Girl Power
Sport England’s research shows that the main things motivating women to play sport are: ■ the opportunity to take part with friends
■ a non-competitive atmosphere ■ girls-only sessions ■ the support of family ■ links between sport-provider and trusted partners such as faith groups
■ availability of childcare ■ flexible timing ■ safe and comfortable environments
they gave up on sport due to not liking the activities they got to do during PE lessons at school. Those girls who have been let down by school sport grow into young adults who see little value in taking part. According to Dr. Anita White, founder of the Anita White Foundation and a pioneer in the international women and sport movement, the lack of choice is a crucial issue – especially when it comes to sport and leisure centres. “There needs to be better understanding
and awareness of women as consumers,” White says. “It has to be about what girls want. It comes down to good service practice – facility operators and clubs need to look after their consumers, their market, and say: ‘why aren't we attracting women?’. For White, facilities and those who manage them are in a key position to ensure that women are offered activities that fit in with their lifestyles – just as men are. “When it comes to facilities, you need to take women into account in the design, development and management of the spaces,” White says. “With the modern sports centres we have in the UK, I see the management being the key issue. Are there, for example, enough people who are willing, knowledgeable and able to deliver sports for women and girls? “I’d urge leisure managers and sports
centre staff to evaluate their offering through a gender lense. What facilities do they have? Who is using them? Who is managing them? Are they reaching all the women they could reach? Are
Girls who have positive experiences of sport go on to do sports throughout their lives
they reaching all of their potential markets – and if not, why not? How are they presenting themselves? What programmes do they have?”
GLOBAL ISSUES There are many countries in which women face an even higher number of barriers to taking part in sport and physical activities. Cultural norms, traditions, beliefs and social practices which class women as somehow inferior or weaker to men contribute towards putting up obstacles for millions of women across Africa, Asia, south America and the Middle East. Although an increasing number of moderate and developed countries are emerging from these regions, investment in facilities often lags behind demand.
sportsmanagement.co.uk issue 3 2014 © Cybertrek 2014 “Lack of facilities is a huge barrier
in Israel,” says Michal Cafrey, chair of Athena – Israel’s National Council for the Advancement of Women in Sport. “We simply don’t have enough.” To solve the problem, in 2010 the Israeli
government launched the Sports Facilities Programme 2020 – a funding initiative that looks to spend NIS5.5bn (US$1.5bn, €1.2bn, £900m) over a decade on building hundreds of sports facilities, principally for young people. Cafery says what's encouraging is that the emphasis will be on creating spaces that will considerably extend the hours available to play sport. “Programme 2020 will involve installing artificial playing surfaces and also add floodlights to pitches – which means that all the new facilities will be available later
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