Almere City FC launches a joint vitality and exercise program for Almere residents

Almere City FC launches a joint vitality and exercise program for Almere residents

Almere City FC and the Municipality of Almere are joining hands to launch the joint vitality and exercise programme ‘Almere City Doelgericht’ for a specific group of Almereans on welfare.

The ultimate aim of the nine-week programme, which will take place at the Yanmar Stadium from 1 May 2023, is to get this group back to social participation. In Almere, there is a need for low-threshold instruments to literally and figuratively get the residents of Almere moving and, in this way, be able to contribute to their own strength, positive health and participation.

Almere City FC as Motivation

As a top sports organisation, Almere City FC forms a beautiful and inspiring backdrop for this. As a professional football club with an associated motivational vitality infrastructure, Almere has a lot to contribute to the above challenges. Almere City Council therefore explicitly looks to Almere City FC as an important partner in the formulated ambitions.

“The municipality of Almere and Almere City FC link the residents of Almere on welfare to a motivating environment of top-class sport and vitality. Through skill, fitness and orientation towards ‘participating’, both parties hope to help people mentally and physically regain energy, fun and meaning.”

Christian Wiedeman, Chief City Matters

Movement & empowerment

Candidates nominated by the municipality of Almere are given concrete tools to get moving again. The ingredients for this are personal attention, activation through sports and exercise, and strengthening of skills. The programme consists of three components. The group of Almere residents, carefully screened for motivation beforehand, receive individual guidance and coaching from employees of the Municipality of Almere’s W&I team, who have been trained for this purpose. During the programme, they are also paired with vitality manager Martijn Kos of Almere City FC. His mission is to develop and strengthen physical and mental fitness through exercise, sports and lifestyle advice and tips.

Social participation

The final component is the orientation to the social participation. In this, both municipality staff and the vitality manager Martijn Kos explore in an approachable way how individual participants can get back on track to a meaningful daily routine. The focus here is on what is possible.

“Playing sports again at one of the sports clubs or at a club in our network, for instance. Or volunteering a few hours a week. Together with the municipality of Almere, we look for what works for this group. Towards a programme devised jointly with participants where self-direction plays a major role.”

Christian Wiedeman, Chief City Matters