Big Sister Project Inspires 3000 Teenage Girls to Get Active

More than 3,000 teenage girls have taken up activities at their local leisure centre by a programme designed to support teenage girls to enjoy sport, exercise and physical activity during puberty. Over the course of 10 months this resulted in 55,000 individual leisure centre visits. Of the girls surveyed 6 in 10 say they are now more motivated to take part in sport and exercise.

They also reported feeling…

• Happier (59%)
• More confident (62%)
• More resilient (63%)
• Now enjoy sport and exercise more (64%)

The project, designed to combat a sharp drop-off in sport during teenage years, was created and shaped for girls, by girls, putting their needs and voices front and centre. Big Sister was created out of a shared vision to break down the barriers and address the stigma and gender stereotyping which can prevent girls from leading happy, healthy and active lives, and at a time in adolescence when they could benefit most. Exercise can help to prevent issues like anxiety self-harm during the teenage years and lower the risk of osteoporosis that can plague women in later life.

Last year a ground-breaking report by the charity Women in Sport found 1.3 million teenage girls (43%), who once considered themselves ‘sporty’, are disengaging from sport following primary school*. A fear of being judged by others, a lack of confidence in their ability, body image and puberty were found to be significant barriers to participation.

Read more HERE.