Dulick Centre Service Users Get Moving with Exercise Programme

iMoveto pilot programme aims to build confidence and promote physical activity for people with disabilities

An exercise programme designed to help people with disabilities get more active and improve their overall health is up and running at the Dulick Centre in Ennis.

Supported by Athletics Ireland and Active Disability Ireland, the eight-week iMoveto initiative has been eagerly taken up by service users in County Clare.

The Dulick Centre, which provides day services and training opportunities to adults with disabilities, is one of 20 locations around the country in which the exercise programme is being piloted this autumn.

iMoveto is delivered across two progressive levels, based on the ability or experience of service users, and culminates in a 2km or 5km walk, run or roll event.

For Peter Kavanagh, from Ennis, it is all about “just getting out there and getting involved”.

“Walking is the best activity you can do for your mental wellbeing. You could go out and start your walk stressed out about something but after two minutes that is gone. As they say, a health mind is a healthy body. It doesn’t matter how quick you go or how long you do it for, it’s the fact that you are out there doing it.”

Louise Canny, from Quin, said the programme was “great for getting fit and healthy. I am just after taking it up and we have been going a little bit further every week”.

David Balfe, lead instructor for the iMoveto programme at the Dulick Centre, explained that all participants were “tracking their progress week-by-week in a dedicated programme booklet that allows them to chart the distance they have covered and see how far they have come over the course of the eight weeks”.

Participants are encouraged to go at the pace that feels right for them. By focusing on enjoyment rather than competition, the programme promotes positive habits and attitudes towards physical activity that can last a lifetime.

Commenting on the success of the programme in Ennis, Síofra Roche, Disability Services Training Manager Clare, HSE Mid West, said: “We are incredibly proud that the Dulick Centre has been selected as one of 20 pilot sites to implement the iMoveto programme. At the heart of this programme is the recognition that physical activity should be accessible, meaningful and enjoyable for everyone. Its person-centred approach ensures that individuals are supported to participate in a way that reflects their own abilities and preferences.

“By taking part in the pilot, our service will play an important role in supporting service users to become more active while also helping to learn from their experiences and feedback. Our involvement will contribute to the development and delivery of a programme that promotes healthier lifestyles, confidence empowerment, and positive wellbeing outcomes for people with disabilities,” she added.

The Dulick Centre is a HSE Disability Day Service which has been serving the community in Clare for over 35 years and currently support 99 adults with disabilities across two sites in Ennis and Kilrush.

Service users have a very broad range of needs abilities and needs; including physical and sensory, ASD, mild-to-moderate intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, and mental health needs.

Some live independently, some at home with their families and others in full residential care.

This wide demographic creates a very diverse environment in which to grow, work and learn and makes Dulick Centre a very inclusive space.