Beyond buildings: keeping girls in the game

CLUBS across the region have benefited from upgraded amenities, and while the flow-on effects of improved infrastructure can be significant, investment in non-building initiatives is proving just as important.

Bellarine Community Health (BCH) has received $50,000 towards the development of Active Girls Bellarine, a project focused on people, not buildings.

The initiative will create a resource toolkit and online training modules to help coaches, teachers and community leaders attract and retain girls and women in sport and physical activity.

Working directly with local schools and community groups, the program will be shaped by the needs and experiences of the Bellarine community.

Healthy communities planners Isabella Weston and Hannah Walker said keeping girls engaged in physical activity is about more than physical health.

“This program will work with schools and community clubs and groups to build a toolkit full of resources and some online training modules around how to attract and retain women and girls in sport and movement,” Weston said.

Research conducted by BCH in 2023 found girls and women in the region were dropping out of organised sport earlier than the state average.

Key barriers included low confidence, fear of judgement, limited support and environments that were not welcoming or inclusive.

Walker said the project focuses on improving the systems around participants to create safer, more supportive environments.

“We know that if girls drop out at that age, they don’t typically return to physical activity, and it becomes a lifelong trend,” Walker said.

“Unfortunately, the gap between male and female participation is going to just get larger and larger over time. Hopefully by slowing or reversing this trend for women and girls to drop out of sport, they have a whole host of beneficial feelings and effects.

 

“Being part of a group again, social connection – there’s heaps of mental health and wellbeing benefits aside from the physical benefits that we want everyone in our community to enjoy and benefit from.

“If these settings are more welcoming and inclusive of everyone, then we have stronger communities and safer communities and happier people and ultimately that is what we want.” The project aligns with efforts already underway in local sport. Ocean Grove A-grade coach Mel Holmes said while recent investment in infrastructure has been welcome, more support is needed beyond construction. Once girls and women join clubs, she said, there is a responsibility to support their broader development. “I think we do an injustice to society as a whole,” Holmes said. “We’ve got these women and young girls that are easily lead and influenced and here’s an opportunity to teach them what we know and what’s important around our healthy mind and healthy body.” Holmes is currently developing a program to run alongside AFL Barwon’s Female Festival of Sport, with a strong focus on mental health and wellbeing. She is also working with local businesses to provide tailored sponsorships, helping reinforce that netballers are valued equally to footballers within clubs. Holmes said true equality goes beyond facilities, with club culture playing a crucial role in retaining participants. She also highlighted the need for greater support for women returning to sport after having children. “If you’re talking about infrastructure, there’s no space to change a baby at most clubs, so they’re not accessible,” Holmes said. “Women having their own space is very important but there’s still barriers to participate. If they’re restricted by access to childcare, they can’t actually come and play. They’re not going to use facilities anyway because they’re not there.” Holmes would like to see future grants address these gaps, including funding for initiatives such as game-day creches. But unable to tap into grants that don’t exist, she is hopeful government bodies will begin to look beyond changerooms in future funding. Bellarine clubs, schools and community groups interested in contributing to the Active Girls Bellarine project are encouraged to get involved. “We want more participation overall,” Weston said. “We don’t necessarily mean that there needs to be more girls playing netball or football specifically, it can just be just a bit more movement in your life, and feeling the good feelings from that.”