Community Partners' Perspectives on Partnering With an Academic Research Team to Promote Disability-inclusive Fitness Programming

Community Partners' Perspectives on Partnering With an Academic Research Team to Promote Disability-inclusive Fitness Programming Toni Liechty, PhD, Mina Woo, MS, Laura A. Rice, PhD, Chung-Yi Chiu, PhD, Stacy Kirkpatrick, BS, Kay Hankins, BSN, OCN, Elsie Hedgspeth, BS, Ashley Nichols, BS, Catherine Porter, MS, Molly Smeltzer, MS, PT, and Brynn Adamson, PhD What Is the Purpose of this Study? • Assess community partners' experiences with a community–academic partnership that is designed to implement a fitness program for people with multiple sclerosis and promote inclusion for people with disabilities in community-based fitness programming. What Is the Problem? • Community-based fitness programs can support public health by providing access to physical activity opportunities for a vulnerable population with significant barriers. • Programs specifically designed for people with disabilities and staff training to promote inclusion for people with disabilities in general population programs is limited. • Partnerships between academic research teams and community-based fitness organizations can help to mitigate these challenges and improve services for people with disabilities What Are the Findings? • The academic–community partnership facilitated efficiency in serving community members with disabilities by combining complementary strengths of the academic team (e.g., specialized knowledge) and the community partners (e.g., facilities, community relationships). • The success of the partnership was facilitated by positive pre-existing relationships, well-aligned goals, and clear communication of expectations prior to implementation. • The success of the partnership was facilitated during and after partnership activities through ongoing communication and relationship-building, negotiating organizational differences, securing adequate resources, commitment and empathy from all partners, and leadership from a passionate champion. Who Should Care Most? • Managers of community-based fitness organizations who serve individuals with disabilities and/or who want to improve inclusivity in their services. • Academic research teams who want to partner directly with community-based fitness programs. [End Page e11] • Reach out to potential partners who may have complementary strengths and/or resources. • Seek out innovative strategies to more efficiently serve people with disabilities. • Be open to academic-community partnerships as a means to improve health and leisure services. [End Page e12] Toni Liechty Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Mina Woo Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Laura A. Rice Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, Center on Health, Aging, and Disability, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Chung-Yi Chiu Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, Center on Health, Aging, and Disability, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Stacy Kirkpatrick Urbana Park District, Carle Health & Fitness Center Kay Hankins National MS Society Support Group Elsie Hedgspeth Urbana Park District Ashley Nichols Urbana Park District Catherine Porter Carle Health & Fitness Center Molly Smeltzer Carle Health & Fitness Center Brynn Adamson Department of Health Sciences, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Copyright © 2023 Johns Hopkins University Press