Marketing

AimHI

application/pdf icon
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

Sweat in the City

application/pdf icon
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]

Women and girls in judo

application/pdf icon
Case_Study_judo.pdf

The women and girls in judo project focuses on creating environments to encourage the retention of female members (including special needs members). To do this we have created a Female Club Model. We provide the opportunity for female members to practice together at club, area and national levels and develop and promote models of good practice in all technical areas. We also deliver seminars and workshops to encourage good practice and create a positive image of judo through promotions and merchandise.

Project detailsProject duration: 01 April 2009 - 31 March 2010
Organisation: 
British Judo Association
Project name: 
Women and Girls in Judo
AudienceAll women
Age group: 
0 - 15
Age group: 
16 - 24
Age group: 
25 - 40
Age group: 
41+
Innovation
The programme has changed the competitive grading scheme to a non-competitive scheme after decades which has made judo a more appealing sport for women and girls.
Recruitment and promotion
We recruited current members and promoted the new grading scheme through the British Judo Association (BJA) website, Matside Magazine, coach events and direct mail.
Location
National
How was your project delivered?Judo
Funding
The women and girls in judo programme was funded by Sport England.
Partnership
We partnered with Positive Futures to deliver the programme to hard to reach groups.
Results
Lessons: 
As we develop the programme we would like to recruit female coaches to develop and run the sessions at the regional level. We would also like to do some work with improving the attitude around female judo coaches. We would also like to promote this project more directly to potential coaches, and put in a coach development strategy.
Evaluation: 
The project has been a great success as we have seen an increase in females grading. When you compare the numbers from 2007/08 to 2008/09, there is an increase of 35% in senior female players and 24% in junior female players.
Themes

Working with hard to reach groups

During the project we identified and encouraged clubs and officials who cater for people with disabilities through club development and providing them with an opportunity to compete and participate in special needs events. We also provided workshops for coaches on working with special needs players.

Tackling drop-off

We continue to identify and consult clubs who have a high percentage of female members. We advertise and utilise the development officers' contacts to spread the word at a club level.

Workforce development

We have organised and promoted events to promote female continual professional development (CPD), coach revalidation, UK coaching certificate (UKCC) and Instructors Awards for females only.

We are working with the volunteer section of the BJA to build models of good practise to encourage more female into refereeing and table officiating.

 Promotion and marketing

We have begun a campaign to promote women and girls judo with new graphic designs for all of our promotional materials. We also set up stalls at all BJA's major events and send direct mail to members over the age of twelve.

We also email our contacts list and have been developing a Facebook page.  BJA continues to use role models at area and national events and seminars. Will be developing resource booklet of successful British female judo players soon.

Key links: 
British Judo Association
Positive Futures
Matside Magazine
Syndicate content