The Joyful Movement is a finalist for the ‘NZ Rugby Innovation Award’ at the 2025 New Zealand Rainbow Excellence Awards which celebrate workplace leadership, innovation, best practice and collaboration with organisations committed to rainbow diversity and inclusion.
The Joyful Movement’s entry showcases the success of a recent pilot programme, led by Auckland Council, supported by AUT School of Sport and Recreation and Sport NZ, and funded by Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora.
The pilot aimed to remove the many barriers young transgender and non-binary people may face in gyms and fitness centres, by upskilling staff and personal trainers to provide more inclusive programming.
Rhion Munro and Danny Kittner from Community Action on Youth and Drugs (CAYAD), a team within Auckland Council’s Community Impact Unit, have led the pilot project.
They are thrilled The Joyful Movement has been recognised at a national level, as they believe increasing Rainbow access to exercise has the potential to deliver multiple benefits to many youth in Aotearoa including mitigating drug and alcohol harm.
It is built on industry-wide research, including feedback from 250 Rainbow youth about their challenges to access movement and exercise. Key findings and recommendations of this work are available online.
In the pilot, five personal trainers worked one-on-one with five members of the transgender community. All participants reported feeling empowered, respected and included in decision making during their training sessions and participation in the programme.
Personal trainers involved in the pilot programme have applauded The Joyful Movement. One said: “This programme has changed the way I think about exercise. It has given me a deeper purpose, a greater sense of wanting to support communities who might want to move their bodies but don’t know how to.”
Exercise can be life-affirming
Rhion Munro explains that movement can be life-giving and life-affirming. However, he adds that there can be complex and harmful barriers that inhibit this group from enjoying a positive relationship with physical activity.
“It is known that transgender people move less and can experience discrimination in sports and exercise environments that strip the joy out of participating.
“Building on the positive findings in the pilot, The Joyful Movement aims to shift the barriers that hold this community back. Our hope for the future is that we see a generation of empowered transgender and non-binary people who enjoy the benefits of movement and are part of safe, inclusive communities where they participate with confidence and joy.
“Working with exercise professionals to grow their capability and understanding is one of our first steps to help realise this future,” Rhion says.
National recognition
Auckland Council Head of Community Impact Dickie Humphries says seeing the council team recognised for building this innovative and compassionate programme to reduce harm within the region’s transgender and non-binary community, is transformative.
“We’re thrilled that Auckland Council and The Joyful Movement are a finalist in the Awards. This project is a true community effort.
“Together, we’ve created work that has the potential to make a real difference, now and in the years ahead. It’s wonderful to see everyone’s dedication recognised, and we can’t wait to celebrate at the awards in October,” says Dickie.
It is hoped that The Joyful Movement is seen in the future as a continuing professional development opportunity for personal trainers, fitness instructors, and allied exercise professionals.
“Movement is an important protective factor for young people. Research tells us that it strengthens their holistic wellbeing and provides a sense of connection and belonging to their community. In its various forms, movement can also be both a prevention and treatment strategy for reducing alcohol and drug harm in our community,” says Rhion.
Rhion hopes that in the future all transgender and non-binary people are able to find a personal trainer who knows how to work safely and confidently with transgender people and support them toward their goals in a way that is affirming and fun.
The support network
CAYAD is funded by Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora - to reduce drug and alcohol harm among young people. It operates in 20 locations throughout New Zealand, Auckland Council being the only council among the 20 affiliates.
Auckland Council is a Pride Pledge partner and was the first council in New Zealand to obtain the Rainbow Tick in 2019.
