THE PRINCIPLES of a national framework that will provide a strategic and cohesive approach to women’s sport in the UK were agreed last week at a two-day workshop at Bisham Abbey hosted by the UK Co-ordinating Group on Women and Sport.
Representatives from UK Sport, national governing bodies, home country sports councils and partner bodies - including the Women’s Sports Foundation, the CCPR (Central Council of Physical Recreation) and the Youth Sports Trust - agreed that a single framework could be applied across a range of organisations with the overriding aim of "changing the sporting culture in the UK to one that values the diversity of women and enables their involvement in every aspect of sport".
Key players will now provide baseline research data to help form the actions and targets to support the three key objectives of the new strategy:
1. Increasing Participation: Increase participation by women in a wide variety of sports, physical recreation and leisure activities.
2. Improving Performance and Achieving Excellence: Enable women with sporting ability to achieve excellence in the sport of their choice.
3. Leadership: Increase the number of women leaders at all levels and in all capacities in sport and physical activity.
It was also agreed that the work should be progressed in phases so that best practice can be shared across sectors and sufficient time is given for actions to be integrated into organisations’ existing plans.
"The Co-ordinating group, chaired by Dr Anita White, was delighted with the commitment and motivation of the attendees," said Liz Nicholl, Director of Performance Services at UK Sport. "It provides us with an excellent platform to drive forward further work in this area of sports equity."
Meanwhile, the Womens Sport Foundation (WSF) released its 2001-2002 National Action Plan this week, which will complement the new UK strategy. For more information please visit the WSF website, linked below.
For more information please contact Angela Watson at UK Sport. Email angela.watson@uksport.gov.uk/ Tel 020 7841 9500.