Sport England has launched a drive to get more women from disadvantaged communities, and more women caring for children, playing sport. At the moment, only one in eight women in England play sport regularly (three times a week), according to our Active People Survey. Although numbers are increasing, women's participation still lags behind men's (one in five) and the gap between the two genders is increasing. The same research also shows that women from disadvantaged communities play even less sport, with just one in 10 taking part regularly.
Our new funding programme, 'Active Women', aims to help change this. We are seeking bids from projects that directly address the challenges women have to overcome if they want to play more sport. These include: - Time constraints
- Childcare
- Transport
- Cost
- Friends to go with
- Self-confidence.
We are calling on community groups and sectors to make applications, including those who have not previously considered applying for funding. Schools, local councils and national governing bodies are just some of the organisations behind existing projects which have successfully engaged women. Examples include getting mums off the sidelines and back onto the netball court, forming local and social running networks and offering fun taster sessions in team sports. "We know that women can face particular barriers to taking part in sport and it is important we invest resources into understanding how best to overturn those," said Jennie Price, Sport England's Chief Executive. "That's why this themed round is all about encouraging innovative projects and ideas to come forward and help us make sport fun and accessible for women across the country." Denise Lewis, mother of three and Olympic gold medallist, is supporting Active Women. "As a mum, I know how difficult it can be to prioritise yourself and find that personal time to play sport and be active," said Denise. "This campaign will offer women the opportunity to take those first steps towards making a change in their lives." The launch of Active Women coincides with the announcement that Sport England is investing £1.4 million of government funding in the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF). WSFF's work includes helping sports governing bodies, in which Sport England is investing £480 million to deliver more sporting opportunities, to shape and deliver sport so that it meets the individual needs of women and therefore increases participation. "From juggling a busy schedule to managing a tight budget, taking part in sport can seem like a distant possibility for women," said Sue Tibballs, Chief Executive of WSFF. "We know however that when shaped with women in mind, projects can play a huge part in making sport more accessible and indeed attractive." The fund is open to applications now and will close at 5pm on 3 February 2010. | 