Fit for Girls

 

 

This year 4 Borders Secondary schools have signed on to the Fit for Girls programme and are currently developing their action plans. Watch out for updates on Fit for Girls activitites in the Cluster Pages.

 

Launched in February 2008, Fit for Girls is a joint programme between the Youth Sport Trust and sportscotland and is backed by Scottish Government investment of £510,000 over three years. It is aimed at school girls aged 11-16 with the intention of encouraging them to adopt more active lifestyles.

Between 2005 and 2007, 27 Scottish secondary schools took part in the Girls in Sport and Physical Activity initiative; a training programme for PE staff and Active Schools Coordinators designed to facilitate new ways of engaging girls and young women in sport. The programme grew out of a desire to put in place ideas stemming from a wealth of research and experience of issues influencing girls’ participation in sport and physical activity

 

National research and pilot programme data showed that:

• by the age of 14, 65% of girls do not reach the recommended levels of physical activity;
• 54% of girls do not enjoy PE and 50% do not think PE is an important subject
• 37% of girls do not think they are good at sport and physical activity
• 44% of girls feel on display whilst taking part in sport and physical activity
• 31% of girls want more variety in PE and extra curricular activities
• 43% of women above 16 years old do not participate.

Initial results from the pilot programme showed an increase in girls’ participation in 72% of schools who took part, and an average increase of 9% in girls’ participation within the school. In six of the schools girls’ participation exceeded or levelled with boys’ participation, this was the first occurrence of this since the recording of participation figures in Scotland was initiated. Their strategies included improving changing rooms, introducing new activities, using different deliverers, creating ‘girls only’ sessions, such as girls’ multi-activity clubs, changing PE kit and, most importantly, consulting with the girls. It also recognises and builds on much of the current good practice in schools.

 

Fit for Girls will be delivered through Scotland’s 380 secondary schools over the next three years and supports the physical activity workforce (teachers, Active Schools co-ordinators and other physical activity staff and volunteers) to increase girls’ participation by producing and implementing an action plan, following attendance at a nationally-delivered workshop. The programme also provides schools with supporting resources including case studies, an ideas pack of solutions to common problems, a DVD demonstrating good practice and a planning guide.

Above all, Fit for Girls wants to bring about a sustainable change that builds a positive future for girls’ participation in lifelong physical activity.

Much of the material produced for Fit for Girls has emerged from Girls in Sport, a Youth Sport Trust programme supported by Nike, published in 2000. The material has been updated and adapted to suit a Scottish context.

 

 

 For more information and resources on the Fit for Girls programme Visit Sportscotland or Youth Sport Trust websites.