By the age of 13-15 many girls have labelled themselves “not sporty” and are living by this label, with few attempts to counter it.

The most powerful barrier that prevents girls from taking part in sport and physical activity is not feeling good enough to join in.

Sport Ireland today unveiled the Her Moves campaign, in a celebration which saw hundreds gather on the Sport Ireland Campus on International Women’s Day for the official launch of the exciting new campaign targeting teenage girls. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Embrace Equity”. By creating this campaign and targeting teenage girls only, we are embracing equity to give girls a greater chance of being active and playing sport. For this reason, there is no better time to launch the campaign than on this day.

Her Moves, a new national campaign, speaks to inactive teenage girls or those at risk of drop out, reframing what sport is, opening their eyes to more opportunities and encourages girls to embrace sport and physical activity – sharing their experiences with friends. The campaign is also aimed at those who influence teenage girls and who can support them in being more active – parents, teachers, coaches and service providers.

The campaign is an expression of the insights unearthed in the Sport Ireland, Adolescent Girls Get Active Research Report, released in 2021 which looks at a deep exploration of the lives, behaviours and attitudes to sport, of teenage girls aged 13-18 in rural and urban settings. Since its release, significant progress has been made across the sector with successful pilot programmes including Mountaineering Ireland’s Summit Sisters and Mayo Local Sport Partnership’s Skate Squad initiatives, proving that designing opportunities tailored to teenage girls and their interests leads to resounding success. This campaign is about scaling that innovative approach to programmes with a sector-wide alignment focused on what really matters to teenage girls.

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin welcomed the launch of the campaign:

“Evidence suggests that participation in sport and exercise for girls drops drastically during their teenage years. This International Women’s Day, I welcome this important and future facing campaign which aims to encourage girls to be active in their teenage years and to establish a life-long relationship with sport and exercise into adulthood.”

Speaking at the launch, Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education, Thomas Byrne T.D., said:

“Sport and physical activity can have such a positive impact on the lives of teenage girls, so it is important that we create more opportunities for teenage girls to participate in ways that are meaningful and motivating for them. There are a huge range of sports available in Ireland and, through leveraging this campaign, we can help teenage girls find the sport that suits them and that will encourage them to remain active through their teenage years and into adulthood. I’d urge all stakeholders to consider the ethos of the Her Moves campaign.”

In research undertaken to develop the brand, 100% of teenage girls agreed with the statement “I feel better when I move” – but the stark reality is that only 7% of teenage girls (aged 14-15) meet the recommended guidelines. Leading with “Find Something That Moves You” it lands the idea that there truly is something out there for every girl, supporting them to embrace sport and physical activity in their lives to find something that moves them.

Sport Ireland Chief Executive, Dr. Úna May commented,

“Adolescence is a critical development stage for teenage girls. These are the formative years when their attitudes and behaviours are established, and it shapes the women they will become. I’m a very pleased to be launching this vital campaign on International Women’s Day. It has been developed through research by Sport Ireland with input from NGBs, LSPs and the teenage girls themselves, and targets those girls who are currently disengaged with sport and exercise or at risk of dropping out. By understanding their needs and addressing specifically the challenges they face, we hope that this campaign will encourage and motivate them to connect or reconnect with sport and activities.”

Taking a sector wide approach, the Her Moves campaign will include Local Sports Partnerships and National Governing Body programmes specifically designed using an 8 Key Principle framework that ensures the programmes make sport and physical activity relevant and meaningful to young girls. Speaking about the LSP and NGB participation, Nora Stapleton, Women In Sport Lead said:

“The innovation and creativity within the sector to build programmes specifically aimed at supporting the needs of teenage girls has been remarkable. Already this year, we have 25 organisations creating Her Moves programmes designed specifically through the lens of teenage girls and supporting the 8 Key Principles for Success from the Girls Get Active Research Report. The ambition is to grow the brand nationwide through our activities, programmes, ambassadors and widespread marketing campaign so that these girls can form a connection to the campaign and grow the Her Moves community. We know that not all girls will be able to access a funded programme – so this campaign is also about inspiring them to find something that moves them. It can be a walk, a swim, a bike ride, hike or a simple fun kick about with friends. Schools, youth organisations, clubs and other groups can play a major role in facilitating more social based opportunities for teens to engage and our aim is that the campaign and the brand will grow beyond the NGBs and LSPs. The girls have told us what they want, and we’ve listened – now we are bringing it to life through Her Moves.” 

The Her Moves campaign will see the creation of the Her Moves Online Hub. This is a resource for girls, parents, teachers and providers. As the campaign evolves the site will come to life with videos, demos, success stories and content aimed at supporting each target audience. Tackling the topics that truly matter to teenage girls, helping to build confidence and empower them to give it a try.

Her Moves will be going on a nationwide tour throughout the summer featuring six (6) Pop-Up events with opportunities for the girls to try a host of activities alongside vibrant music, arts, fashion, and food placing the social aspect at the centre of each event. Connecting with outdoor sports activities, skating, rollerblading, dance and volleyball have emerged as some of the top activities teenage girls wanted to try. The Pop-Up tour will bring Her Moves communities and groups together in an inclusive, accessible and fun way.

Join the Her Moves Campaign - With the official unveiling of the campaign this morning Sport Ireland calls for everyone to join the Her Moves community on the new social media channels and online at www.hermoves.ie

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hermoves.ie/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hermoves.ie/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/hermoves_ie

TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@hermoves.ie