CSW Sport engaged with Eden Girls Islamic Faith School in Coventry as part of the satellite club initiative. Eden Girls is located within one of the 10% most deprived wards Nationally. Consultation with the PE teacher indicated that very few of the girls were taking part in any sport other than compulsory PE lessons.
Students identified the need for girls-only activities, held after school at a time that did not clash with prayers, school and home commitments. Swimming came out as the most popular activity in surveys undertaken.
CSW Sport therefore instigated the establishment of a Swimming satellite club aimed at these female students.
Introduction
Coventry has significant areas of deprivation. It also has a young population with a high proportion of 16-24 year olds (16%). Unemployment rates amongst residents aged 16 -24 is estimated to be 24%. This is significantly higher than the Coventry average of 9%.
Coventry also has a significantly high proportion of residents from a BAME community, with 27% of residents born overseas (compared with 13% of the UK population). Many of these BAME communities reside in the deprived wards of the city.
Coventry has some of the highest levels of deprivation and health inequalities and the largest inactive populations in the sub region.
Women’s participation rates across CSW are 5% lower than the national average. Within CSW they are 8% lower than men’s participation rates, compared to 4% nationally. This gap between male and female participation is greatest in 16 – 34 year olds and 75 – 84 year olds.
CSW Sport has therefore prioritised (as identified in 2017-19 Sport England Application form and funding templates) satellite clubs that create opportunities in Coventry for Women and Girls, BAME residents and young people from deprived areas.
As a result of this insight, CSW Sport engaged with Eden Girls Islamic Faith School in Coventry as part of the satellite club initiative. Eden Girls is located within one of the 10% most deprived wards Nationally. Consultation with the PE teacher indicated that very few of the girls were taking part in any sport other than compulsory PE lessons.
Research from Sport England shows that, whilst the rates of participation in sport amongst men remain fairly fixed across all ethnicities there is much more variation amongst women, with the least active being Black and Asian women. Muslim women were the least active with only just over 20% doing 30 minutes of activity every week.
CSW Sport carried out a tailored survey with nearly 200 girls at Eden Girls School to understand their motivations, barriers and interests in sport. The same survey was also carried out with 80 female students at Sidney Stringer Sixth Form, which is located close to Eden Girls School. The majority of the students were from a BAME background.
Students from both schools identified the need for girls-only activities, held after school at a time that did not clash with prayers, school and home commitments. Swimming came out as the most popular activity in the surveys undertaken at both schools.
CSW Sport therefore instigated the establishment of a Swimming satellite club aimed at these female students.
What was the issue / challenge being addressed
Analysis of the survey carried out with nearly 200 Muslim girls aged 11-15 years old from Eden School found; When asked what stops them from participating the top results were: ‘School work more important’; ‘No-one to be active with’; ‘Don’t like the activities offered at school’.
Others barriers included:
- Establishing a time/day when there were no clashes with afterschool lessons, homework, prayers or home commitments
- Gaining support from parents to prioritise physical activity over academic studies
- Access to a private pool with private changing cubicles in the locality
- Affordability and sustainability
- Female instructors and life-guards
- Appropriate exit routes
- How to promote sessions to the community-best terminology to reach target group
- Access to appropriate equipment and swim wear
- Retention of participants during academic pressure points (ie exams)
- Opening satellite club up to community use
Despite best efforts there was much concern that the girls would not attend. An offsite venue and a session time scheduled much later than the end of school (the girls finish at lunch time on a Friday and the session doesn’t start till 4.00pm) were all potential barriers.