12th November 2021
Guidance to help leisure facilities appeal to more women

How to improve your services for women and girls: As told by the 51%.

Between April 2021 and May 2021 UKactive, in partnership with Sport England and This Girl Can commissioned a research survey on behalf of the sector to better understand the barriers that women and girls face when taking part in physical activity.

They have translated these findings into actionable advice that the sector can use to encourage more women and girls to use their local fitness or leisure centre.

The survey was targeted at both existing and non members of leisure and sport facilities and was completed by around 1,030 participants. Using the research findings, they have developed a practical guide titled: - How to improve your services for Women and Girls: As told by the 51%. It takes the insights found and provided by women and girls themselves and turns them into practical support and actions – which throughout is considerate to financial, staffing and infrastructure constraints faced by facilities.

Advice featured covers content on how to improve online communication and messaging to women to reduce anxiety around worries and fears they have about entering this setting, which range from where to go when they arrive to how to perform specific exercises. It highlights the importance of increasing awareness of the overall health benefits of being active for a female audience and offers advice on robust policies to tackle personal safety fears.

Read more here

Download the practical guide and insights here