Abstract
Fitness Buddies for Inclusion (FBI) with the Blind is a 6-week experiential learning programme organised by CEDARS in collaboration with the Centre of Sports and Exercise (CSE), D2B Consulting (D2B), Hong Kong Network for the Promotion of Inclusive Society (HKNPIS) and Beyond Vision International (BVI). Launched in February 2025, the programme was designed to equip HKU students with the knowledge, practical skills, and social awareness required to serve as fitness buddies for visually impaired persons, particularly blind elderly members of the community. More than 60 HKU students were recruited in the first batch to support over 30 visually impaired participants, demonstrating strong demand for service-learning opportunities that integrate wellness, inclusion, and leadership development.
The programme offers a structured curriculum that combines disability inclusion education with applied physical activity training. Students receive training in tailored resistance band exercises, the use of tactile fitness cards, communication techniques for engaging with visually impaired persons, sighted guiding skills, understanding guide dogs, and participation in a human library activity. Following this preparation, students are paired with visually impaired adults in inclusive fitness classes, where they conduct bodyweight fitness drills, provide mobility support to and from the venue, and engage in meaningful interpersonal interaction. Beyond programme delivery, students are also encouraged to devise initiatives that promote positive change for persons with disabilities and to contribute to public education through outreach activities such as a promotional booth at the Sports & Wellness Gala and movie screening on campus.
As a teaching and learning initiative, FBI with the Blind demonstrates how co-curricular programming and y can advance whole-person education through authentic community engagement and multi-sensory pedagogy. The programme fosters empathy, resilience, inclusivity, and servant leadership by moving students beyond classroom-based understanding toward embodied learning and reciprocal partnership with community members. It also broadens students’ awareness of professional pathways in the fitness, wellness, and NGO sectors.