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WSFFWho are we?

What do we do?

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WSFF overview• Unique UK charity, funded by Government & private

sponsorship, with the PM’s personal backing– WSFF CEO: DCMS Ministerial adviser on women’s sport

• Exist to increase the health, fitness and well-being of women and girls by making physical activity an integral part of their daily lives– 50.6% of the population - key to a successful 2012 Legacy

• Leaders in insight & innovation– Produced benchmark research study revealing the crisis in

women’s physical activity: “It’s time” (November ‘07)– Launched first national strategy to “Create a Nation

of Active Women” with Secretary of State (July ‘08)

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WSFF goals:– Ensure sport and

fitness deliverers give the customer what she wants

– Foster a culture in which active is attractive

– Persuade policy makers to use their influence and resources to achieve our vision

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The issues: why does WSFF need to exist?

• 80% of women do too little sport & exercise to benefit their health

• Young women are half as active as young men

• Less than 3% of women play competitive team sports– 13% of men play football v.1% of women

• A quarter of women say that PE at school put them off sport for life

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Why we exist cont.• Activity levels forecast to fall

without intervention

• Women feel greater cultural pressure to be thin than healthy

• There is more than 50 times as much coverage in the media for men’s sport than there is for women’s

• Women’s sport is significantly short changed re: funding

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Barriers for Women & Girls

Practical•Lack of money, time, childcare or transport•Funding•Access to facilities

Personal•Body Image•Clothing & equipment•Lack of self-confidence•Parental & Adult Influence

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Barriers for Women & Girls

Social & Cultural•Attitudes & prejudices about sexuality, disability & ethnicity

•Male-dominated culture of sport

•Sexual harassment & abuse

•Lack of media representation & female role models in sport

It’s TimeWSFF Research (National)

www.wsff.org.uk/documents/printable_Flare_report.pdf

•Key Findings

•Girls become less active throughout their teens

•Perception vs Reality gap

•Preference for exercise rather than sport

•It’s for boys!

•It’s uncool

•Body image and self confidence

•Venue

•Relationship and break-up increase

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Leadership in sport and fitness

• Coaching– Around 4% of men and 2.5% of women are involved in coaching

– Women make up just 25% of the highest qualified elite and development coaches

• Volunteering– Double the proportion of men than women volunteer in sport

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Any Questions?

Katy Storie

katy@wsff.org.uk

07890 944151

www.wsff.org.uk