In 2022/23, men were 4.7 per cent more active than women, similar to the gender gap recorded in 2015/16 when the survey first started.
In 2022/23, boys were 6.8 per cent more active than girls, similar to the gender gap recorded in 2017/18 when the survey first started.
Disparities exist within ethnic groups. In 2021/22 Black men were 11 per cent more active than Black women and Asian boys were 10 per cent more active than Asian girls.
In February 2024 the LGA Culture, Tourism and Sport Board launched a call for evidence asking councils and organisations to submit case studies showcasing examples of effective interventions that are increasing participation and activity levels in women and girls to share with the sector. We also asked for evidence on the challenges stopping councils and their partners from delivering on this agenda and what the solutions might look like.
We received responses from 44 different organisations. This included 29 case studies highlighting certain programmes or courses which worked well for an organisation and 34 pieces of evidence.
The evidence is being analysed and a final report with findings and recommendations will be published here in August 2024. Case studies have been collated and published below along with useful resources.
National children’s charity, the Youth Sport Trust worked collaboratively with Active Partners Trust (APT) to develop and deliver a programme of intervention to schools in targeted communities, to increase engagement and enjoyment of physical activity.
The programme offers small group training for six to eight people. The idea is that six friends access the programme and are ‘taught’ by a personal trainer how to train together as a group using any equipment and any venue. They then are encouraged to continue this after the six-week programme to provide support and motivation for one another.
In Cheshire West and Chester, we wanted to address this imbalance, recognising women and girls as a priority group of the physical activity partnership. By working together, we identified key themes to focus on, to break down the barriers to physical activity for this target group.
The Future Female Leaders Programme supports and empowers women aged 18+ from ethnically diverse communities in and around London to overcome social, educational and economic barriers to diversify and create more coaches and leaders in the sport, health and physical activity sector.
We’ve been working with Youth Sport Trust on Girls Active. This is our commitment to fostering girls' participation in PE, sport and physical activity. The programme aims to tackle the barriers girls experience and through cultivating a movement of girls and young women, empower them to take positive action through influencing, leading, and inspiring their peers.
Sporting Equals has been funded to deliver a four-year project with The Sweaty Betty Foundation to deliver a city-based model that supports ethnically diverse women and girls engaging in sport and movement, and research and helps the sector better understand the barriers that ethnically diverse women and girls face when accessing sporting opportunities.
Active Together has developed a full women’s health offer through our local programme LLR Girls Can (Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Girls Can). This includes a web page with accessible information related to different phases of life (menstrual health, pregnancy, pelvic health, and menopause, plus information around cancers, sexual health and mental health), as well as an Active Menopause offer including free resources and a programme of events, delivered in collaboration with our local authority colleagues.
The North West Leicestershire Let’s Get Moving Awards are held annually to celebrate the physical activity and sporting achievements of residents in the district and also encourage other residents to become active. For the 2023, awards we added a new award ‘Active Mums’ and had a focus on females with female guest speakers and physical activity champions.
Engaging and empowering pre- and post-natal women to take ownership of their own movement levels, receive accurate physical activity advice around their pregnancy journey and have the opportunity to participate in physical activity within their local communities and homes.
Worcestershire’s community grant programme has enabled hyperlocal projects aimed at increasing levels of physical activity for women and girls to be developed.
The Right to the Streets project explored community actions to make streets and public spaces safer and more welcoming for women and girls so they feel a sense of belonging in their community and are able to live active lives.
This case study explores the impact of community engagement with women and girls as a platform to address barriers to sport and physical activity and offer practical approaches to engagement and participation.
A mother was referred to the Physical Activity Social Prescribing service in her area by her GP for back pain. She was six months pregnant, solo parenting her toddler and living on the top floor of her block of flats. Life was physically tough, and she also felt very isolated. A Physical Activity Link Worker (PALW) contacted the mother, and helped to put in place solutions.
Hiring a Girls Football Partnership Manager to engage schools into partnership by attending leagues, competitions and events has had a positive impact on getting more girls playing football in Enfield.
This Girl Can (TGC) is Sport England's behaviour change campaign, aimed at encouraging women to become more active. North West Leicestershire District Council signed up to TGC exercise to music programme utilising pre-choreographed classes aimed specifically at women to deliver a class once per week.
The Stevenage Borough Council's initiative, aligned with the This Girl Can campaign, aimed to provide accessible activities for women and girls in Stevenage.
Trafford Council have used the legacy of UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 as a huge opportunity for women and girls across Trafford to engage in a healthy lifestyle through football.
Launched in 2011, as a funded programme in England, Us Girls has developed and evolved over time. During the past twelve years, the Us Girls brand and approach has been adopted by many organisations in the StreetGames network and successfully engaged thousands of girls and young women.
The campaign called “Find your…” was shaped by local women and girls to empower them to find their place, their community, their friends and their fun to improve their physical and wellbeing. The aim was to support women to be active in ways that work for them, regardless of age, background or ability.
For Muslim women exercising around men is often discouraged due to modesty and practicalities of clothing. Palmer Park Leisure Centre had an underutilised space which has been transformed into a programmable gym space, with designated female only hours.
