Personal trainer lifts the bar to shut down people's assumptions on disabilities

Fitness enthusiast Shanae Yates has one message she wants to tell people - do not assume she is not capable. 

Yates, 23, has cerebral palsy, but chooses to not let that hold her back. Instead, she is beating people's expectations and has started up a personal training business.

Last month, she was awarded a certificate in personal training which would allow her to work with people in the gym. Already, she has clients lined up.  

According to Statistics NZ, disabled people have a higher rate of self-employment at 24 per cent, compared with 17 per cent of the non-disabled working population. 

Her passion for fitness started when she completed an Outward Bound course in 2014, something which pushed her physically and mentally. 

Blenheim CCS Disability Action service manager Wendy Greig said she will never forget the look on Yates' face when she went to pick her up from the course in Picton. 

"She was just smiling from ear to ear," Grieg said. 

Yates spends a lot of her time in the gym to help rehabilitate her body and work on her strength.

The gym is her safe space, something she has found helps to motivate her. 

"I learned to stand up for myself and have shown others that disability doesn't brand a person incapable." 

Yates had support from CCS Disability Action - a community organisation that advocates for disabled people. Together they worked towards getting her certificate. 

"I had the best support around me," Yates said.

She said she was inspired to start her own business because she wants to educate people that she is capable and her disability does not define her. 

"I've had so many people tell me I can't do that because I have a disability," Yates said. 

Her own internal drive also helps her to stay motivated and achieve her goals. 

"Anyone can have a dream and anyone can accomplish it, don't let negativity in."

She added she was not starting her business to prove people wrong, but because she loves fitness and watching people become confident is important to her. 

Her weakness lies in the bookwork aspects - such as accounting and paying taxes. 

CCS Disability Action "My Business" helps with this, mentoring Yates so she can run a successful business. My Business is a new national programme which supports and helps fund disabled people who want to become, or already are, self-employed.