A free one-day course on Mental Health and exercise is being offered to REPs members by Leeds Mental Health Trust.

The course, to be held in Leeds, West Yorkshire, is the first in a pilot scheme to enable instructors to work more confidently with clients with mental health issues and, if successful, will hopefully be rolled out nationally.

As part of the YMCA Exercise and Activity in Mental Health course members will learn how to identify a range of mental health conditions, learn about medication and the contra-indications they may have on exercise.

Discussions workshops will also be held the barriers mental health issues might hold for instructors and clients and how to overcome these, as well as planning appropriate sessions for clients with mental health problems.

The course carries 8 CPD points and will also give attendees a chance to network and co-ordinate activities with the Leeds Mental Health Trust’s own fitness instructors.

For more details on the course on Thursday, 13 December, at the Rothwell Leisure Centre in Leeds.

Please contact John Holmes – Inclusive Fitness Initiative, tel: 0114 257 2053. e-mail: [email protected]