Women and Girls
The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) Yorkshire & Humberside has this year embarked on a campaign to challenge current practice; provide the latest evidence on effective policy and practice and influence current activity to incorporate this best practice across the region. The aim is to get policy makers better informed and practitioners more involved.
To help achieve this, the WSF commissioned a programme of research conducted by the Sport Industry Research Centre. This involved cataloging and reviewing research evidence from the last fifteen years. From this evidence there is a summary of the lessons learnt, emcompassing five case studies of projects from across the Yorkshire region. These case studies have been successful in increasing the involvement of women and girls in all sport and physical activity.
The WSF Regional Development Manager for the Yorkshire & Humber region is Jan Birch, contact her 0113 205 3311 or email J.Birch@wsf.org.uk
- Visit the Womens Sport Foundation website for more information.
Calderdale Women and Girls Group (WAGG)
The group was established in 2002, its mission being "to imporve opportunities for Women and Girls to participate in sport and physical activity." The catalyst for the establishment of the group was the "Leisure In Action" team within Calderdale. They recognised the need to create a robust and sustainable partnership, involving a significant number of other agencies, in order to establish and develop a programme of new activities for Women and Girls.
The group has evolved into a voluntary constituted body that consists of representatives from leisure, education, community development, local community clubs and other relevant voluntary organisations.
WAGG coordinates and delivers sport and physical activity initiatives across the Borough but also aims to educate women and girls in a number of other areas such as:
- Health, Fitness and Well-being
- Healthy Eating
- Sexual Health
- Drugs Awareness
- Crime Prevention
- Community Safety
WAGG identifies gaps in provision by consulting fully and provides appropriate, needs led, sport and physical activity opportunities.
For further information please contact David Brook 01422 234019 or david.brook@calderdale.gov.uk
Getaway Girls
Getaway Girls was founded in 1987 and is located in Harehills, Leeds. The organisation works with girls and young women. They particularly target those considered to be "at risk" or most in need. Sports development at Getaway Girls involves delivery of sports and outdoor pursuits to a variety of girls and women who have limited access to physical activity. These include school pupils, Asian young women, young mothers, travellers and girls in care.
For girls (particularly Asian girls), the sports development officer supports school day time opportunities. The restrictions that Asian girls face in their home lives do not allow them to attend evening sessions. Relationships and trust built between the families and Getaway girls workers have enabled Asian young women to access further outdoor education sessions.
West Yorkshire Sport have recently started working with Getaway Girls and have are looking to organise rugby league sessions. For more information about Getaway Girls contact Emma Roberts0113 240 5894 or info@getawaygirls.co.uk.
Sitara
A women only project, staffed by women for women in Batley. It provides a range of activities using health improvement and social interaction as the marketing hook to attract customers. The majority of women who participate in the SITARA sessions are of South Asian origin (approx 75%) although all women are welcome.
From a small start in 1997 the SITARA project holds four sessions per week and attracts up to 300 visits per week.
Activities provided include; exercise to music, lane swimming and swimming lessons, aquafit classes, access to the weights room, circuits , and use of the sauna.
For further information contact Alison Morby on 01484 234088 or alison.morby@kirklees.gov.uk
Community Netball Development - Bradford
In conjunction with West Yorkshire Sport and the Bradford Sport Action Zone community netball sessions have been established to introduce and develop a regular netball programme for young women and girls, living within inner city (Bradford Moor Ward). Prodominant communities that are living within the area are of South East Asian origin and they are encouraged to be invovled.
For further information contact Shaista Bashir on 01274 667959 or shaista_bashir1@yahoo.com
