Sector Stories

Supporting young people with periods in the outdoors

Talking about periods may seem like a daunting prospect, especially if you don’t menstruate. However, offering your support to those who menstruate, and considering their specific needs during outdoor activities or sport, can make a positive difference to young people’s participation and enjoyment of experiences of physical activity.

Young women’s engagement in sport in a ‘pandemic’ world

Young women are being significantly impacted by the pandemic. Research focused on young women’s wellbeing during COVID-19 has revealed gendered differences, with the pandemic affecting girls’ mental health more than boys. Find out what this means for girls in our COVID-impacted world.

Reframing physical activity for and with young women

We need to continue to ask ourselves if the rationale of the action or initiative has been informed by young women. If yes, ka rawe! Awesome! If not, then why are we doing it? We might need to go back to the drawing board.

Creating positive environments for young women

We currently see young women’s participation in sport decreasing rapidly from 12 to 17 years. Our responsibility and our opportunity is to turn this story around. So let’s strip back the jargon and look at practical tips to ensure young women get what they need and want from their sporting experience.

Amplifying the Voice of Young Women in Sport

Today’s world for young women wanting engage in sport – both social and competitively - reflects a state of constant change. Sport has the opportunity to be agile and adapt to meet the needs of young women, but what does this look like in practice?

Beyond Traditional Sport: The Benefits of Informal Sports

Research shows that informal activities offer young women empowering learning experiences, encouraging self-expression, creative thinking and developing a different set of physical and social skills. Read this article by Professor Holly Thorpe that explores the importance of giving girls a sense of belonging, identity and connection with place, people and their communities.

Parenting teen girls inside a world of expectation

Sport NZ spoke with teenage girls and their friends across Aotearoa to explore themes around how they relate to physical activity. As a parent, caregiver, volunteer or sector leader, you can change the game to encourage and support young women in a COVID-changed world. Here’s how.

Young Women, Sport, Physical Activity, and the Teenage Years

For parents and providers trying to make sense of why young women are turning away from sport, it is most important that we don’t blame this on young women themselves. Rather, we should be asking: what is going on in their lives that is turning them away from sport and physical activity at such high rates?

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Case Studies

Inclusive uniforms

With a global movement underway to get rid of white and light-coloured uniforms, here’s how New Zealand Cricket are saying no to white uniforms so girls stay in the game for longer. Cricket is just one of many codes right now bringing about change for good.

PredictWind Girls Championship Regatta

The PredictWind Girls Champs has been running at Kohimarama Yacht Club for more than 30 years. Take a look at the impact this is having on the sport by providing more opportunities for females in sailing - both on and off the water.

Journeys Central Otago Charitable Trust

Journeys Central Otago identified a need within the community to connect and develop self-confidence, resilience, and outdoor skills in young women. What started off as a pilot focussed on mountain biking and on-foot adventures has grown to involve a co-design approach to meet the needs of the local kōhine.

Sea Sisters

Started just over a year ago, Sea Sisters wanted to create a space for women to meet and be active together. Through the support of Sport NZ Tu Manawa funding, they have embraced an ethos of empowering young women to achieve goals they set themselves.

Kōhine māiā

With a focus on what young women would like to do, Kohine Maia aims to empower through well-being, social connectivity and enjoying new experiences to gain a sense of achievement. Their co-design approach helps better understand participant needs while promoting leadership and collaboration.

Yeah Girls

Yeah Girls was piloted in 2018/19. During the 3 years since, the programme has been elevated with support from the Sport NZ Activation Fund. It runs over a number of regions for participants aged 10 – 17 and encourages girls to be active with a modified version of the game of cricket. The focus is on creating a non-pressured, enjoyable environment.

WORD – World Off-Road Riding Department

Focussed on encouraging young people to enjoy mountain biking, WORD is working to build the confidence of young women, encouraging new friendships and fostering a lifelong love of mountain biking. Meet the amazing young women involved in creating and leading the mahi.

Forward Foundation

Forward Foundation understand that traditional sport isn't for everyone and have created a club that's fun, free and just for girls. The Not-So-Sports Club (NSSC) offers recreational activities and a chance to make new friends every Wednesday of the school term for high school aged girls in Canterbury. Girls are collected from schools and can have a go at fun activities like Zorbing, Top Team, walks and outdoor games.

Surely Skate

The power of the sisterhood, friendships and peer influence as motivators for young women are what Surely Skate is all about. Surely Skate have created a space where young women can learn new skills while hanging out and connecting with friends. Surely skate is built on volunteers and passion. They provide a supportive and all-inclusive environment within the skating community along with local events and workshops.