This Girl Can drives positive change

This year’s This Girl Can campaign has seen almost 400,000 Victorian women get active, a figure that’s inspired VicHealth to seek more female ambassadors.

This Girl Can – Victoria, which deliberately features local women rather than professional athletes, has helped one in five Victorian women increase their physical activity since its launch in March 2018.

As part of the campaign, VicHealth will launch a new This Girl Can – Victoria advertisement early next year which will represent more Victorian women.

In a bid to showcase Victoria’s diversity, the foundation is seeking ambassadors from across the state who will star in its new television commercial.

Health minister Jenny Mikakos encouraged Victorian women to share their stories of being active and overcoming judgement for the chance to become an ambassador and feature in the new ad.

“This Girl Can – Victoria is all about empowering women to smash the stereotypes about what they can and can’t do in the gym, on the sporting field or in our neighbourhoods,” she said.

“We want all women to feel comfortable in getting active however, whenever or wherever they choose. Embarrassment or a fear of being judged shouldn’t be a barrier in improving your physical and mental health – it’s great to see this campaign’s success in combatting this.”

VicHealth chief executive officer Dr Lyn Roberts AO said the campaign’s strong results have demonstrated the power of seeing “real” women getting active and how it inspires others to follow suit.

She said before the campaign was established, VicHealth research found more than half of Victorian women chose not to exercise for fear of being judged while exercising.

“Now almost 90 per cent of women who’ve seen the campaign feel it’s helped women increase their confidence and overcome their fear of being judged when being active,” Dr Roberts said.

Women can submit their stories and find out more at thisgirlcan.com.au.