An Evaluation Report of "Dance for Fitness"

The Migrant Information Centre in collaboration with Family Planning Victoria, Network of Australian Muslim Women and Donvale Living and Learning Centre completed a VicHealth funded project for Arabic speaking women in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne.

The project was designed to meet the needs of Arabic speaking and particularly Muslim women in relation to women's health and healthy exercise. The projects objectives were to:

• Enable Arabic speaking women to have access to exercise facilities within a culturally respectful environment particularly in relation to privacy, safety and affordability,
• Provide opportunities for Muslim women to learn and be informed of relevant women's health issues so that these women will take action for their own health,
• Initiate and promote community collaboration between the Network of Australian Muslim Women, the Migrant Information Centre (Eastern Melbourne), neighbourhood houses and health and recreation service providers, and
• Encourage and support positive participation from Muslim women through the leadership of the Network of Australian Muslim Women and other participating agencies.

The project consisted of two terms of Dabkeh Dance classes, one term of aerobics, women's health information sessions and a Muslim Women's Health Festival. As the majority of women who participated in the project were Muslim, activities were developed to meet the needs of this community. The report is an evaluation of each activity from both the perspective of participants and the planning group.

To download the Evaluation Report, please choose from the formats below.