Drop-off

Teenage drop out

For many sports, retaining women and girls in sport provides a different and unique challenge.

WSFF commissioned the Futures Company to carry out a definitive piece of research to identify key reasons (practical, psycho-social and individual sport specific) for young women dropping out of sport, and identify further interventions to shape a new future.  

The research was designed to gain a deeper insight around drivers and barriers to participation amongst a key group of 16 to 19 year old girls as well as understanding sport-specific motivations.

Key links: 
The Futures Company
[email protected]
application/pdf icon
summary_report.pdf

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

Women and sport at university

In September 2009 WSFF delivered a workshop at the annual BUCS conference. This factsheet captures some of the key elements of the presentation and the discussion that took place.

Key links: 
British Universities and Colleges Sport
application/pdf icon
Women_and_sport_at_University.pdf

The player pathway for women and girls

This factsheet will assist coaches and clubs in developing the player pathway for women in their sport.

We need to better recognise that women and girls take up sport at many different ages and life stages. Governing bodies need to ensure that women of all ages are encouraged and supported to progress and reach their potential. After they have reached their peak, sports should also ensure that they are not lost to the sport.

 

application/pdf icon
The_player_pathway_for_women_and_girls.pdf

Teenage girls and dropout

This factsheet explains the reasons why teenagers drop out of sport, and provides solutions for NGBs, clubs and coaches for retaining them.

It was first recognised in the 1957 Wolfendon Report that teenage girls were dropping out of sport at a faster rate than boys, this remains the case and unless the sport's sector acts this will not change.

application/pdf icon
Teenage_girls_and_dropout.pdf
Syndicate content