Us Girls: targeted approach for low income communities by Street Games

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.

Rates of participation in sport and physical activity amongst young women and girls have lagged behind men for many years – with the gap widening even further by family affluence and socio-economic group. For example, the most recent Sport England Active Lives CYP data shows that whilst 59 per cent of boys from high affluence families meet CMO guidelines for physical activity, just 42 per cent of girls do so from low affluence families. 

Research undertaken by StreetGames with young women and girls from low-income communities, has highlighted a range of factors which limit or prevent their participation, those most commonly mentioned include:  

• access: A lack of or limited access to affordable and appealing activities and facilities within their community – with recent rises in the cost-of-living exacerbating issues.
• confidence: Worries about not being ‘fit’ enough or being with new people
• insecurities: Fears of looking silly in front of others (boys/strangers), not wanting to be watched, feeling uncomfortable in outfits, and/or insecurities as a result of physical, social and emotional changes linked to puberty
• safety: Fears around feeling unsafe getting to/from activities or when taking part 
• clothing and equipment: Concerns over not having the right ‘kit’ or equipment to take part
• friends: Not having anyone to go with 
• awareness: Not knowing what is available to take part in
• time: A lack of time to take part due to other commitments or interests. 

The Us Girls initiative, which is an evidence-based methodology - underpinned by the principles of Doorstep Sport, to enable young women and girls from low-income communities to take part in sport and physical activity in a way that suits them.

Originally created in 2011, through Sport England funding it has developed and evolved over time. Over the past twelve years, the Us Girls brand and approach has been adopted by many organisations in the StreetGames network across both England and Wales and successfully engaged thousands of young women.

Co-created with young women, the Us Girls brand of ‘fun, fitness and friendship’ is delivered through a network of locally trusted organisations who are embedded within the local community that are usually run by local people. Learning from practice and from the young women and girls we’ve spoken to suggests that the following aspects are important:

• The four ‘rights’ (right time, place, price and style): It is essential to find out what is ‘right’ and explore their preferences as this is likely to vary. However, it is always important to create ‘safe spaces’ in the ‘right’ place – for some this will mean female only sessions, away from the male gaze to allow girls and young women to feel able to participate. This ‘safe space’ alongside a social, informal style of delivery allows bonds and friendships to be developed.
• Affordable/low cost – not being able to afford to take part in activities is one of the biggest barriers (discounted offers, rewards and incentives for loyalty can also prove popular).
• An informal style with opportunities to socialise and build a ‘sense of belonging’ as well as the provision of activities on an ‘informal’ basis, given time constraints and busy lives. It is vital that participants don’t feel they have to commit to attending every week, every session or to an up-front course of activity.
• Right people: We’ve heard from many young women and girls how vitally important it is to have a coach/leader who is caring and empathetic. Staff need to be ‘young person-centered' in their approach – prioritising and responding to the needs of girls and young women. 
• Investing time and resources in ‘pre-engagement’ – to understand and engage this audience and build relationships before some women and girls will even contemplate taking part in sport/physical activity (see learning links below from Us Girls Alive & Us Girls Wales)
• Direct engagement rather than via formal marketing/ promotion is often more effective - for example via taster sessions to pre-existing groups (e.g. in youth clubs, community groups, schools or faith groups), peer promotion and word of mouth together with appropriate imagery.
• Developing peer champions / local activators can also be a really good way of engaging new participants. 
• An Attractive Offer: Built around a clear understanding of the barriers and motivations. This may include opportunities to be physically active alongside other ‘bolt-ons’ such as incorporating music, food and wider health activities/support. It’s also important to enable young women and girls to try a variety of activities / get a choice – across a range of sports and fitness activities. Be brave and offer different sports/activities – don’t just assume certain activities will be popular or un-popular. What constitutes ‘attractive’ may change over time, meaning the offer will need to be regularly reviewed and refreshed to adapt to the needs of the group.
• Encouraging lifelong participation: Consider ways of supporting young women and girls to grow their ‘sporting capital’ – through opportunities to go somewhere new, try something new and meet different people – so that they gain the knowledge, skills and confidence that can help them to make positive choices about their lifestyle, develop a sense of independence and an enthusiasm to be active/ foster a ‘sporting habit for life’.
• Personal development opportunities: Many young women and girls want to ‘have a say’ and ‘help out’ in their community. Sports sessions can be an ideal place to create empowering and developmental opportunities to help build key social skills for life. Personal development can be woven into sports participation and wider opportunities such as youth leadership, peer research and spaces to listen to young people’s voices.
• Year-round sporting offers: need to be regular and consistent to enable young women and girls to take part over prolonged periods – either within a local project or by linking to other opportunities with clear pathways from holiday activities and short-term/taster sessions into year-round activities. A year-round offer provides regularity, consistency and routine but also the reassurance that young people can always return to a familiar, friendly and safe setting.

A key element of our Us Girls work has involved gathering learning and sharing best practice – including the creation of an engaging women and girls training workshop to support community coaches, leaders and volunteers with practical ideas together with a series of ‘How to...' guides and a range of case studies and inspirational stories. 

Over 1,800 learners have attended our engaging women and girls workshops and we continue to capture and disseminate learning across our network and to wider partners and advocate on behalf of LTOs in our network and the young women and girls they support.

In addition, the Us Girls approach is designed to help grow the knowledge, skills and confidence of those that take part, to help them to make positive choices about their lifestyle, develop a sense of independence and an enthusiasm to be active/ foster a ‘sporting habit for life’.

Building on this, StreetGames now has the following ambition in relation to developing our work with girls and young women: 

Ambition​

To support a network of local community organisations, from low-income areas, that are committed to helping girls and young women engage and participate in sport and physical activity in their local communities. StreetGames will support the development of safe, supportive and equitable opportunities for girls and young women from underserved communities to enjoy the life-changing benefits that come through sport and physical activity, as participants, spectators, volunteers and paid workforce. 

To deliver our ambition, we have seven key aims which can be grouped as follows​

Building solid foundations – increasing our understanding of the current offer for young women and girls and increasing opportunities available through the network

• Support delivery of a year-round Doorstep Sport offer in every underserved and low-income community which provides girls and young women with access to a safe space, supportive environment, a trusted adult, positive female role models and a sport and physical activity, plus wrap around offer, which is tailored to their interests and needs. 
• Create a highly skilled, knowledgeable and informed community and voluntary sector workforce that understands the barriers and motivations faced by girls and young women from underserved communities, and caters for their needs 
• Continually review and improve how Youth Voice is at the heart of our work so that girls and young women can influence how our support and offer is developed.
• Continually growing our understanding of what works and doesn't work when engaging girls and women in Doorstep Sport to participate, spectate and/or volunteer/coach/lead, and share with others.

Developing further opportunities for lifelong participation

• Establish pathways into, and from, Doorstep Sport which enables girls & young women to maintain participation in sport and physical activity in a range of different settings in their local community so that they develop a healthy habit for life.

Partnership working and advocacy

• Continue to develop our partnership working with key national partners e.g. NGBs and other sport sector partners, Women in Sport etc – so that we can continue to gather new insight, pilot new targeted interventions, provide opportunities for new experiences and innovate training.
• Maintain and develop our advocacy role, alongside others, sharing good practice and insight, and influencing the practice of other organisations in relation to girls and young women’s participation and workforce development. 

Key aspect of learning from our Doorstep Sport Club (DSC) programme showed, that by taking specific actions, we were able to significantly increase the proportion of women and girls from 28 per cent in year one to 43 per cent by year four. The key actions we undertook, included: 

1. Ring-fencing funding for women and girls activities / female only DSCs
2. Providing support to DSC providers from Doorstep Sport Advisors with expertise in delivering sport and physical activity to women and girls 
3. Providing workforce training re engaging women and girls
4. Encouraging and supporting the development of female peer promoters and motivators
5. Creating community of learning and networking events that specifically focused on women  and girls 
6. Creating a Club1 offer – which focused on solo, mainly fitness related sports and activities 

• Us Girls – StreetGames
• Us Girls 2023 – StreetGames
• Us Girls East London Is Go! – StreetGames
• Us Girls Wales Learning Report April 2015 - March 2017
• Us Girls – IFF Research Report 2012
• Us Girls Alive – BHFNC Evaluation Report 2015
• European Us Girls – StreetGames

Ceris Anderson