Confidence

Return to Fitness: Active Sussex

Having looked at the results from the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation ‘Sweat in the City’ programme Active Sussex  and Inspire Leisure wanted to look at how they could support people who want to return to fitness but for various reasons find leisure centres and fitness classes a daunting place to visit.

Overview

To support women to return to fitness and to discover positive power of exercise.

Project detailsProject duration: 25 January 2010 - 29 March 2010
Organisation: 
Active Sussex and Inspire Leisure
Project name: 
Return to Fitness
AudienceAll women
Age group: 
0 - 15
Age group: 
16 - 24
Age group: 
25 - 40
Age group: 
41+
Innovation
This was a new approach for Active Sussex. They had tried Back to Netball and similar programmes, but the variety of activities and a consistant mentor for participants was new.
Recruitment and promotion
Recruitment was done through the local employers and press releases were issued.
Location
Local
How was your project delivered?A variety of activities
Funding
The project was funded by Inspire Leisure and Active Sussex through the Active & Healthy Workplace Inititative, plus the participants were charged £20 for the 10 week course.
Partnership
Inspire Leisure, Active Sussex’s Active & Healthy Workplace Initiative, Littlehampton Town Council, Littlehampton Gazette
Results
Evaluation: 
Evaluation • Participants completed pre and post course questionnaires on each participant and analyse • Participants complete pre and post fitness test (step test and resting heart rate) • Offer those attending an incentive to carry on visiting the Leisure Centre for physical activity. E.g. 12 for 10 cards, free gym induction etc The programme was a huge success: 100% of particpants increased their activity levels 70% improved their resting heart rate 100% continued to particpant and took advantage of the incentives The programme ran was really well received and more courses are planned using the same format.
Themes

For more information telephone Active Sussex on 01273 643869, or e-mail on link below.

Key links: 
www.inspireleisure.co.uk
www.activesussex.org
[email protected]

Women and Football Coaching

Female Coach Development is an innovative project aimed at sustaining the participation of teenage girls in football through the provision of more qualified female coaches. This three year project will produce a coach development model that demonstrates how barriers faced by women who wish to embark on a career in football coaching can be overcome to provide more qualified female coaches.

Overview

The London Playing Fields Foundation along with partners has  developed a programme that aims to get more women involved in coaching football.

Project detailsProject duration: 01 October 2008 - 01 October 2011
Organisation: 
London Playing Fields Foundation
Project name: 
Female Coach Development Project
AudienceAll women
Age group: 
16 - 24
Innovation
There has been little support for grassroots coaches wishing to progress from the Level 1 Certificate to Level 2 despite the significant increase in required levels of technical knowledge and understanding of the game. This project has tried to address this need by providing a mentoring system whereby the candidates are able to receive one-to-one support from a mentor throughout the duration of their Level 2 certificate. They not only have the opportunity to watch taster sessions, but to deliver and receive feedback on their own performance. At the end of the preparatory course each mentor completes an action plan for the coach so that they are able to identify and work on their weaknesses.
Recruitment and promotion
LPFF worked with the five County FA’s to recruit participants to the project. It also posted information on the County Sports Partnership website and directly contacted local women’s leagues. The project was officially launched by Hope Powell, England Women’s National Coach, on 16th October 2008 at London Marathon Playing Field, Greenwich. Hope was joined by her Assistant Coach Brent Hills, Faye White and Emma Byrne from Arsenal LFC and Anita Asante from Chelsea LFC. The event was attended by project funders and partners and it received good coverage in the local and trade press. In December 2009 Hope Powell returned to the project to celebrate its successful first year. The event received press coverage via the FA, London FA, Fair Game magazine and local press.
Location
Local
How was your project delivered?Football
Funding
The project has acquired funding for a three year period from various sources including Football Foundation, Jack Petchey, Nike, Sportsmatch and the London Marathon Charitable Trust
Partnership
London Playing Fields Foundation set up a project Steering Group comprising: London FA, Essex FA, Middlesex FA, Kent FA, Surrey FA, AFA, London Football Coaches Association, WSFF and SELKENT League. The Steering Group monitors the programme in terms of achieving its outputs and outcomes, ensuring that the project co-ordinates with existing structures and initiatives. It also checks that the project meets the needs of the target groups. In addition it is a forum for generating new ideas on how the project can continuously be improved, especially with a view to planning for future expansion and sustainability. LPFF works closely with the London FA to enrol candidates on their Level 2 courses and to support the recruitment of Level 1 coaches. LPFF and LFA have also worked in collaboration with two Girls Centres of Excellence to establish Saturday morning coaching clinics in order to introduce girls to the game.
Results
Lessons: 
The project has just completed its first year and twenty five coaches completed a preparatory course and enrolled on a Level 2 course. All of the fourteen coaches who took their final assessment achieved the Certificate and this is a source of great encouragement and inspiration for new coaches joining the project. The feedback from the coaches has been very positive: “The preparatory course really set me up with confidence and knowledge for the week. It also motivated me and I look forward to the Level 2 course.” “I think watching the mentors deliver sessions and seeing what was required and expected of us and then delivering sessions taking on board things that they had employed was a very effective way of learning.” A number of monitoring tools were used to capture data from participants during their involvement in the project: -Application form -Attendance registers -Outcome Star -Post preparatory course action plan -Coaches’ feedback form -Quarterly monitoring following completion of the Level 2 Certificate course Of the fourteen Level 2 qualified coaches ten are currently coaching; with four prevented from doing so by injury, work commitments or travel overseas.
Evaluation: 
The main problem that we have had to overcome is recruiting a group of young people with the appropriate ability and experience with whom the coaches could work during the preparatory course practical sessions. The Football Development Officer has worked closely with local clubs to recruit boys and girls teams for each block of sessions.
Themes

Facilities

Other

The venue for the project is London Marathon Playing Field, Greenwich, a dedicated mini-soccer centre and base for the SELKENT league. The pavilion is gender-friendly and the ground regularly hosts girls mini soccer tournaments for leagues and local schools. Through the project the ground has been designated London’s female coach development centre so that it can become a central venue for the delivery not only of preparatory courses but also for female coaching masterclass sessions.

Growing and sustaining participation

Tackling drop off

The purpose of the project is twofold: 1. To increase the number of qualified female coaches in the game 2. To retain the number of girls playing football By increasing the number of Level 1 and Level 2 coaches in the game it is envisaged that they will become role models for the girls they are coaching and they will provide a more empathetic and cooperative style of coaching. In doing so it will encourage more girls to stay engaged in the game therefore tackling the drop off in participation by teenage girls. The project involves the delivery of a five week preparatory course aimed at providing the coaches with an introduction to the demands of the Level 2 course. It also gives them the opportunity to watch the delivery of practical sessions and to deliver and receive feedback on their own sessions. During this preparatory phase the coaches become familiar with the Level 2 course content and their confidence increases.

Workforce development

Coaching

The focus of the project is to support more female coaches through their Level 2 certificate so that they are able to make a contribution to the female game either in a paid or voluntary capacity. The coaches are assigned to a mentor during the preparatory course who follows their development through the Level 2 course until the final assessment. The mentors are on hand to give advice and support to the candidates who are encouraged to return to the preparatory course sessions to practise their mock and final assessment topics if they require. The coaches are offered a year’s free membership to London Football Coaches Association so that they are able to access its programme of masterclass sessions and newsletter which features coaching and employment opportunities.

Talent development

Player pathway

The project provided London FA with financial assistance to subsidise candidates on Level 1 courses. Any outstanding candidates are identified by the tutors and recommended to join the Female Coach Development project to complete their Level 2 certificate. Outstanding candidates from the Level 2 course are recommended to the Girls Centres of Excellence, with five of the fourteen successful candidates now working within a C of E.

Confidence and self esteem issues

The purpose of the project was to provide the female coaches with the confidence to enrol on and to complete the Level 2 course. The courses are male dominated and this can be intimidating for some female coaches, particularly those that do not have a high level of playing ability. The preparatory course introduces the coaches to the topics covered by the course and makes sure they are aware of the technical and practical elements that they will be required to demonstrate. It gives them the opportunity to practise these sessions in a supportive environment and to receive feedback from the mentors and fellow coaches. The levels of confidence before and after the preparatory course have been measured and a marked improvement in the levels can be seen at the end of the course.

Health & wellbeing

The ultimate aim is to sustain the participation of girls by increasing and improving the female coaching workforce, so there will be a health benefit in terms of fewer girls dropping out of the game.

Key links: 
http://www.lpff.org.uk/whatwedo_projects_details.aspx?id=758

Turves Green Little League Netball

Little League Netball provides the opportunity for girls aged 8-11 to play competitive netball and receive coaching regardless of ability to pay or play. The league is in a central venue, so remains very local for those involved. Mothers of players run the leagues and take on the training, managing and coaching roles. Along side this Return to Netball sessions have taken place, as many of the women, through watching their children play, became enthused and reminded of how fun netball was. The league also runs a Young Leaders programme, with leavers returning to help out.

Project detailsProject duration: 01 February 2005 - ongoing
Organisation: 
Birmingham City Council
Project name: 
Turves Green League Netball
AudienceAll women
Age group: 
0 - 15
Innovation
In terms of Little league Netball, the fact that all abilities are welcome and the professional nature of the league in terms of how it is run with kit and equipment provided etc. And for the Return to Netball sessions, the fact that participants were able to see their children participating and that it was ok and achieveable to be sporty has been really important.
Recruitment and promotion
Players are recruited to Little League Netball through schools, via letters to parents inviting the childeren to get involved. Posters are also put up in local libraries and leisure centres. Word of mouth has also meant new members getting involved. In terms of the Return to Netball element, the majority of players are parents of Little League members, although sesions have also been promoted through posters in local supermarkets and the Birmingham netball website.
Location
Local
How was your project delivered?Netball
Funding
Initially the project was funded with a start up grant from The Children's Network fund and Birmingham City Council. It is now self sustainable through teh league own fundraising eforts and sponsorship from the local community.
Partnership
The league is run by Mothers of players in the league and is supported by the local Sports Development Officer for Birmingham City Council. Schools also support the league by promoting it to parents and pupils.
Results
Lessons: 
The project is monitored both by numbers of attendees and participant evaluation forms that ask questions about enjoyments, perceived fitness levels, self esteem etc.
Evaluation: 
We would look more at supporting the transition from Little League to junior club as there are quite a lot of girls that drop out at 11. Inviting local clubs to come along in their club kit to meet the girls on match days and in the environment that they already feel comfortable in. In relation to Return to Netball, we need to review how we follow up with those women who come once or twice and then never again to better understancd and address why this is.
Themes

Growing and sustaining participation

Tackling drop off

Stopping girls from droping out of sport is central to the project, by getting them involved at an early age (8) there is more likelyhood of them staying in sport. There are then clear exit routes for the girls when they turn 11 into local clubs.

Taking part as a family

Mothers of players of players attend as supporters, committee members, managers, coaches and umpires. Now many of them play as well Their sessions follow on from the week day coaching sessions the girls attend. The girls turn to watch their mothers!

Workforce development

Volunteering

The mum's that volunteer fulfil a variety of function including team managing, fundraising, officiating, chairing league meetings and marketing and promoting the league.The fun environment that has been created for volunteers also makes recruiting them pretty easy.

Promotion, marketing and raising the profile

PR and media coverage

We are currently producing a DVD that hopefully shows all aspects of the project. This will be played at cinemas, leisure centres, at Head Teachers meetings etc.

Rebranding and reversioning sport

Whilst the actual playing rules for the children are the same, the way the league is run is quite different to other leagues as the emphasis is on fair play and enjoyment. All players must play at least half a match, no one gets left out. The selection process is based on sharing out of tall players, good players, beginners, small players, and ensuring the same number of ages in each team – the aim being to end of with teams of fairly equal ability. All children receive medals, not just the winners.

Confidence and self esteem issues

The Little League Netball rules ensure everyone plays at least half a game and throughout the season everyone plays the same number of half matches and full matches. Netball is a team sport and all the team are rewarded and congratulated. The end of season tournament is handicapped giving those lower down the league table a chance to win!

Women’s Running Network

The Women’s Running Network (WRN) was founded 11 years ago in Exeter to encourage women to run who would not normally consider that they could. Our ethos of all shapes, all sizes, all ages, all stages embraces all women and encourages them to improve their fitness and well-being. Our youngest is 12 and our oldest at present is 73.

The aim of WRN was to get women active but initially with no plans of expanding outside Exeter. As we grew our success spread to other parts of the country.

Project detailsProject duration: 01 January 1998 - ongoing
Organisation: 
Women's Running Network
AudienceAll women
Age group: 
0 - 15
Age group: 
16 - 24
Age group: 
25 - 40
Age group: 
41+
Innovation
Women only-helping other women. Women as leaders, women’s running groups as the new community.
Recruitment and promotion
It started with runners who trained with us and loved it so much they wanted to share it. Promoted by word of mouth, good personal stories in press, on the radio and links with local events e.g. Race for Life. Charity events organised by the founders drew massive publicity in 2000.
Location
National
How was your project delivered?Running / jogging
Funding
The first 7 years were voluntary and by membership, then Community Investment Funding funding from Sport England in the South West until March 2009.
Partnership
Many partners locally, regionally and nationally. England Athletics are the primary partner.
Results
Lessons: 
Having spent 11 years developing our project, we constantly review and change. In the first instance we didn’t really engage with local authorites but now some of our most successful projects have been working with partners.
Evaluation: 
We are expanding all the time. Retention of members is good compared with many clubs. We constantly review what we provide and we are always trying to improve service. We monitor the WRN, but using a member database showing total members, leaders, new areas and ages. Hard to engage with young women and sustain a project with them. However with leaders passion have maintained the groups we started. These are limited and mainly in the south west.
Themes

Growing and sustaining participation

The aim of WRN is to increase participation and encourage young women to stay active. Most of our women would not traditionally see themselves as runners and go to a traditional club.

Workforce development

All our leaders are trained and attend a UKA leadership course. Initially we had our own leaders course and our leaders also attended an England Athletics course. We had input into England Athletics course and they have just launched a new leadership course. We support our group leaders with ongoing training. 

Reversioning sport

The whole ethos of our delivery is social and fun. Reducing any emphasis on competition.

Targetting confidence and self-esteem issues

Body image and confidence are the biggest barriers we have faced in encouraging women to participate.

Health and well being

Running definitely has an effect on health, both mental and physical. It has helped our participants overcome cancer, lose weight, reduce high blood pressure, cope with diabetes, aswell as some mental health problems.

Key links: 
Women's Running Network

Female Officials Programme

The London FA Female Officials Programme is run in partnership with Arsenal Girls’ Centre of Excellence.  Starting in 2008/09, it consists of a group open to all qualified female officials and run by a Level 3 referee with extensive experience in the women’s game. The aim of the project is to increase the support given to female officials, and subsequently increase the number of female referees in London.

Project detailsProject duration: 01 January 2008 - ongoing
Organisation: 
London Football Association
Project name: 
Female Officials Programme
AudienceAll women
Age group: 
0 - 15
Age group: 
16 - 24
Age group: 
25 - 40
Age group: 
41+
Innovation
The project provides an opportunity for female officials to gain experience in an environment where the focus is on development, giving officials the opportunity to start with a younger age group and work their way up to games involving older players as they gain more experience.
Recruitment and promotion
Participants were recruited by directly contacting all London FA registered female referees. The project was promoted by holding an official launch at The FA HQ incorporating a Q&A session with a panel of special guests including experienced referees and representatives from Arsenal and London FA, as well as promoted through various websites and e-newsletters.
Location
Urban
How was your project delivered?Football
Funding
The project is jointly funded by Arsenal Girls’ Centre of Excellence and London FA
Partnership
The main partnership is between Arsenal Girls’ Centre of Excellence and London Football Association
Results
Lessons: 
The hardest thing is to attract enough female officials to the programme so sometimes running the programme jointly with another County FA might be a good idea to ensure a big enough pool of officials.
Evaluation: 
The project was monitored using feedback from the female officials involved. This was positive demonstrating a successful project. This success is also demonstrated by the progression and improvement of the female officials over time as confirmed by Arsenal and the London FA mentors. Eight officials took part in the programme in Year 1 and 6 in Year 2. Oone referee who joined the programme at the beginning of year 1 by refereeing U10s games. She has steadily progressed and recently started refereeing the U16s and received excellent feedback from Arsenal and her mentor. She now also referees 11 a side games regularly outside of the programme. The number of female officials taking part in the second year decreased. This is being addressed by arranging a female-only referee course nearby so that the females that qualify from this are able to get involved in the programme.
Themes

Workforce development

The programme provides mentoring and support for female referees, as well as paid employment through refereeing on match days at Arsenal Girls’ Centre of Excellence.

Key links: 
The London FA

AimHI

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Case_Study_girlguides.pdf

Aim HI  is a resource that contains over 50 activities for girls, based on the idea that good health is a combination of physical, mental and social wellbeing.  The resource supported Girlguiding UK’s Healthy Individual Campaign for 2008. The activities touch on the areas of health, good and bad, that young people may encounter in their day-to-day lives. The pack was designed to show leaders that including healthy living activities in their programmes is easy and fun and to encourage them to continue doing so in the future.

Project detailsProject duration: 01 June 2006 - 30 September 2006
Organisation: 
GirlguidingUK
Project name: 
AimHI
AudienceGirls and young women
Age group: 
0 - 15
Age group: 
16 - 24
Innovation
It was focused on the “holistic” approach to healthy living, including all aspects of being healthy, and it was something that girls of all ages could get involved with, enjoy and learn from.
Recruitment and promotion
The resource was promoted through our website and online shop, magazine, e-updates, and messages to local guiding to spread the message to every volunteer leader. We also promoted the resource with two training weekends aimed at our own volunteer trainers and interested volunteer leaders at two of our Training and Activity centres.
Location
National
How was your project delivered?Not focused on a specific sport
Funding
Through Girlguiding UK funds, as part of the Healthy Individual Project. Staff time was covered through our internal budgets and the cost of the pack was covered through sales, this means that the project is self-sustainable.
Partnership
None for this resource
Results
Lessons: 
We would have liked to have had some sponsorship or partnership to make the resource more interactive, but There is nothing major we would have done differently, as the resource has been a great success. Others could learn from the popularity of AimHI, that there is a lot of interest from girls and young women in healthy living and activities around the subject, especially something about balancing healthy living between eating well, keeping fit, and also keeping the mind healthy and happy.
Evaluation: 
This was measured in book and badge sales, which were very positive – for example, between June-September 2008 alone, there were 1563 resource packs sold, and 16,993 badges sold. We also had a feedback form on the Girlguiding UK website, which brought such comments as: “Plenty of choice, approx. times useful to plan meeting, plenty of scope to expand themes.” “It was great fun and everyone enjoyed the activities. We are going to do lots more from the resource as there are so many good ideas. “A valuable resource that could be used again and again. We based our Pack Holiday theme around it as the girls wanted to have a girlie/pamper weekend.” “Brilliant! I love training on it also! Thank you for such a brill pack!”
Themes

Rebranding/reversioning sport

Made girls realise that sport doesn’t have to be something formal with rules and leagues and positions, but you can use a sport and do what you like with it with your friends - for example having a football race instead of playing the traditional game, or making volleyball less serious and more fun by playing with a balloon.

Targeting confidence and self-esteem issues

The Head section is all about promoting good mental health, thinking of yourself and others, for example an activity where girls pay each other compliments, or an activity discussing how famous people are portrayed by the media.

Health and well-being 

Targeted obesity in a positive way, making healthy eating and exercise something girls actively enjoy rather than dread. Head section deals with mental health thinking about attitudes to yourself and others and how to deal with problems without letting them get you down, for example text bullying. Targeted obesity in a positive way, making healthy eating and exercise something girls actively enjoy rather than dread.

Head section deals with mental health thinking about attitudes to yourself and others and how to deal with problems without letting them get you down, for example text bullying.

Key links: 
Girlguiding UK's AimHI resource pack

Back to Netball - Mid Sussex

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Case_Study_offline_template_Back_to_Netball_PDF.pdf

Following the overwhelming success of four Back to Netball sessions run in partnership with Mid Sussex District Council and Freedom Leisure, a need for competitive adult opportunities in the area was identified. Nine months following the initial Back to Netball session, a league began.

Project detailsProject duration: 01 September 2008 - ongoing
Organisation: 
England Netball
Project name: 
Back to Netball
AudienceAll women
Age group: 
16 - 24
Age group: 
25 - 40
Age group: 
41+
Innovation
Prior to the Back to Netball programme, the majority of the participants failed to participate in any sport. In the space of a year, the participants were now training and competing on a weekly basis.
Recruitment and promotion
Back to Netball sessions were promoted in local publications, through the local junior club and posters were put up in places that women may congregate. Participants from those sessions were encouraged to form teams and recruited to the league through their nominated captains.
Location
Rural
How was your project delivered?Netball
Funding
The project was kick started with an £8,000 grant from Sport England Small Grants, however, through subs and league fees, is now self funding.
Partnership
Initial Back to Netball sessions were implemented by the Sussex Netball Development Officer (NDO), in partnership with the programming team from Freedom Leisure and Mid Sussex District Council. The Sussex County Committee supported the project through committee member time.
Results
Lessons: 
The league has sustained Back to Netball participants and has grown to accommodate a further two teams. Two participants have recently gone on to complete the UKCC Level 1 Coaching certificate and one participant has recently passed her C umpiring award and has implemented an umpire mentoring scheme. There is now a netball infrastructure in an area where until a year ago there was no opportunity for adult netball.
Evaluation: 
The committee were relatively new to the sport, and needed more support than was expected. The NDO and local Sport Development Unit were able to support, particularly in terms of submitting a funding bid. Back to Netball is very successful in engaging women that otherwise would not participate in competitive sport. By ensuring that the gentle reintroduction message is communicated, other sports could run similar projects. Working in close partnership with local authorities and keeping communication lines open with all partners is imperative.
Themes

Opening up access to facilities

Previously, facility use was dominated by male 5-a-side football and 'pay and play' badminton.  In an equality usage review, this was identified and now time, both indoor and outdoor, is dedicated to female groups.

Growing and sustaining participation

Initially Back to Netball sessions were run to increase participation and across the four sites, over 100 women were introduced to the sport. By starting a competitive league this has not only sustained activity but many of the women continue to train, so has increased overall levels of activity.

Workforce development

A number of the participants have gone on to complete coaching and officiating qualifications which were funded through the Sport England Small Grant.  The County Committee have also provided mentoring to increase the standards of umpiring.  Six participants have formed a committee and oversee all aspects of the general running of the league, including management of finances and umpiring and training. 

Promotion,  Marketing and raising the profile

The league has been featured in the local newspaper on a number of occasions and the group have also set up a Facebook group to communicate with participants. 

Rebranding and revisioning sport

The initial Back to Netball sessions were branded as a gentle introduction to the sport, in a fun and social environment.  With the introduction of the league, it has quickly become more competitive.

Targeting confidence and self-esteem issues

Many of the participants were very nervous prior to the initial Back to Netball sessions and going into competitive fixtures.  The back to basics nature of Back to Netball very much addresses the perceived psychological barriers some participants may use as a barrier to participation.  A number of the ladies commented how they couldn’t believe that they were playing netball again, after not participating for twenty years.    

Health and wellbeing

Weight loss has been noted as an outcome of the league.  Many of the participants previously did no physical activity, prior to their participation in the Back to Netball sessions

Key links: 
Netball England

Futsal Fever

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Case_Study_futsal_fever.pdf

Futsal Fever is a project which targets females aged 16+ who attend FE and HE institutes across Bedfordshire.

Project detailsProject duration: 01 October 2009 - 01 April 2010
Organisation: 
Bedfordshire FA
Project name: 
Futsal Fever
AudienceSchools
Age group: 
16 - 24
Innovation
The project both increases number and keeps the women’s game sustainable locally. It is great to see a mix of women from various backgrounds and cultures taking part in a new sport and developing their skills throughout the project. The link with the fire service has improved community awareness, enhanced the feasibility of the project and provided additional career options for those taking part.
Recruitment and promotion
A meeting was held with all Partnership Development Managers (PDM) and Further Education Sport Coordinators (FESCO) within Bedfordshire to explain the project. A request was made for them to forward details of the contact at each FE/HE institute. Promotion was done internally by the contact, once sessions were up and running numbers began to increase as word of mouth was used to recruit more players.
Location
Regional
How was your project delivered?Football
Funding
The project is reliant on project funding, the Bedfordshire FA & Bedfordshire & Luton Fire service have funded the project.
Partnership
Bedfordshire & Luton Fire Service FE/HE institutes taking part Local women’s clubs
Results
Lessons: 
The project took a while to get started after our initial contact with the PDM’s, some FE/HE institutes were really proactive whereas others were very slow organising dates/times for taster sessions. Have more Level 2 coaches who can deliver the coaching sessions, it is difficult to get to every session and sometimes a physical education teacher can not always be present.
Evaluation: 
So far the project is proving to be a success by enabling women to participate in futsal and play in regular fixtures. Monitoring has been via numbers turning up to sessions and the number of club links. The project does not finish until April where a full evaluation of the project will be completed.
Themes

Growing and sustaining participation

The two university teams already have an established squad who compete within the BUCS league. Many of these players do not play for local clubs, so the aim is to link these women in to local teams. Some teams have a mix of local club players and new players. Other teams have players who have never played futsal before, or haven’t played for a few years so the aim is to try and get these women actively taking part in futsal regularly. The project enables access to various BME groups and players from deprived communities.

Re-versioning sport

At times advertising futsal can be difficult to attract participants, as many are still unaware of what futsal is. Futsal has been marketed as ‘indoor 5 a-side football’.

Making sport sociable

Many students at the university have found the sport sociable and explained that they have made many new friends from the futsal team.

Targeting confidence and self-esteem issues

Many women have body confidence/self esteem issues, but with futsal being played indoors in an enclosed environment, many of the women who attend feel more comfortable than they would outside where others could watch.

Workforce development

Coaching and officiating opportunities are accessible to all those taking part in the project. New teams have to identify a captain/manager, to volunteer their time and ensure communication about fixtures or training is delivered.

Key links: 
Bedfordshire FA

Sweat in the City

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Case_Study_SITC.pdf

Sweat in the City (SitC) was an innovation research project to help to find out why 16- 24 year old women are half as active as men of the same age. With the help of a feminine brand, celebrity ambassadors and a chance to discover a ‘fitter and healthier you’, over 2000 young women across London were recruited and provided with a three-month free and mentored gym membership.

Overview

Sweat in the City was an innovation research project to find out why 16- 24 year old women are half as active as men of the same age.

Project detailsProject duration: 29 September 2008 - 21 December 2008
Organisation: 
Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation
Project name: 
Sweat in the City
AudienceAll women
Age group: 
16 - 24
Innovation
Innovation SitC incorporated elements designed to specifically appeal to young women and counter-act the barriers to participation. Removing the practical barriers of cost and inconvenience was the first step. Aspirational brand and tone SitC was designed to be lively, positive and easy to identify with. The association with the iconic Sex in the City was crucial. Many gyms were over-subscribed within days. The tone used in communication was feminine, young and friendly. The women felt the programme was designed with them in mind. Social and supportive Working out in a gym can be a lonely and daunting task, but the combined effects of online networking, special group sessions and a named mentor ensured that participants felt part of a team. Advice was provided on the website for people new to the gym making no assumptions about previous knowledge or experience. A warm welcome and high quality customer care The first visit – needs to exceed expectations as just walking through the door can be a daunting experience. A useful and timely induction – often inductions can feel rushed, or assume knowledge, and core confidence can be lost. Can be the difference between coming back or not. Friendly and available staff – on reception or instructors, staff should be friendly, professional and not intimidating.
Recruitment and promotion
Recruitment and promotion All the promotion was aimed at driving 16-24 year old women to the SitC website (www.sitc.co.uk) where the women would register for the membership places. Two ambassadors were recruited, Jessica Taylor and Carly Zucker, to help promote SitC. They were both similar age to the target women, plus they live healthy and active lives, making them good role models. Through Jessica and Carly considerable media coverage was generated, both traditional and innovative. Coverage included London radio and in national and regional newspapers (e.g. The Sun, Metro and The Evening Standard), as well as within online blogs (e.g. Daily Candy). A Facebook profile was created and, there was advertising in Bebo. a media messaging company (Blik) was also employed to promote the programme through young people’s mobile phones. Leaflets were created for partners, local authorities, School Sport Co-ordinators and the leisure centres to distribute to their audiences.
Location
Local
How was your project delivered?Gym-based/ aerobics
Funding
National Lottery Community Investment Fund
Partnership
Fitness Industry Association
Results
Lessons: 
Becoming – and staying – active A week after SitC finished, nine in ten participants said they intended to stay active (86%). Crucially, six months on, 72% were more active. Shaping up and improving fitness levels “I am really upping the amount I work out and the levels I do each time. Exciting stuff! I think my stomach feels flatter, and my thighs seem more toned but maybe its just an effect of being more positive about my body image” Increasing body confidence As the charts demonstrate, participant’s body image improved and their self-consciousness decreased markedly. Often women reject exercise because of body confidence – SitC proved that if provided with the encouragement to start, then being active can be an aid to confidence. Healthy choices Being active fostered other behaviours – choosing to walk to school or work or taking the stairs or even giving up smoking. Some physical benefits were a surprise to the women – increased co-ordination for example. The feel-good factor Despite motivations to join SitC being broadly physical, most participants discovered the benefits were in the mind rather than the body. Nearly nine in ten (88%) agreed that ‘SitC reminded me how good it feels to be active’. Willingness to try new things The opportunity to try new activities in SitC was useful in removing prejudices. The number of women confident about attending an aerobics class, or using machine in the gym, trebled from the beginning of the programme to the end.
Evaluation: 
Lessons learnt? Ensure all leisure centre/gyms have signed up to the programme well in advance so that staff can receive adequate training prior to the women coming through the door. If the programme was to run again, oversubscribe the free spaces. If a gym offered 10 places 20 would be given away but the first 10 to take up the induction would receive the free place. Ensure better monitoring systems are put in place to capture information about attendance and retention. Monitoring and evaluation As part of the registration process, participants completed an online questionnaire to establish a benchmark for their participation behaviour, attitudes towards exercise, their bodies and confidence levels. Immediately after the programme finished the participants were emailed again and asked to complete a post programme questionnaire. They were asked the same questions as previously, as well as additional questions about how they found the programme, frequency of attendance, staff, facilities and the support they received. A further six months later they were re-contacted and asked to complete a questionnaire about their present activity levels. In addition to the quantitative data collected, three focus groups were held with a sample of participants on the programme. These focus groups enabled us to obtain a deeper understanding of the barriers that this age group face when considering activity, as well as more about their motivators and drivers.
Themes

Rebranding and revisioning sport, confidence and self esteem issues, and growing and sustaining participation

Key links: 
Sweatinthecity
Fitness Industry Association
[email protected]

Bollywood Dancing in Schools

We wanted to engage girls who were largely inactive within the curricular PE programme and extra-curricular activities. 

The target audience of girls were from an ethnic minority background where sport was not seen as a priority by them or their families.  These girls did the minimum of work in PE classes and although they were never disruptive, they were not getting anything out of the programmes that were on offer.  The majority of these girls rarely interacted with any of the teaching staff.

Project detailsProject duration: 02 March 2009 - ongoing
Organisation: 
Woodfarm High School
Project name: 
Bollywood Dance Classes
AudienceBME
Age group: 
0 - 15
Innovation
The Bollywood Dance programme was offered to a group of inactive girls from an ethnic minority background. Offering dance as an activity really engaged them as a group and changed their perceptions of sport from the traditional sense of football and hockey, and gave the girls some physical activity that they really enjoyed. We put a lot of effort into the timing of the classes to ensure maximum attendance.
Location
Local
How was your project delivered?Dance
Partnership
We worked with parents and external choreographers to deliver the Bollywood Dance programme.
Results
Evaluation: 
30 girls have attended the initial after-school Bollywood dance club. 95% of these girls are from an ethnic minority background. The girls have now grown in confidence and the choreography is led by a fellow group member. The girls have performed at the National PE Conference in Stirling. They were very enthusiastic about performing in front of other people as it is something which was very important within their own culture and community. The girls took great pride at getting ready for their performance in costumes and jewellery. For this group of girls, PE is now seen as a place where they can have relationships with the PR teachers. As a result their self-esteem has increased and they now have found an environment in which they can feel confident about taking part in physical activity. The girls now feel they are contributing to the PE department and to the ethos of the school by bringing their culture and experiences into school life. “We like the chance to show others the different kinds of things WE do outside of school. Sometimes people don’t know what our lives are like.” Student
Themes

Growing participation

Working with hard to reach groups

The Bollywood Dance group has offered a physical activity option for a group of girls who would not have been involved before.  Taking the time to think about the girls' needs - especially in relation to cultural issues - has been the biggest asset of the dance group idea. 

Confidence and self esteem

Before the Bollywood Dance programme began, the inactive group of girls did not participate in PE classes. Giving this group the option of Bollywood Dance has given them body confidence and self esteem - especially in PE classes.  They were also invited to perform at a National PE Conference in Stirling and participated in a the Festival of Bollywood Art which further helped their confidence and self esteem. 

Key links: 
Woodfarm High School
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