.”

Ramila Mardania, pictured and quoted above, regularly attended Changing Lifestyles activities from March 2007 to November 2010 Introduction

The aim of this Good Practice Guide is to provide advice, guidance and good practice examples from the experiences of the Changing Lifestyles Project. The Guide is for organisations working with BME communities within physical activity and sport in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan and has been produced by the Changing Lifestyles Project which is one of the Mentro Allan projects in Wales. The project was funded by the Big Lottery Fund and run by MEWN Cymru (Minority Ethnic Women's Network Wales). MEWN Cymru is a charity and company limited by guarantee which aims to empower ethnic minority women, challenge barriers, combat racism and work towards change. The Changing Lifestyles Project was guided by a multi-agency steering group which provided advice and a network of contacts to project staff throughout the four years of the project. Mentro Allan, which is Welsh for Venture Out, was a collection of 14 projects across Wales, all funded by the Big Lottery Fund and supported by a national partnership. Each project had one aim in common which was to increase the physical activity levels of sedentary people in Wales by increasing their recreational use of the local, natural environment. Each project, however, had a different target group. The Changing Lifestyles Project targeted black and ethnic minority (BME) people aged 18-64 years living in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. The Changing Lifestyles Project was a prevention agenda for BME people. It was a statement of national health objectives designed to identify the most significant preventable threats to health and to establish achievable goals to reduce these threats. Changing Lifestyles offered a simple but powerful idea: 30 minutes of physical activity each day, 5 days a week will significantly improve your lifestyle & reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke & many other illnesses. The project was a road map to better health for all and could be used to improve health by many different individuals. Over the past 4 years we endeavoured to provide high quality activities for BME individuals in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. We began by running focus groups at the start of the project to ascertain what our potential participants wanted us to provide for them, why they were not currently taking up physical activity in their locality and what barriers they wished us to remove for them. What emerged from these focus groups was that many activities were not accessible to BME people, especially to Muslim women who wore hijab and wished to take up physical activity in a secluded, female-only environment, many were not confident to venture out alone, many stated that times and days were not suitable, some said that childcare was not available and many stated that they simply wouldn't spend money on physical activity. At the start of the project people wouldn't even fill forms once they learnt that the project was trying to get them to take up outdoor activities. So, because a lot of people requested yoga and aerobics, Changing Lifestyles bent the rules and provided these activities indoors but with an outdoor warm-up and walk for 20 minutes before the session. Four years on the project delivered 522 activities predominantly in the outdoors for 1,235 participants in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. We could have set up Tai Chi in the park but our target group didn't want this so we set about ensuring that we responded to what they requested in our focus groups and action research groups. It's also important that consultation with the target audience is carried out throughout a project and not just at the start. This is how Changing Lifestyles ensured that we knew what was working and what wasn't working for our participants. I’d like to thank the Project Worker, Amna Dirar, who was key to our success. She was hard working and knew how to identify and maximise opportunities to raise awareness of the project and she ensured that all registers and enrollment forms were properly completed. This resulted in the project achieving above and beyond targets. We hope that you will find this Guide useful and that it can help in some way in removing barriers for BME people taking up physical activity in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Aliya Mohammed, Changing Lifestyles Project Co-ordinator, December 2010.

5 Background - MEWN Cymru as the Lead Organisation

Minority Ethnic Women's Network Wales (MEWN Cymru), is a registered charity & company limited by guarantee which exists to represent black and ethnic minority women in Wales. The organisation employs 13 people and has been in existence for 15 years. The aim of the organisation is to empower women and work towards change by challenging barriers and combating racism. This is done through the projects run by MEWN Cymru.

Project Funder Aims Improved access to mainstream Independence and Cardiff County Council Wellbeing health services for BME men and women aged above 50 Increasing physical activity in Changing Lifestyles Big Lottery Fund sedentary people to reduce major health problems

Ethnic Minority Mental Welsh Assembly Increasing awareness and Health Awareness Project Government changing perceptions of mental health issues through effective engagement

Asylum & Refugee Comic Relief Support and advocacy for asylum Women’s Project seekers who have suffered rape, torture or violence

P2 Project Pre-employment training for WEFO economically inactive women

Surestart Surestart Childcare and early learning centre for children aged three years or under

Volunteer Project WCVA Developing employment skills for BME women through volunteer work

All projects identify gaps and barriers in existing local services through engagement with the target group; gaps are bridged by providing activities and by educating service providers, local authorities and the Government. MEWN Cymru is part of the Third Sector Partnership Council (TSPC) and sits on two Ministerial advisory committees and the CAFCASS advisory committee. From the time of writing the bid for the Changing Lifestyles Project, MEWN Cymru has engaged with BME groups and potential beneficiaries of the project in order to ensure that the project has been client led and focused on their needs. As an established organisation, with experience of holding large budgets in order to make best use of funding for beneficiaries and a wealth of experience with working with the target group of BME communities, MEWN Cymru was ideally placed to act as the lead organisation for the Changing Lifestyles Project.

6 The Changing Lifestyles Project Staff

Aliya Mohammed Amna Dirar Project Co-ordinator Project Worker

Aliya joined MEWN Cymru in June 2005 as Amna is a qualified pharmacist and worked in a Engagement Officer and became Development community pharmacy in Sudan. After migrating Team Manager in December 2005. She is now and joining her husband in this country, she put the Project Co-ordinator of the Mentro Allan her career on hold to concentrate on raising a Changing Lifestyles Project. Aliya has a BA family. Amna is an active member of the (Hons) degree in English Literature. She speaks Sudanese Community in South Wales and was three BME languages and has previously involved in the successful establishment of a worked as a journalist, graphic designer, web Sudanese Sunday School. As well as being the designer and an editor. Aliya is also the Chair of chairperson of the school, she also teaches the Black Voluntary Sector Network Wales and GCSE Arabic. Amna joined the organisation in Secretary of the South Asian Women’s 2006 as a part-time Health Project Worker. Association. Amna is now the Project Worker on the Changing Lifestyles Project.

Recommendations for Lead Organisations

u An organisation wide commitment to the aims and objectives of the project is essential, including active participation and involvement from the organisation’s senior management.

u There should be compatibility with the ethos of the lead organisation and the project in question.

u Where the lead organisation has an established and longstanding client group it is important to ensure that it maintains a commitment to recruiting beneficiaries from outside of the current beneficiary database where hard to reach communities are a funding condition. This will ensure that the funding condition is met and is also of benefit to the lead organisation in expanding their database of beneficiaries for future projects.

u Organisations which work on the ground with hard-to-reach communities are well placed to run projects engaging with local people. However, it is important that the organisation adequately fulfils monitoring and evaluation requirements to ensure that good practice and successful engagement methods are recorded so that these may be followed by other organisations for future guidance.

u Careful consideration needs to be given to the categories of data that are collected within monitoring and evaluation forms used by a project. For example, when collecting data on language, one issue Changing Lifestyles found was that though the forms asked participants to state what their preferred language is, the database collected by the Mentro Allan Central Support Team had the category ‘first language’. Preferred language and first language can be two different things.

7 “As a dance leader, I would like to say that this is a great way to get fit. The ladies are learning a new skill, getting active and fit and are having fun at the same time. The confidence levels have gone up & the social side of dancing brings a smile to everyone's face. No one has complained about exercising!” - Nrithya Rammohan, Bollywood Dance teacher “I have been very ill and my recovery was through your yoga sessions.”

Sudha Suchak The Changing Lifestyles Activities

From March 2007 to November 2010, the Changing Lifestyles Project delivered 522 physical activity sessions for 1,235 participants. The project set up the following activities over 4 years: Vale & Coastal Walks Gardening Aug 2007 - Jan 2011 Aug 2007 - Oct 2008

Cycling Yoga Sept 2007 - Jan 2011 Sept 2007 - Sept 2010

Local Walks Fun Activity Days May 2008 - Jan 2011 June 2008 - Aug 2010

10 The Changing Lifestyles Activities

Bollywood Dance Nordic Walking April 2009 - Aug 2009 March 2009 - April 2009

Football Practice Salsa Dance Oct 2009 - July 2010 Jan 2010 - June 2010

Tango Dance Netball Practice Feb 2010 - June 2010 November 2010

And: Aerobics & Healthy Cookery Club, Women’s 50 Plus Aerobics & Men’s 50 Plus Yoga

11 Key Considerations for Planning a Schedule of Activities u The Changing Lifestyles Project staff understood religious & cultural restraints of many of their beneficiaries which resulted in participation from a vast number of hard to reach communities. For example, Asian women and especially Muslim women who wear hijab or the jilbab are unlikely to undertake any activities other than walks in a public place such as a park. u The staff were also aware of common stereotypes about BME communities and therefore consulted with the beneficiaries at the start of the project to ascertain what the participants wanted the project to provide for them. Staff learnt that most BME women did not mind whether activities such as walks were led by a man nor did they mind mixed gender outdoor activities, especially walks and fun days. Therefore, the project ran fun days and Vale, coastal and local walks and cycling sessions for men, women, grandparents and children which proved to be a great success as these were attended by families. u The staff were able to speak four BME languages which was a significant advantage for the project. Where other languages were required, staff were able to call upon other MEWN Cymru staff members as the organisation's employees speak 10 BME languages between them. u The Changing Lifestyles staff also arranged large events and activities as a team with other MEWN Cymru project managers, which resulted in sharing of expertise, large turn-outs and well-organised and professional events and activities. u The Changing Lifestyles staff learnt early on in the project that their participants' motivation for attending activities was because they had a great interest in improving their health as well as socialising. Therefore the project staff stressed the importance of accurately completing the Enrolment, Physical Activity Level Form (PAL) and the Physical Activity Readiness Form which would enable the staff to help participants to improve their fitness levels. The project staff clearly stated that if full contact details were not filled in on the Enrolment Form, CL Project staff will not be able to contact them to invite them to future activities and events. The result was a total of 1,235 successfully completed forms from each individual enrolled on the project which are now contained on the project database. u The staff explained that though the project aims to set up outdoor activities for BME communities in Cardiff and the Vale, consultation with the target audience meant that the staff used a community centred planning approach throughout the four years of the project. Focus groups were run at the start of the project to assess what activities potential participants wanted. Many people requested yoga and aerobics but were not willing to do these in the outdoors. The Co-ordinator therefore compromised and provided these activities indoors but with an outdoor warm-up and a walk for 20 minutes before the session. Participants who attended these indoor activities were also encouraged to participate in outdoor only activities. Four years later the project completed 522 activities for 1,235 participants in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan (up to November 2010), with the bulk of these activities being in the outdoors. The Co- ordinator states: “I could have set up Tai Chi in the park but my target group didn't want this so I set about ensuring that I responded to what they requested in the focus groups and action research groups. It's also important that consultation with the target audience is carried out throughout a project and not just at the start. This ensures that we know what is working and what isn't working and plan accordingly.” u The same methods that are used to sell the concept of physical activity to sedentary people can also be used to sustain the activities, both throughout a project and at the end of a project. The Co-ordinator states: “Our aim was to set up doorstep activities, but we found that scenic and unfamiliar surroundings such as the Vale for people of Cardiff were a real hit with participants. Therefore, our challenge was finding a way of building our participants' interest in their local surroundings and emphasising the health benefits of physical activity. We did this by bringing participants back to their locality and drawing their attention to interesting or attractive aspects of their local environment. We set up walks in Bute Park and Roath Park, right on our participants' doorsteps. We found walk leaders who knew the history of these parks and they led walks while telling interesting, historical stories about the location. The participants found this really fascinating and they've returned again and again for the local walks, even though they may walk through these parks on a daily basis.” 12 Recommendations

The Changing Lifestyles Project staff developed their schedule of activities with regard to the needs and requirements of their target group and would make the following recommendations to others when planning activities for BME communities: u Religious festivals of Christmas; Eid-al-Fitr; Eid-al-Adha and Diwali are dates to be avoided. Regular contact should be developed with local religious institutions such as mosques, churches and temples to remain up to date with the precise dates for these festivals as they may they vary from year to year. u Ramadan and the month leading up to Diwali are periods when observant Muslim and Hindu people fast and should be avoided for physical activities - again, check with local religious institutions for advice on precise dates on an annual basis. u School holidays should be avoided for project activities. During school holidays, participants/beneficiaries have older children to care for and are unlikely to attend. Contact local schools or the Council for a calendar of dates for the school term and perhaps focus on inter- generational activities during these periods. u The bulk of beneficiaries for the Changing Lifestyles Project were stay at home mothers and grandparents - during term time they are free and have spare time which they are eager to fill with training, skills development & physical activities. Social contacts made by participating in these activities become valuable social groups for the participants where they enjoy interacting with like- minded individuals who become their friends whilst they up-skill or become physically active. u The Changing Lifestyles Project would call each participant to remind them of an activity they had booked onto which resulted in well-attended activities throughout the project. However, the staff stated that they would not recommend this method to other projects as it is time-consuming, laboursome and costly. “The best method to contact participants is via email or text message which is a method many of our partner Mentro Allan projects used. Unfortunately, the majority of our participants, especially those above 50, did not have email or did not give mobile phone numbers.

A Changing Lifestyles Focus Group in May 2007.

“We consulted with our participants at the start of the project and asked them what activities they wanted,” Aliya Mohammed, Changing Lifestyles Project Co-ordinator

13 Research with Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries took part in group interviews which were conducted at their community centres just after they had taken part in a physical activity organised and funded by the Changing Lifestyles Project. This meant that they were comfortable and familiar with both the surroundings and with other members of the group which enabled them to engage with the research process with confidence. The researcher reassured the group of the confidentiality and anonymity of their comments. The Changing Lifestyles staff were not present during these interviews. Interviews were conducted mainly in English but the researcher was able to translate questions and provide explanations for questions in Urdu and Punjabi.

Recommendations

BME communities are less likely than non BME communities to have been engaged in a research project and it is therefore important to bear in mind the following points: u Conduct interviews in an environment with which participants are familiar so that they feel comfortable. u Questions should be clear and the use of jargon should be avoided. u The matching of ethnicity of the researcher with the research participants is not important, but the researcher should show an awareness of and respect for the religious and ethnic culture of participants. u The researcher should not make assumptions about the ability of the participants to participate in the research process but instead should be guided by the participants and be prepared to vary questions and methods according to the responses of the individual or group in question. u The ability to speak an ethnic language is desirable. Where this is not possible, the use of a professional interpreter is recommended and it would not be advisable to expect a member of the researched group to interpret because of the uncertainty in the quality of interpretation and their ability to understand the nature of the questions or responses.

Differences Within and Between BME Communities

There is a tendency both in literature and policy to view BME communities as homogenous. However, there are key differences in the health and socio-economic well-being of BME groups. Although social class is outside the scope of the Changing Lifestyles project, it is important to note that Indian people are more likely to be better educated and more well off financially.

Instructors and project workers observed significant differences based on these different ethnic and religious social groupings. It was generally observed that Indian women of Hindu origin were likely to have better levels of health and fitness and engage in more health and dietary practices and demonstrated a quicker route of progression within the physical activities to more advanced and strenuous exercise than their Muslim counterparts.

14 Social Groups and Social Networks

One of the routes that the CL project took to access BME communities who were not engaging in outdoor physical activity was to make use of contacts within existing social groups and networks. Some examples include:

1. South Riverside Community Development Centre 2. Upna Carers Group run by the PRT Carers Centre at the Mackintosh Centre and at South Riverside Warehouse in Riverside 3. Ladies Only Morning at Penylan Library 4. Sanatan Dharm Mandal Hindu Centre 5. Various informal social groupings of people with a common interest in physical activity

The Sanatan Dharm Mandal Hindu Centre and the Upna Carers Centre were chosen as case study sites to conduct group interviews by the Changing Lifestyles staff because they had regularly taken part in activities arranged by the Changing Lifestyles Project.

The Sanatan Dharm Mandal Hindu Centre, The Parade, Cardiff

A social group with participation mainly based on religion and country of origin. Most, but by no means all, members of this group were of Indian origin, with diasporic connections to East Africa and were brought up in and may be actively practicing the religion of Hinduism. All respondents were over the age of fifty and retired from formal work. The social group consists of roughly an equal number of male and female participants, with a number of married couples attending together. The group was set ups for the participants to engage in community social activities such as prayer, singing, socialising, sharing meals, the sharing of advice and information and the social group also exists to care for elderly members of the community for whom this social event was their only opportunity in the week to meet other members of the community and partake in a cooked and prepared meal. The group meets once a week between 9am and 3pm. Funding from the Changing Lifestyles Project has meant that the group has been able to incorporate the physical activity of outdoor exercise and yoga into their weekly programme. Three males and five females took part in the group interviews.

The Upna Carers Centre - Mackintosh Residents Community Centre, Cardiff

The Upna Carers Centre is a support service for carers from the minority communities of Cardiff set up by the PRT Carers Centre. Carers come in and meet other carers, join in with gentle exercise, have lunch together and also have a chance to discuss their caring role and issues with advocacy workers. Carers meet once a week between 10am and 3pm. All the carers were female and of either Pakistani or Bangladeshi ethnic origin and all were practicing Muslims. There were a variety of age groups within this social group. Funding from the Changing Lifestyles Project has meant that this group has been able to introduce exercise into their weekly programme. Six women took part in the group interview, five Pakistani and one Bangladeshi.

15 What Does 'Exercise' Mean to Beneficiaries?

“It's not only exercise it’s mind and body and soul.” (Male respondent from Sanatan Dharm Mandal Hindu Centre)

The difference in the demographic composition of the two groups interviewed means that it is possible for some comparisons to be drawn between views of Hindu and Muslim respondents, men and women and older and younger age groups.

General Comments: u Exercise can take place both outdoors and indoors. u Exercise is important for retired people because it helps them to remain physically and socially active. u Group exercise is a forum for social engagement with friends of the same, or similar, ethnic or religious culture. u The main form of current exercise for all respondents was walking; this was mainly walks in the local area around their homes or to and from carrying out chores such as shopping and childcare. u Forms of exercise must be enjoyable. u Improves levels of energy throughout the day. u It is useful to know the health benefits of the particular form of exercise that is being undertaken.

Gender Differences u Women included household chores as a form of physical exercise. u Men were less likely to view outdoor physical exercise as weather-dependent, for example they will still go for a walk if it raining or cold. u Men were more confident in their abilities to undertake and sustain forms of exercise.

Yoga participants at the Changing Lifestyles Vale Healthy Living Event in June 2010

16 Life Stage Differences u Childcare issues for women with children of school age have to be incorporated into their exercise routines and this can be difficult if the children do not yet attend school. u Adults of retirement age with grown up children are more flexible in their time commitments. u The importance of a robust social network is especially important for people of retirement age. u “My children are all grown up - they won't go with me! I would love to go with friends, though, because this is our own age group and we can talk.”

Religious Differences u Exercise for Muslim women must be undertaken in a female-only environment. This appears to be dependent on the type of exercise, for example the Muslim women that were interviewed were happy to have a male walk leader but would only be able to undertake yoga with a female instructor. u Muslim women find it harder to incorporate exercise into their daily routines which requires the balancing of household chores, childcare and daily prayers.

Group Exercise u All respondents, regardless of gender, ethnicity and life-stage placed a great deal of emphasis on the importance of group exercise:

“I can do it when I am with other people, it’s better in company” (Female respondent from Sanatan Dharm Centre)

“With company it’s better, it's like two horses on one cart.” (Male respondent from Sanatan Dharm Centre)

“I prefer it in a group - I can push myself” (Female respondent from Upna Carers Centre) u Physical activity is seen as a collective rather than individual action and responsibility. Structured group activities are seen as the key component for motivation to regularly undertake activities, for women in particular. u The presence of a community leader who can organise activities, liaise with service providers and instructors as well as the social group in question was seen as essential by both groups. The community leader should pass on key information as a two-way process and should have the communication skills to be able to articulate the needs of the community to service providers whilst explaining processes and procedures to the participants. The presence of such a person was seen as a key factor to motivate exercise and promote health benefits. The social group can nominate their own community leader or engage with someone with the key skills employed by a lead organisation.

17 Social Groups, Exercise and Religion

Social groupings of people who do, or wish to, undertake physical activity collectively are multifaceted and include: u Mother tongue language u Cultural background u Religion u Area in which they currently live u Family ties u Community ties

For the groups researched religion seemed to be a particularly important binding and organising feature for social groups:

For Muslim women this meant that the women they were interacting with had similar religious requirements for mobility and dress and their bodily movements and interaction with others in public spaces.

For the Hindu social groups, religion was significant as a way of bringing together people of similar cultural, social and normative practices to engage in social dialogue and discourse.

Recommendations

u A community leader or outreach worker is key to maintaining communication between individuals and service providers and keeping the target communities motivated.

u Time for social engagement and interaction should be built into the session, perhaps half an hour before or after the session.

u Understanding of the specific needs of the community you are working with is essential, and particular regard should be given to differences in religious or cultural practices.

Left: a Vale walk with Sanathan Dharm Mandal Hindu Centre attendees

18 Social Cohesion

Activities such as Vale walks delivered the benefits of outdoor physical activity whilst at the same time opening up the social benefits of the Welsh country side, allowing the women to engage with Welsh history and culture. Their interaction with the instructors and service providers also allowed them to practice their English language skills and increased their confidence:

“A lot of us have not gone into churches and stuff to see that these places are 200 or 300 years old and see the dates, so a lot of us hadn't seen that. So it is history in there as well with the walk, history, social gathering - it’s all different things.”

“We made friends on the trip for example with the Chinese ladies, exchanged food and got to know people of different faiths.”

Comment from a Fun Activity Day attendee

“These activities give us a chance to meet people.”

Ashok Agarwal, a regular Vale walk participant

19 Accommodating Difference

Throughout the Changing Lifestyles Project instructors and service providers were keen to attend cultural diversity training. Experiences from the project have shown that some instructors were hesitant and wary because they were afraid to cause offence. Accommodating 'ethnic' or 'religious' dress was a significant issue in terms of meeting the health and safety requirements of the activity in question and provides an interesting case study which can display how religious and cultural needs can be accommodated within physical activity.

Yoga was the one activity for which the instructor faced the least issues with dress as the only requirement was that of loose-fitting and comfortable clothing which may explain its popularity with project beneficiaries. The fact that more rigorous aspects of the exercise were conducted indoors may have been an added benefit. Recommendations

u Instructors who hope to engage BME women within their activities should be aware of any health and safety issues that may arise from clothing and dress.

u Instructors may gain an understanding of this by carrying out some preliminary research with their target group, for example contact with a community leader or a focus group with members of the target group.

u Instructors should consider how issues of dress according to religious or cultural needs can be accommodated in order for the target group to take part in the exercise.

u Instructors should make themselves familiar with the names of particular items of clothing. They should explain the health and safety requirements of the exercise to the target group and then issue appropriate instructions.

u The first session should be seen as a trial by both the instructors and the group and plenty of time should be given to ensure that both parties are happy with the results and that all health and safety requirements are met.

u If the above steps are not taken the service providers and/or instructors run the risk of alienating the target group, undermining their confidence to take full part in the activity and discouraging them from future participation. Foresight and planning is a must.

Quotes from the Vale & coastal walks participants:

“I liked the scenery, it was peaceful and out of the city.”

“An excuse to get out of the house.”

“Cough, asthma, arthritis - all improved.”

“When you have company you enjoy things more.”

20 Muslim women in hijab (head scarfs) and cycling helmets learning to ride a bicycle

BME women in salwar kameez (ethnic dress) with trainers on a rainy Vale walk at Cosmeston Lake What are the Benefits of Outdoor Physical Activity as Opposed to Indoor Activity?

This is something the Changing Lifestyles Project explored in-depth. What are the benefits of the outdoors as opposed to indoor physical activity? We know from Dr William Bird, the Strategic Health Advisor for Natural England, who spoke at the Mentro Allan Conference in 2008, that there is evidence from a large trial that for every one mile walked per day there is a 13% reduced risk in performance of concentration, language and memory and that a lifetime of physical activity can actually prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Changing Lifestyles participants told staff what they valued about the project’s outdoor activities and how the outdoors benefitted their health. Project participants loved visiting scenic and unfamiliar surroundings - for people of Cardiff, the Vale was a real hit. Participants went for walks to various locations and people returned themselves with their families and told the project staff that they'd never paid attention to the beauty of their local, natural environment. “Participants were fascinated and awe-struck by the beauty of untouched, natural green spaces and streams tucked away in little corners they'd never seen before,” stated Aliya Mohammed, the Project Co-ordinator. “Our participants related to us the emotions released by the fresh air and sunshine. We were told by participants who suffer health problems that the fresh air and sunshine helped them sleep, it's improved their diabetes, their arthritis and their back problems.”

The mental health benefits, not just for people suffering depression or mental health issues, but also for stress related problems, was also emphasised by participants. People enjoyed the social interaction, they noticed colours and textures, sounds and smells. Participants stated that the fresh air cleared their minds and made them feel healthier and lighter. Various benefits of outdoor activity have emerged from the feedback received from the project’s participants - to name a few: humour; energy; optimism; self- confidence; emotional stability and improved body image.

“Most importantly, because outdoor activities such as walks are local and free, this means that they are also sustainable. From the feedback we've received from our participants, it is without a doubt that there is a link between accessible urban green space and healthy living and this seems to have become established in the minds of our participants.” Aliya Mohammed, Changing Lifestyles Project Co-ordinator.

“Nice fresh air. The walk warms up my body.”

Sudha Vyas, a regular Vale walk & yoga participant

22 Can lay-led A countryside for walking health and well- programmes being' the physical increase physical and mental benefits activity in middle of green exercise. aged adults? A Jules Pretty, Murray randomised Griffin, Jo Peacock controlled trial. S et al February 2005, E Lamb, H P Report for The Bartless, A Ashley, Countryside W Bird. Journal of Recreation Network Epidemiol Community Health u Stress and mental 2002:56; 246-252 health are becoming common. The World This study compared a Health Organisation community based lay- (Who, 2001) estimates led walking scheme that depression and with advice only on depression related illness physical activity and will become the greatest cardiovascular health sources of ill-health by status in middle aged 2020. Depression is a risk adults. There were no factor for a range of significant group illnesses such as arthritis, differences in self diabetes, stroke and reported physical heart disease. Both activity at twelve-month mental and health follow up. Verbal and challenges are linked to written advice was only sedentary and indoor slightly less effective as lifestyles. health walks. Advice u was given to groups and Well-being is this was enjoyed as enhanced by close people shared connection with nature experiences. and communities. Connectedness to social Changing Lifestyles groups is known to have a walking activities positive effect on health combined group such as that experienced physical activity, social on Vale walks and fun interaction as well as days organised by verbal promotion of the Changing Lifestyles. health benefits of u physical activity. Green spaces and nature are a health Lay led walking resource programmes have the potential to offer cheap and effective physical activity promotion.

23 The Importance of Promoting Physical Activity to BME Communities

BME groups suffer disproportionately higher risks of certain health conditions which can be improved by participation in physical activity, for example the death rate from Chronic Heart Disease is 40% higher for the South Asian population in the UK than the general population. This justifies a focus on BME communities such as that taken by the Changing Lifestyles Project. Some BME groups are the most disadvantaged sections of British society and they require appropriate and targeted interventions, such as those presented by the Changing Lifestyles Project.

Leading Action on Race Equality and Health 'A guide to: what we should do, why and how', NHS u The proportion of Bangladeshi men who smoke is 44% compared with 27% of the general population. u Men and women of Indian origin are three times more likely than most people to have diabetes. u The prevalence of stroke among African Caribbean and South Asian men is 70% higher than the average. u Young Asian women are more likely to commit suicide than young white women. u South Asian people are 50% more likely to die prematurely from coronary heart disease than the general population. u Standardised mortality rates show that Bangladeshi men and Pakistani men are more likely to die of Ischemic heart disease than any other ethnicities in the UK and that women from the Indian sub-continent are more likely to die from heart disease than other ethnicities. This is closely linked to the socio- economic position of these groups. (Davey Smith et al 2000 'Ethnic inequalities in health: a review of UK epidemiological evidence, Critical Public Health, Vol 10, No 4, 2000). u Links to health and ethnicity have long been established. There is a tendency to regard BME communities as a homogenous group. However, there are significant differences within this group, and in terms of health and physical activity, this term can be unhelpful. There are key differences in socio- economic status, educational attainment and health within BME groups. u Religion should certainly not be framed as a barrier or problematic issue regarding the impact it has on individuals, particularly for females. Indeed, it is not seen as such by religious individuals. Nevertheless, religion and its social, cultural and practical implications for individuals and groups have to be more carefully considered by service providers, instructors and policy makers when they seek to increase the participation of BME communities in physical exercise. u Primary research with the beneficiaries of the Changing Lifestyles Project has shown that health benefits are of paramount importance to BME men and women as they are most likely to engage in physical activity at health 'crisis points'. For example, as a result of a sudden onset of ill health such as heart disease, having difficulty to lose weight after having a child or because of persistent aches and pains. Beneficiaries have valued instructors who informed them of the health benefits of particular exercises and the activity as a whole. ‘Patterns of Physical activity and relationship with risk markers for cardiovascular disease and diabetes in Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and European adults in a UK population.’ Hayes, L, White, M, Unwin, N et al (2002) Journal of Public Health Medicine, Vol 24, no. 3, pp170-178 The researchers tested differences in physical activity levels between Pakistani and Bangladeshi populations and the European population. 52% of European men didn't meet the national guidelines, 71% of Indians; 87% of Bangladeshi men and 88% of Pakistani men. These lower levels of habitual physical activity which are likely to contribute to higher levels of diabetes and cardiovascular risk and measures to increase physical activity levels are urgently required. 24 Changing Lifestyles Good Practice u Knowing our communities is essential and building a real rapport with our communities depends on listening to each other, growing in understanding and learning to trust one another. The Changing Lifestyles BME team members were able to demonstrate empathy and understanding with their client base as well as knowledge of cultural and religious norms and practices. u The Changing Lifestyles team developed good relationships with third sector organisations that deliver services and have developed specialist skills and knowledge about the local population and BME communities within it.

“Yoga is helping my arthritis because of the gentle movements. If I stay at home I get depressed, but if I come out to do yoga, it lifts my spirits.”

Banu Patel

25 Statistical Analysis of Changing Lifestyles Data - Where Changing Lifestyles Beneficiaries Came From

The following statistics are based on self reported data from 1,078 beneficiaries. Areas within Cardiff have been clustered into areas which are in geographical proximity to one another and/or into areas which are regarded as having similar socio-economic make-up in popular views which include those of service providers. u The data shows that the largest single area from where beneficiaries were recruited was the Grangetown-Riverside-Butetown cluster. As this cluster contains the highest density of the Muslim population in Cardiff this is a positive sign that the Changing Lifestyles Project met its objective of recruiting beneficiaries predominantly from Muslim backgrounds and cultures. u The other Cardiff cluster is the next most significant and highlights the breadth of Changing Lifestyles recruitment and promotion activities as it is composed of all areas but those named with the clusters. u Recruitment within the Barry and Vale of Glamorgan region was perhaps down to the Changing Lifestyles base being located in Cardiff and also the relatively fewer numbers of BME communities living in those areas. u The Heath-Lisvane-Penylan-Llandaff cluster is perhaps the most problematic, namely because of popular views regarding the relative socio-economic prosperity in these areas. It may be of interest to service providers to know that some areas within this cluster have a medium density of Muslim residents and therefore are significant to those organisations seeking beneficiaries from Muslim backgrounds.

Where Beneficiaries Came from

No Area specified by participant

Grangetown-Butetown-Riverside

Cathays-Roath

Splott-Adamsdown

Heath-Lisvane-Penylan-Llandaff

Barry-Vale of Glamorgan

Outside Cardiff-Barry-Vale

Fairwater-Canton-Ely

Other Cardiff

26 Summary of Changing Lifestyles Activity Attendance up to March 2010 u Most beneficiaries undertook one activity only with the Changing Lifestyles Project. u The most popular first-time activity for beneficiaries was the Vale walks. u The fun days came a close second - these were both activities which could be undertaken as a family or close circle of friends with a much larger social group. Also they allowed participants a relative amount of freedom and control as compared to more structured activities and allowed plenty of opportunity for the beneficiaries to spend time with their existing social networks whilst also opening up opportunities to make new friends. u Yoga was also a big hit with beneficiaries, quite different from the walks and fun days because of its shorter duration and also the very structured and individualistic nature of the exercise. u 59 beneficiaries went on to engage in a second activity with the Changing Lifestyles Project and the most popular second activities were yoga and the Vale walks, with many beneficiaries taking part in just these two activities. u 17 respondents went on to take part in a third activity, the most popular combination of three activities were fun days, yoga and Vale walks. u There were some significant differences between area clusters and choice of first activity. u Bollywood dance was more popular with the Cathays-Roath and Heath-Lisvane-Penylan-Llandaff clusters. u Salsa and Tango dance were mostly attended by those from the Grangetown-Riverside-Butetown cluster, as was cycling. u Local walks were preferred by the Heath-Lisvane-Penylan-Llandaff and Grangetown-Riverside- Butetown clusters but with half the level of interest from beneficiaries in the Roath-Cathays cluster. u Vale walks were widely popular but were best attended by those from Grangetown-Riverside- Butetown and were in fact the best attended activity for the Splott-Adamsdown cluster. u The levels of participation in yoga were fairly even across all the clusters apart from Splott- Adamsdown. Given the broad popularity of this activity with all BME groups it may be that more consideration must be given to make the location and scheduling of this activity more suitable for this cluster.

Attendance on Activity One

27 Gender u Of the total 1,078 beneficiaries up to March 2010, 820 were female and 257 were male. u This may be a reflection of promotion, advertising and recruitment undertaken by an all-female staff at Changing Lifestyles. u It may be a reflection of the scheduling of events which took place mainly during school hours which may have inhibited the participation of men in these activities. u It may be a wider reflection of attitudes of BME men to physical activity. u Men were unlikely to engage in multiple activities. u Men were most likely to engage in Vale walks and fun days, which may have been the inter- generational nature of some of these activities, the scheduling and also the fact that they were accompanying their wives and children. u The most popular activity for females was yoga followed closely by Vale walks, with 228 women participating in yoga and 207 joining Vale walks. Fun days were also very popular with female participants.

Gender of Changing Lifestyles Activity Attendees

Frequency Percentage

Female 820 76.1

Male 257 23.8

Total 1078 100

28 Language

The vast majority of respondents reported that their language of preference when engaging in physical activity is English. The language most likely to require translation or interpretation was Arabic, followed by Gujarati.

29 Age u There is a good representation of all age groups within the beneficiary data base at Changing Lifestyles which is proof of effective promotion and recruitment amongst age groups. u Those below the age of 20 were most likely to take part in Vale walks and fun days and those under the age of 10 were unlikely to participate in any of the other activities. u Bollywood dance and yoga were popular among female beneficiaries below the age of 20. u Vale walks and yoga were the most popular activity for beneficiaries over the age of 50. u Those between the ages of 50 and 70 were most likely to participate in multiple activities with the Changing Lifestyle Project. u The 20-50 age group engaged in the most diverse range of activities within the project. u Across all age groups Vale walks were by far the most popular of all activities.

30 Annual Levels of Participation

Please note the statistics for 2010 are only valid until March 2010 and they are included as a forecast for what the total of the year is likely to be. These statistics show a steady growth in the number of beneficiaries of the project over the last four years. u 209 beneficiaries were recruited in 2007, 313 in 2008, 428 in 2009 and 128 were recruited in the first quarter of 2010. u Approximately 30% of beneficiaries each year have been recruited from the Grangetown-Butetown- Riverside cluster. u The Other Cardiff cluster comprises approximately 22% of beneficiaries each year. u Fairwater-Canton-Ely comprises approximately 10%. u Outside Cardiff, Barry and Vale cluster approximately 3%. u The rates of participation from other clusters vary significantly from year to year.

31 Changing Lifestyles Instructors

Kalpana Singh - Yoga Instructor

How did you become involved in the Changing Lifestyles Project? Aliya contacted me about running yoga sessions May 2007. I started off with yoga sessions at Channel View and then moved on to teach at the Upna Carers Centre, the Sanatan Dharm Hindu Centre and later even in Barry. I had been learning for a long time and I’d only finished my teacher training a few years before. Every class I attended you'd rarely see BME people in the classes, I'd always be the only Asian so I really had this in my mind when I was doing my teacher training -I want to be a really good teacher and access all these communities.

What do you think makes a good yoga instructor? I think a good yoga teacher can access lots of different communities. Some people have the misconception that yoga is a religious practice, but it’s not, it’s spiritual practice which can be applied to any religion. But aside from that people know that yoga is good for their health and their general well-being so even if they didn't want to go into the spiritual side, I would hope that they'd get that from my lessons, that they feel healthy both mentally and physically. Sometimes I teach Hindus, Muslims and Christians in one session so I'm not going to start doing things that would upset any of those faith groups. I try to give participants the feeling that this is a time for them to balance, to be peaceful and have space for themselves as well as get a good work out. It wasn’t just the physical practice that I wanted to get across and I think I've managed to make people do that even through simple things like breathing techniques.

Would you say that you have any specific requirements when working with BME groups? When I'm teaching at the Riverside Community Centre the Bangladeshi women speak very little English but luckily one of the workers for the Upna Carers Centre comes in and it's changed the whole quality of the class quite dramatically and it’s been a massive help because I can explain what each posture is doing and how it’s benefitting them. The participants can watch and mimic me but it’s not the same as someone explaining what they’re gaining from it, so for me the best classes have been when I've had a really good interpreter and that's the only thing I'd say is if there is a class where the participants are predominantly low English speaking. It would have been amazing to have a designated interpreter for the classes, as long as they're good at describing what I'm saying. It can be difficult when you've got three different languages in a group, so if two people have come together, like a mother and daughter, I'll ask the daughter to interpret for her mother.

What advice would you give to someone who is in the planning stages of an exercise programme for BME communities? You've got to be good with people and really be into what you're teaching and you really have to open up your knowledge so you can adapt to different people, different bodies, situations, nationalities and different cultures. Sometimes I do a lesson plan, but I change it half way through mentally and I just do it on the spot because the people in my class required something different. So if someone can’t do a certain exercise or they're really tired or even looking really energetic and they want to do more, I can change my plan. The most important thing is getting to know the group you’re working with, being open , friendly and building a good relationship so they feel at ease to express themselves.

32 Changing Lifestyles Instructors

Ian Harvey - Vale and Coastal Walk Leader

Can you tell me something about your interest in physical activity? I love the outdoors. I did the Duke of Edinburgh Award when I was in school and when I later joined the army I saw it as a big extension of that. I also enjoyed art as a youngster and I was a very good cartoonist so I left the army and went into animation and stayed there for most of my working life. I always loved the outdoors so I continued to be a big walker and I later joined a charity called Valeways where I worked as an inclusion officer, but to me this wasn’t really like work. Aliya contacted us at Valeways and introduced us to the Changing Lifestyles Project, explaining that she was interested in getting ethnic minority people to take up walking in the Vale and would like Valeways to help with this.”

How did you go about planning Vale Walks? It’s about bearing in mind fitness levels, so you're going to take them somewhere where it’s flat, there are no up-hills, no down-hills, no obstacles to go over, because if you walk through the countryside you're going over stiles quite often and they can even be in a bad state of repair. There had to be a car park and it needed to be somewhere where you could have a long or short walk. So I’d start thinking about parks and somewhere where there are facilities because it was explained that there would be ladies in the older age group who may have spent a while coming into Cardiff and then from Wood Street they would be driving out into the Vale and the first thing they might need is the toilet. The first few walks were assessment walks. In any group you are going to have people who can walk much farther than others with different levels of fitness, different abilities and ages. But it had to be a pretty location, somewhere beautiful. It needed to be the countryside because they were from Cardiff and one thing we learnt very quickly was that they didn't want to walk in the city, they wanted green surroundings and it was during assessment walks that we learnt that they wanted the coast as well. They wanted sea views, coast, no stiles, not too long and that really restricts what you can do. You can start at one place and later you can go to the same place again but go another way. The first year was a big learning curve for me.

What would you say are the benefits of outdoor exercise? Mental health, because the greenery has a really good effect on the mind - it really calms it. Then it's a matter of fresh air and silence - you can't hear anything apart from birdsong or crickets. Changing Lifestyles walk participants would get off the minibus and say ‘oh, it’s beautiful here’, and I’d know I’d done the right thing. I think the mental health benefits are as big, perhaps even bigger, than the physical health benefits.

What did you enjoy most about your participation in the project? For me personally it was an insight into different cultures which I didn't really have before and I really enjoyed the banter. Of course the participants would talk in their own languages but sometimes they would chatter away in English. The picnics after the walks was a very big social sort of sharing of food and a very enjoyable part of the activity.

What did you learn from the experience? My patience levels have improved incredibly because I used to work with people who are already very fit, life-long walkers who could out-pace me. For the Changing Lifestyles walks, I had to have a lot of patience to work with new walkers. 33 Advice for Instructors - Lesson Plans Throughout the Changing Lifestyles project a key challenge for instructors has been the accommodation of varying abilities and levels of fitness of the groups taking part in the same activity.

The following recommendations may be of use to service providers or instructors hoping to undertake physical activities with BME groups: u Consider the use of issuing a health questionnaire before the activity takes place or during the first session in order to gauge levels of health and fitness to assist your planning. u Use the first session as a trial to ascertain the levels of health and fitness and adjust your lesson plan to accommodate the needs of the group. u Allow some time for social engagement outside of the time allocated for the formal lesson either before or after the session. u Allow time for individuals to approach the instructor with questions relating to their health concerns. u Explain the benefit of each exercise. u Check understanding of explanations. u Exercise strong leadership and direction in order for the group to make the most of the investment in time and for the group as a whole to concentrate on instructions. u Incorporate a 'hard' and 'soft' option for more demanding exercises or routes. u The entire length of the session should be longer than the prescribed half an hour to allow the time for socialising and questions etc.

Nrithya Rammohan, the Changing Lifestyles Bollywood dance instructor, teaching a group dance sequence at a Changing Lifestyles promotional event in 2008. Choosing Instructors for the Changing Lifestyles Project The Changing Lifestyles Project staff used the following methods to find instructors: word of mouth; their network of private and work contacts; internet research; Mentro Allan (as the Central Support Team); Sports Wales (previously Sports Council for Wales); advice and contacts from the steering group and other physical activity projects.

The project staff began by running focus groups which included 130 participants who were asked which activities they wanted the project to provide for them. From there a list of activities was compiled which formed the basis upon which the team went about locating the best instructor and venue.

Recommendations The Ideal Instructor Find out what the requirements of your target group are by running a series of focus groups and then go on to source appropriate instructors and design the Accommodating - of varying levels programme of activities around these requirements. of fitness. It is important that consultation with the target group is carried out throughout a project and not just at the Culturally Aware - of issues that start. This ensures that we know what is working and might arise due to cultural what isn’t working. differences.

Enthusiastic - about the activity and able to also enthuse the group.

Friendly - makes the client group comfortable and is available to answer questions.

Interested - in the group and their circumstances.

Knowledgeable - about the physical activity they are teaching and also about it's specific health benefits.

Leadership - able to guide the group on a clear route of progression within the activity.

“I’d never heard of Nordic Walking Non judgmental - of differences and before I joined Changing Lifestyles. pro-active about accommodating Howell was a really good instructor who these. made the activity thoroughly enjoyable.”

Shagufta Ghani

35 Steering Group Members

All Steering Group Members of the Changing Lifestyles Project had an advisory role within the Steering Group, advising on delivery of the programme in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, support and advice on the development of sport and physical activity in line with the Mentro Allan programme, sharing good practice and providing links into other organisations. The Steering Group consisted of the following members: Sue Toner (Chair) - Principal Health Promotion Specialist, Public Health Wales, Cardiff & Vale Public Health Team; Anne Phillips - Senior Health Promotion Specialist, Vale of Glamorgan Local Public Health Team ; Neil Emberton - Senior Regional Officer, Sport Wales; Miki Miyata Lee - Regional Countryside Officer, Countryside Council for Wales; Rajma Begum - Community Development Co- ordinator, Food and Fitness for Families Project, Cardiff Council; Bronia Bendall - Health and Well Being Co-ordinator, Health Partnership Team, Cardiff Council; Tony Hendrickson - Communities First Co-ordinator, Ethnic Minority Communities Team, Cardiff Council; Stephanie Thompson - Cardiff Community Projects Officer, BTCV Cymru.

Sue Toner (Chair of Steering Group), Principal Health Promotion Specialist, Public Health Wales Cardiff & Vale Public Health Team I have worked in public health and health promotion for over 20 years and I became involved in the Changing Lifestyles Project while leading two large community health development projects in south Cardiff. I was keen to share the learning from these projects and to build on the work achieved. I contributed to the development of the project bid and was then nominated as chair of the project steering group once funding was secured. The Changing Lifestyles Project has achieved a great deal. It has engaged with many more community members than anticipated and initiated a range of activities and programmes. The staff have demonstrated enthusiasm and commitment to the focus and objectives of the project. Access to long term funding remains a key issue for project development, implementation and sustainability. Communities require consistent and long term support to achieve and maintain changes in behaviour. Availability of community development support is vital.

Neil Emberton, (Steering Group Member), Senior Regional officer, Sport Wales I have worked in sport and leisure for almost twenty years and for the last eight years I have been with Sport Wales. Sport Wales is one of the national partners for Mentro Allan and this is how I became a member of the steering group for the Changing Lifestyles Project. I had an advisory role on the steering group which included: sharing information in areas such as identifying potential service providers; highlighting opportunities relating to general sports development; and providing updates on projects, funding and programmes that relate to and assist with the sustainability of the Changing Lifestyles Project. An important aspect of the steering group's development was for the membership to clearly identify their roles and therefore how they could contribute to the project. The overall success of the project can mainly be attributed to the Changing Lifestyles Project Co-ordinator, Aliya Mohammed. The project has annually exceeded expectations and it's pleasing that at least six activities will be sustained beyond March 2011. There has been extensive learning from this project which would be beneficial to a range of organisations. My overall recommendation is that this learning is widely disseminated to national and local organisations and activity and service providers.

36 The Steering Group as a Two-Way Exchange

The Changing Lifestyles Project benefitted from the advice and expertise of a steering group to guide the project team and to provide ongoing support in finding solutions to problems and signposting the project to relevant service providers. In turn, the steering group has benefitted from gaining first hand knowledge of the learning from the project.

Recommendations for Steering Group Interactions

u Should be composed of people who can share knowledge, experience, contacts and should be able to provide guidance in the management of a project.

u A steering group should represent a forum for shared learning, not a one-sided exchange.

u There should be mutual respect of expertise among the steering group and representatives from the lead organisation and praise should be given when it is due.

u Participation in a steering group should be seen as a long-standing commitment throughout the life of the project.

u The exchange of knowledge, expertise and learning should be expected and encouraged in an open way within a supportive environment.

u All members of the steering group should be able to expect well-thought out and sensitive responses to their suggestions, they should also expect to be asked challenging questions and have the necessary information to hand to answer these.

uA steering group should be sensitive to the guiding principles and ethos of all the organisations represented within the steering group.

u In the event of a drop in engagement levels of the steering group an attempt should be made to discover reasons for this and appropriate steps taken to deal with the circumstances.

u There should be an open acknowledgment of what is expected from participation within the steering group on an individual or organisational level to ensure that participation is to the benefit of all steering group members, as long as this is in line with the aims and objectives of the project.

u The contributions of all steering group members should be valued even in the event that they cannot be implemented.

u All suggestions and reports should be given due consideration and responses should be made in a thoughtful and timely manner.

u Steering groups should constitute “lively partnerships” - Sue Toner

NB: the above recommendations assume that project team members are seen as members of the steering group.

37 Sustainability

The Changing Lifestyles Project developed a Sustainability Plan in June 2009, almost two years before the end of the project, in order to ensure lasting benefits after the project ended in March 2011. The following are activities that have been sustained by the project:

1. Salsa Dance - South Riverside Community Development Centre have secured funding to continue this activity.

2. Cycling - The project has set up The Re-Cycling Project in partnership with Communities First. Bikes have been provided by South Wales Police & Cardiff Council. 10 individuals have been trained to repair and recycle damaged bikes and trained as cycle support leaders to lead learn to ride cycling sessions as well as group rides.

3. Local Walks - Changing Lifestyles provided Walk Leader training for 4 people in November 2010. Two participants are from PRT Carers Centre and will sustain walks for the Upna Carers Group on Tuesdays in Roath. Participants who are interested in doing so will also be filtered into the Let's Walk Cymru walks across Cardiff from November 2010 to March 2011.

4. Netball - Changing Lifestyles provided a 6-week Community Sports Leadership Award training for 11 women who were trained to become community sport and physical activity instructors from September 2010. Changing Lifestyles purchased equipment for the netball group to assist the group to sustain their regular netball practice sessions.

5. Yoga - Upna Carers Group run by the PRT Carers Centre have secured funding to continue the yoga sessions we have provided at the Mackintosh Centre and at South Riverside Warehouse in Riverside. The Sanatan Dharm Mandal Hindu Group have also sustained this activity by accessing physical activity funding. Barry Leisure Centre also made a presentation to Changing Lifestyles Project participants in Barry to encourage participants to attend sessions in the Vale at their local leisure centres.

6. Aerobics and Yoga - participants will be referred to the Ladies Only Morning at Penylan Library on Wednesdays between 9am and 12.30pm which includes Yoga, Pilates, Extend and use of the Fitness Suite at £2.50 or £1.37 for Max card holders. Quotes from Changing Lifestyles Participants u “I like the fresh air and positive energy.” u “Every joint is nice and loose and you feel lighter after the walk and I enjoy the breathing exercises outside.” u “Being by the trees and water doing breathing is lovely and relaxing.” u “Yoga is helping my back, shoulders and knees. I couldn’t sit cross-legged before, now I can. I go home feeling relaxed.” (Maghu Varsani) u “I love the warm-up by the waterfront.” (Bhanu Patel) u “Excellent! I most enjoyed yoga outside.” (Liz Herbert) u “It helps me sleep.” (Kanta Patel) u “I like that it’s a women-only class and that there’s no CCTV.” (Amina Noor)

38 Background to the Production of the Guide: Asma Khan

In April 2010 I was contracted to produce a Good Practice Guide for the Changing Lifestyles Project. As a qualified academic researcher with a particular interest in workplace learning, ethnicity and identity and the role of religion in society I was able to bring a varied and dynamic set of skills to the production of the Guide as well as diverse experience of working with ethnic and religious communities in the UK context.

My remit was to highlight the key learning experiences from the Changing Lifestyles Project based on original research conducted with the key stakeholders of the project and make recommendations based on the findings of this research for those wishing to engage with BME communities in the field of physical activity. The recommendations have a broader application as a starting point for people who wish to engage with BME communities in other fields such as social cohesion and diversity training.

Methods I used semi-structured qualitative interviews to gain an insight into the understandings and perspectives held of the Changing Lifestyles Project by some of its key stakeholders:

1. Beneficiaries 2. Instructors 3. Changing Lifestyles staff 4. Members of the steering group

Interviews were transcribed and then analysed using specialist software for the analysis of qualitative data. I analysed some of the statistics produced by the Changing Lifestyles Project staff using SPSS - a quantitative analysis package.

I conducted a review of relevant publications and also literature produced by the project staff to place the results of the qualitative and quantitative analysis in a wider social context.

Asma Khan, December 2010

39 Contact Details for Changing Lifestyles Project Activity Providers

Vale, Coastal & Local Walks Football Practice 1. Valeways Obaida Arabi (private instructor) The Barry Community Enterprise Centre Tel: 07966 709 417 Skomer Rd Email: [email protected] Barry CF62 9DA Salsa Dance Tel: 01446 749 000 Floribeth Soto BVSNW 2. Ian Harvey Tel: 02920 450 068 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Yoga Tango Dance Kalpana Singh (private yoga instructor) Karen Woodley Tel: 07821 277 984 Tel: 01633 615113 Email: [email protected] Mb: 07852 873 857 Email: [email protected] Cycling Web: www.tangotherapy.co.uk 1. Pedal Power Dogo Street Aerobics & Healthy Cookery Cardiff Sessions CF11 9JJ Claire Harris Tel: 029 2039 0713 Milestone Activities Email: [email protected] 47 Hillcrest Brynna Near Pontyclun 2. Cycle Train Wales CF72 9SJ 8 Museum Place Tel: 01443 224117 Cardiff Email: [email protected] CF10 3BG Web: www.milestoneactivities.co.uk Tel: 02920 397 283 Email: [email protected] Nordic Walking Glenn Little Gardening Physical Activity Development Officer Pontcanna Allotments, Age Concern Western Avenue, Ty John Pathy, Riverside, 13/14 Neptune Court, Cardiff. Vanguard Way, Cardiff, Bollywood Dance CF24 5PJ. Hiral Narbad Shah Tel: 029 2043 1555 Tel: 07866 473300 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

40