• Elevate 2026: Reflecting on a Sector Moving Forward Together

    By Angus Milligan, Head of Business Development, YMCA Awards

    Posted:

    Attending Elevate 2026 at ExCeL London once again reinforced why this event remains such a pivotal moment in the calendar for our sector. Bringing together thousands of professionals, from operators and educators to healthcare leaders and policymakers, Elevate continues to create a space where the future of physical activity, health, and wellbeing is actively shaped.

    This year felt particularly significant, marking a decade of collaboration, innovation, and progress across the industry. The conversations, insights, and shared ambition highlighted just how far we’ve come and more importantly, where we’re heading next.

    Celebrating Collaboration Across the Sector

    One of the standout reflections from this year’s event was the strength of collaboration across the ecosystem.

    From training providers and awarding organisations to employers, public health leaders, and sector bodies, there is a growing alignment around a shared goal: Positioning the physical activity sector as a professional industry and a critical part of the nation’s health solution.

    At YMCA Awards, we are proud to play a central role within this sector working with education providers, employers and wider sector stakeholders to support workforce development and career progression, through quality trusted education.

    Events like Elevate are invaluable in bringing the sector together, enabling collaboration, strengthening partnerships, sharing best practice, and ensuring we are collectively responding to the evolving demands of the sector.

    Aligning with the Sector’s Vision and Future Direction

    Across both the exhibition floor and various panels and talks, a clear theme remains a priority for our sector, the continued integration of fitness, health, and wellbeing into preventative healthcare models.

    The sector is evolving beyond traditional fitness delivery. There is a growing expectation that professionals are equipped to:

    • Support behaviour change
    • Work with diverse and often inactive populations
    • Align and collaborate with other sectors like healthcare and wider NHS services.
    • Deliver services that are safe, inclusive, and evidence-based

    At YMCA Awards, this aligns directly with our mission. For over 25 years, we have developed regulated, industry-recognised qualifications designed in collaboration with employers and experts to meet real-world needs.

    As the workforce’s priorities shift, YMCA Awards has continued to lead the way in education development to ensure the workforce has quality education that employers and educators trust, whether that’s, products in specialist populations to support working with diverse groups, education in behaviour change, or the upholding and raising of quality and standards in education delivery.

    Spotlight on Wellness, Lifestyle Management, and Behaviour Change

    A key focus moving forward and a major area of discussion at Elevate is supporting long-term wellness rather than short-term interventions.

    Our Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Wellness through Lifestyle Behaviour Change (610/4040/X) is a prime example of how we are supporting this shift.

    This qualification equips professionals with the knowledge and skills to:

    • * Engage inactive individuals
    • * Influence sustainable lifestyle change
    • * Support mental and physical wellbeing holistically
    • * Contribute meaningfully to public health outcomes

    As the sector continues to integrate with healthcare systems, these competencies will become increasingly essential.

    Other key YMCA Awards Products supporting Behaviour Change and Lifestyle Management:

    Leading the Way in Pilates and Specialist Provision

    It was also encouraging to see continued demand and recognition for high-quality, regulated provision in areas such as Pilates. Throughout the exhibition floor Pilates in particular Reformer Pilates remained a focus point. 

    YMCA Awards remains a sector leader in Pilates qualifications, supporting training providers and learners with robust regulated education that shapes professionally recognised pathways that align with industry standards.

    We look forward to continuing to collaborate with industry leaders in this area and continue to be dedicated to strengthening standards and the workforce within this growing occupation and increasingly popular physical activity.

    Professionalisation and Career Pathways

    The importance of professional status, scope of practice, and workforce credibility was another recurring theme throughout Elevate, with CIMSPA and EMD UK continuing to drive this forward for the sector.

    Through alignment with CIMSPA standards, the sector continues to:

    • Enhance career pathways and progression opportunities
    • Ensure qualifications meet employer needs
    • Provide clearer routes to professional recognition and status

    At YMCA Awards, we are committed to supporting this journey working closely with CIMSPA, EMD UK and other partners and sector bodies to ensure our qualifications remain relevant, rigorous, and workforce focused.

    YMCA Awards has a large portfolio of specialist qualifications aligned to CIMSPA standards, supporting specialisation, professional status and career advancement. These qualifications support core occupational roles such as Personal Training through specialisation in specific populations and environments, providing professionals with deeper knowledge, skill and competency in working with the public.  

    These are a few example qualifications that support specialisation:

    These qualifications all align to CIMSPA Professional Standards and support career and professional status advancement.

    Looking Ahead: A Collective Responsibility

    As we reflect on Elevate 2026, one thing is clear:
    The sector is moving forward and it’s doing so together.

    There is a shared responsibility across all of us; awarding organisations, training providers, employers, and sector stakeholders to:

    • Raise standards
    • Support workforce development
    • Strengthen cross-sector collaboration
    • Ensure our industry is recognised as a trusted, safe, and effective partner in improving national health

    Continuing the Conversation

    Elevate may be over for another year, but the conversations and opportunities are just beginning.

    If you’re a training provider, employer, or sector partner looking to:

    • Expand your provision
    • Align with emerging health and wellbeing priorities
    • Support workforce development and professional status

    We would welcome the opportunity to collaborate.

    Together, we can continue to shape a stronger, more aligned, and more impactful sector.