Sport is not always about who wins, for many it’s about social connection, community, enjoyment and staying active.
That's why creating a safe and welcoming space for girls is critical for inviting in new participants and ensuring existing girls continue to play sport.
Head of Soccer at the Darebin Falcons Women’s Sports Club, Jasmine Hirst explained the need to break away from over 100 years of men’s sport culture to engage the next generation of girls at our International Women’s Day online event.
“Girls are not going to just slot in exactly the way that boys do to those [existing] systems.”
View video transcript
I still see a lot of soccer clubs, the way that they have traditionally advertised that they need new players is for trials. Come along and trial with us, or do you have what it takes? Do you want to be the best? Which is literally an invitation to come along and be judged.
We need to invite [girls] in a way that says to them come along and try us, rather than us trialing you and judging you.
Having an awareness of barriers whether it be cultural, socioeconomic or physiological and being able to address these for your audience can make participation more enjoyable for girls.
It is important to ensure staff understand how to create culturally safe environments, explained panelist Junior Melo.
“When you think about creating a welcoming environment, [you must think] not only in the physical space, but how your staff are culturally aware of those participants that are coming and also understanding their needs and adapting if needed.”
Sport is an entire ecosystem, and the skills girls learn from playing, coaching and officiating go well beyond just playing the game; they help girls develop important life skills like teamwork and taking responsibility.
Science, much like sport, is about being curious, pushing yourself to test new things.
For Sciencework Learning Facilitator, Dr Catriona Nguyen-Robertson, you need to understand your audience when shaping programs.
‘You keep your audience in mind so that you make it relatable to them and you make them want to be involved because they can see exactly how it applies to their lives.”
You can re-watch the entire conversation about engaging the next generation of girls in sport via our YouTube channel.
Page last updated: 21 March 2025
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