Self-Esteem

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

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]

Essex 7s women's football league

Since Jan 2008 ECFA has been running female ‘get back into football’ sessions within Essex’s Metropolitan Boroughs as well as outer Essex. The success of the sessions gave us the idea of offering those females an opportunity to play some form of competitive football. A one off 7s event took place in August 2008 with 5 teams taking part. Due to the success we made the decision to turn it into a league and we are now in our third season. Each league consists of 4 monthly events with all results rolling over each month to work out the eventual winners.

Project detailsProject duration: 01 August 2008 - ongoing
Organisation: 
Essex FA
Project name: 
Female 7s League
AudienceBME
Age group: 
41+
Innovation
The project is unique because if offers ALL females with the opportunity to play football regardless of their lifestyle, ability, background, religion etc. The league is delivered in a relaxing and inviting environment which allows individuals and teams to develop and progress in their own time. There are friendship groups formed between players and teams which we believe is quite special.
Recruitment and promotion
The league is regularly promoted via Essex Fa’s website. Posters are also visible in Powerleague for any interested parties. The Gumtree website has been used to promote the league as well as for teams to recruit more players, which has been extremely useful. For the past two our October event has also been a One Game One Community sponsored event and as a result we have had FA Ambassador Lorraine Deschamps in attendance to hand out medals.
Location
Local
How was your project delivered?Football
Funding
The project is funding by Essex FA via the FA’s National Game Strategy funding. We also use our partner Umbro who provide all new teams with a free kit as well as equipment vouchers for returning teams.
Partnership
We work with Umbro for kit as well as establishing a positive working relationship with Fairlop Powerleague who host each event. This partnership has led to us delivering other events there including a schools disability league for girls.
Results
Lessons: 
The development of female officials was disappointing. The league began life with us using female coaches as officials, however, due to discipline problems it was decided to use Powerleague referees which changed things dramatically.
Evaluation: 
The success is that it continues to develop and is now coming to the end of its third league. It is also successful because we have been able to see two teams now playing affiliated 11v11. We have also linked two teams into affiliated clubs who have now established them as their ladies teams. Each month we have up to 70 females aged 16 and upwards taking part which may not have been the case should the league have not been created.
Themes

Growing and sustaining participation

The 7’s league has many different outcomes depending on how you look at it. It has helped to increase female participation by the flexibility of only taking place once a month which has brought new females into the game. It has also sustained participation by offering those females who may not want to continue playing 11v11 with a smaller format.  There is one player taking part in the league who is registered as disabled. We have females from a number of minority groups and have teams from the LB of Newham and Waltham Forest which are classed as deprived areas. Teams that attend have included those with sisters playing together as well as one team with a mother and daughter. Two teams that began in the league have now transferred to the Essex County Womens League and play 11v11 affiliated football. The league is a good stepping stone for those teams that do have ambitions to progress or it is a welcoming environment for those that want to just play and have fun.

Rebranding and reversioning sport

The 7’s league is a flexible format of football which has been extremely appealing to the groups of females taking part. Many teams share players if numbers are low and there is a family atmosphere at games. At the end of each four month league there is a presentation and all teams bring with them a selection of food which also creates a family atmosphere. For some women football is a new sport  and it is our responsibility as organisers to ensure that they get the best possible experience.

Targeting self-confidence and self-esteem issues

I believe that due to the huge mixture of ages, backgrounds, cultural and religious beliefs many barriers are crossed. For some women, taking part in sport and especially football is frowned upon so to have such a multicultural league is a real achievement for all those involved.

Key links: 
Essex FA
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