AusLeisure

A Sport England campaign that has inspired more that 2.8 million women to get active is set to launch in Australia.

The widely acclaimed This Girl Can sports campaign is to be replicated in Australia by Victorian health promotion agency VicHealth, which has previously directed a range of initiatives aimed at promotion of women’s activity.

VicHealth Chief Executive Jerril Rechter explains “our research shows too many Victorian women feel too intimidated or embarrassed to take part in sport or exercise.

"Concerns about how they look when they exercise, that they aren't skilled enough to exercise or that they should be prioritising their family or work over activities, are real obstacles many women face when starting a sport or exercise program."

VicHealth is now asking Australian women to share their stories on a new website from which it will create a localised TV advertising campaign that will air in early 2018.

Launched in 2015, Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign, that encouraged women to become more active, attracted more than 16 million views on YouTube and Facebook.

With estimates that the campaign inspired 2.8 million British women to get more active, VicHealth it can produce similar results.

Sport England Chief Executive Jennie Price told the ABC News Breakfast this morning “when we started to evaluate it, that was when it got very exciting.

"We discovered women were really recognising themselves in the ad and as a result were thinking, 'maybe I can get out there and get fit'."

Sport England released a follow-up video earlier this year that continued the theme and focussed on women in particular stages of their life, such as motherhood and older age, as well as those with a disability.

It will be the first time the campaign has been replicated outside the UK and follows a VicHealth survey that found a worrying gender gap in sport participation and attitudes towards exercise in Australia.

The Federal Government revived its Girls Make Your Move campaign earlier this year.

Facts on Victorian women’s exercise

• 41% of women too embarrassed to exercise in public (26% for men)
• 39% of women believed they were not coordinated when it came to physical activity (24% for men)
• 46% of women found gyms and fitness centres intimidating (42% for men)
• 30% of women were uncomfortable in exercise clothing
• 72% of women felt good about themselves when they did some exercise
Source: VicHealth survey of more than 2,500 Victorians

Visit the This Girl Can Australia Facebook page at www.facebook.com/thisgirlcanaustralia

Images: This Girl Can's Australian launch (top) and the acclaimed 'I jiggle, therefore I am" promotion from Sport England (below).

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Asking a small favour
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

The news we publish at www.ausleisure.com.au is independent, credible (we hope) and free for you to access, with no pay walls and no annoying pop-up ads.

However, as an independent publisher, can we ask for you to support us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine - if you don't already do so.

Published bi-monthly since 1997, the printed Australasian Leisure Management differs from this website in that it publishes longer, in-depth and analytical features covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues management.

Subscriptions cost just $90 a year.

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