Our Mission
Established in 2020, theMovement is a London based charity that exists to restore the right to exercise for every woman.
Exercise is a fundamental human right and has a vast number of benefits. For women who have experienced multiple disadvantages, there are many barriers to exercise, including lack of safety, finances and confidence alongside the extensive impacts of trauma. theMovement aims to break down these barriers and tackle this inequality: restoring every woman’s right to exercise.
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Our beneficiaries are women of very low socio-economic status who have experienced disadvantages, often including an overlap of poverty, adverse mental health and persistent exposure to traumatic situations, including domestic violence and sexual exploitation.
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theMovement are committed to breaking down barriers to exercise for all women, and this includes anyone who identifies as female, femme, trans woman, transfeminine. We acknowledge that trans women often face many disadvantages and increased risk of exposure to traumatic situations. Access to inclusive and safe exercise spaces for trans women is crucial to restoring every woman’s right to exercise. theMovement condemns any form of transphobia in their exercise spaces.
Our work includes 3 projects: MOVEMENT, TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICE and ADVOCACY.
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MOVEMENT
We have established a platform for Fitness Professionals to work with charities that support women with multiple disadvantages to provide exercise classes and opportunities. We recruit instructors, provide relevant training and connect them with charities to provide fitness sessions in their premises, such as refuges and drop ins. We provide ongoing support and resources to our instructors as they conduct weekly exercise for the women we support.
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TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICE
It is crucial to acknowledge the impact of trauma on our body and mind. How we provide fitness opportunities to those affected by trauma, therefore, requires special considerations and adjustments to cater to each individual's needs. We are addressing this currently by providing relevant trauma awareness training to all theMOVEMENT instructors. This means we are creating trauma informed spaces for the women we are providing exercise sessions to.
In the future we hope to facilitate training of all Fitness Professionals in trauma awareness.
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ADVOCACY
We are passionate about working towards a society without poverty and disadvantage for women. theMOVEMENT, therefore, is partnering with agencies and interested bodies to advocate for the benefits of exercise for women with multiple disadvantages.
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