Involving Girls in Sport

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Involving Girls in Sport

Understanding the barriers and drivers for girls to be involved in sport and fitness activity. Dr Laura Hill – School of Sport and Education, Brunel University Liz Davidson – Consultancy Manager WSFFChristine Lillistone – Insight and Innovation Manager WSFF : 

Understanding the barriers and drivers for girls to be involved in sport and fitness activity. Dr Laura Hill – School of Sport and Education, Brunel University Liz Davidson – Consultancy Manager WSFF Christine Lillistone – Insight and Innovation Manager WSFF

The new WSFF: 

The new WSFF Vision: To make physical activity an integral part of women’s and girls’ lives (where physical activity includes sport and exercise) We will authoritatively and creatively campaign to: To make sport equally appealing to women and girls as it is to men and boys Make women aware of the importance of being active To make fit and healthy women role models

How we will work : 

How we will work We will conduct innovative research that can provide insight to the barriers to sport and exercise, and help create the innovative solutions that can overcome them We will work in partnership with Government - across sport, health and education - and with business and the media to inform and influence policy at the highest level We will provide consultancy and advice to those delivering sport and exercise and to help ensure that what they do is designed with women in mind

It’s time: 

It’s time Flagship research project launched in November 2007 by Prime Minister Gordon Brown Launched at the Raising the Game conference at Emirates Stadium Sponsored by Scottish Widows National broadcast and print coverage ‘Crisis in women’s fitness’ A call to action: A promise to conduct a wide-ranging consultation exercise to gather expertise and begin to forge solutions and interventions A promise to deliver the first joined up ‘strategy’ to how to increase women and girls’ participation levels

‘It’s time’ key findings (1): 

‘It’s time’ key findings (1) There is a crisis in women’s sport and fitness more than 80% of women are not doing enough exercise to benefit their health among 16-24 year olds, women are half as active as men the situation is worst for low income and black and minority ethnic women Perception vs. reality – three out of five think they do enough, only one in five do Government targets of two million more active people by 2012 are in jeopardy if trends continue, there will be one and a quarter million fewer women exercising by 2017

‘It’s time’ key findings (2): 

‘It’s time’ key findings (2) Women do sport differently Twice as many men play competitive sports as women Six in ten women prefer to ‘exercise’ rather than play sport Biggest barriers are cultural Sport still seen as unfeminine Quarter of women turned off sport forever by PE Half of all adults think that girls aren’t encouraged as much as boys Girls think it is more important to be attractive than active 9 out of ten girls believe there is too much pressure on them to be thin

Who to target? : 

Who to target? Three key demographic groups could make a difference 16-24 year olds Lack of structured provision as girls leave education and enter the workplace Mothers with young children Reduced discretionary leisure time as a result of motherhood Baby boomers (currently aged between mid-forties and mid-sixties) Large gap between perception and reality - raise awareness of importance of activity

16-24 year olds: 

16-24 year olds BARRIERS Negative experience of PE/ school sport Lack of active family/ friends Lack of confidence Traditional views of ‘sport’ Concerns about body image Perceptions about cost/ travel MOTIVATIONS Lose weight To keep fit WHAT WOULD HELP THEM? More free time People to exercise with Help with childcare/ taking children Longer opening hours Cheaper admissions If they could be persuaded to take teenage exercise patterns into adult life = 16.1% increase in participation Just 24% doing 3x30 (41% of men and boys) DO Swim Keep-fit Gym DON’T DO Technical Sports club members

Barriers and Drivers to Girls Participation : 

Barriers and Drivers to Girls Participation Please insert!

Summary of influences: 

Summary of influences

Group work : 

Group work 1. What issues do you face in getting girls involved? 2. What types of things have you done that have been successful at getting girls involved? 3. What resources would be useful to you?