Project summary
This purpose of the project, was to run a small number of yoga sessions introducing and engaging older people within disadvantaged communities in Cardiff, ways they could improve their physical and mental health through the practice of Yoga. The project focus on member of the community that had not taken part in any physical activity for 6months or more and those that had mobility challenges as a result of ill health.
Our approach
We started off outreaching to families within these communities through our volunteers creating an awareness of the benefits of yoga and having the dialogue to help understand and break the barriers that might prevent beneficiaries from participating. This helped us understand what different members of the communities from various cultures thought about yoga. The information gather here was extremely useful because it helped us understand what type of approach we needed promoting and delivering the sessions. We then ran a few taster sessions around the communities allowing people to try out the yoga sessions and feedback on them. These enabled us plan and deliver 2 different types of Yoga sessions. We ran Chair yoga and full floor yoga.
Our achievement
The project helped to encourage 25 new older people within the communities to practice yoga regularly and majority feedback having, improved mobility, made new friends, reduced chronic neck & back pain, felt less stressed, felt better informed about ways they could improve their health for those with mobility challenges and they felt motivated to increase their physical activity levels.
Client Feedback
"At first I thought yoga or any form of exercise was way beyond my reach for someone with the mobility difficulties and age. I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed the sessions. Chair yoga showed and helped me learn ways I could increase my flexibility and strengthen my legs. " Phylis
