Scotland All Strong navigates COVID-19
By providing online exercise opportunities the organisation is bringing people together to maintain their health during the pandemic.
Scotland All Strong, a Community Interest Company based in Perth, provide personal training, health and fitness classes to clients with a focus on promoting the interconnectivity of fitness, mental health and wellbeing.
Andy Douglas, Director and Instructor, founded Scotland All Strong with his wife Jess and credits fitness with playing a key role in his own recovery: “I came to the realisation about how important fitness had been in my own mental health struggles myself… But at the same time I always felt gym environments weren’t brilliant and that they were too competitive, whether with other people or just with yourself. I can always imagine every time I go to a new gym that if I had never been before this would be terrifying.”
Relationships have been crucial to Scotland All Strong’s success thus far. In partnership with the Perth and Kinross Association of Voluntary Service (PKAVS) and with funding from Perth and Kinross Council, they are able to offer free exercise classes for unpaid carers in Perth. And in partnership with Perth Autism Support, they have also been able to co-create a Young Adult Fitness Project which offers free classes to young autistic adults in Perth. These involve a mixture of group work and one-to-one sessions, with both groups benefitting greatly from having the exercise studio to themselves.
The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has presented major challenges to the way Scotland All Strong is run. As an organisation which relies entirely upon face to face interaction, they have had to quickly adapt the services they provide for their clients, including a shift towards online based support.
Scotland All Strong now provides live exercise classes on Zoom which are free to attend. These incorporate question and answer sessions and allow time for people to catch up with familiar faces who would have previously attended Scotland All Strong’s exercise studio. Andy has found that these connections have been one of the more popular aspects of their online classes, with people ‘more willing to talk about exercise and mental health (as a result of) the safety of the screen.’ Andy also encourages his clients to book in time with Scotland All Strong’s instructors for a phone call, message or email if they are looking for any advice.
Scotland All Strong have also recently signed up to My PT Hub, an online platform which allows them to create bespoke workouts for their clients taking into account the equipment they have at home. They are also making use of their new YouTube channel, uploading new online classes and video blogs from clients speaking about their experience of life under lockdown.
Scotland All Strong are also making an effort to promote the good work that other organisations are doing, with Andy singling out NHS Scotland’s fitness classes as an example deserving of praise.
Andy recommends that organisations look into funding opportunities and grants to mitigate the financial uncertainty they are facing as a result of COVID-19. This was one of the first steps Scotland All Strong took as an organisation following the announcement of the lockdown. The funding they have received as a result has allowed them to quickly adapt their services with the creation of a new website and app which will provide online community support ‘for the self management of mental health, life struggles and stress with a particular focus on physical activity,’ giving users an online space to share their journey in small private groups.
In terms of a silver lining, Andy has noticed a move towards more collaboration and informal partnerships across different sectors in Scotland as a result of COVID-19. He has also seen a newfound kindness in people: “Everyone is sharing work a lot more and collaborating… Everyone’s under various stresses and strains but I think, overall, organisations are responding brilliantly. Despite the tragic things that are happening, good can come of it. Even if it’s just as basic as being a bit more friendly and seeing the humanity in that other person.”
End of page.
You may also like:
"Listen first and build services and support around the feedback from the community."
Continue reading“It can be easy to focus on what you can get from a relationship but learning who’s out there and the needs they meet is valuable."
Continue reading“Ultimately, our aim is to empower every young person we work with to achieve their goals and play an active role in their communities."
Continue reading“There is no magic potion in what we do, but we are managing to do it well for the past 30 years.”
Continue reading“We could not do the work we do without the support of other organisations across Glasgow.”
Continue reading“Their mission is to fight food poverty, tackle isolation and discrimination and unite the community through grassroots action.”
Continue readingLouise tells us how Long Term Conditions Hebrides has enabled her to take the lead in managing her health.
Continue reading"When we listen to people, build relationships, and work together across sectors, we can create meaningful, lasting change."
Continue reading"The people who come to the classes have created a community environment....the social aspects are just as important as the exercise."
Continue reading“By collaborating, we can tackle shared challenges, create meaningful solutions, and ensure better outcomes for communities.”
Continue reading“One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is not to assume we know what the community needs”
Continue reading"It is about saying: this is the need, how can we work together to meet that need?”
Continue readingThe aim of Autistic Knowledge Development is to bring more autistic people to the forefront of anything that is related to them.
Continue readingVersus Arthritis are working with communities and other organisations to provide a stronger service and support more people with arthritis.
Continue readingSober Buzz are building connections and empowering communities to challenge stigma and shame around alcohol misuse.
Continue readingFeeling Strong are providing much needed mental health services for young people in Dundee.
Continue readingOur film takes a look at the creative ways which CHAS engages with their children and young people.
Continue readingThe health and wellbeing of children and young people lies at the heart of the work of Children's Health Scotland.
Continue reading"Everybody needs transport and there can be many barriers to achieving that, so we often fill that gap."
Continue readingHelping children develop their emotional language, understand themselves and their social relationships, take ownership of their wellbeing.
Continue readingOur SHANARRI School aims to create a holistic approach to wellbeing in Highland's schools,
Continue reading"From an integration perspective, people now have a greater understanding of what it's like to be a New Scot."
Continue reading"Integration is crucial in enabling leaders to share decision-making, empower individuals, and champion the voice of lived experience."
Continue reading"We don’t often get the chance to fully appreciate the potential that exists within football to help improve lives."
Continue reading"It’s very much about being playful and experimental, but it’s also allowing people to express themselves and feel heard."
Continue reading