New mentorship programme open to young women in sport
13th July 2023
SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) and Scottish Women in Sport (SWIS) are looking for young women to take part in a new leadership programme which has been tried, tested and developed by young women.
Thanks to funding from the Scottish Government, 16 young women will have the opportunity to take part in the 12-month programme, which aims to improve confidence and self-belief, as well as building leadership skills and knowledge of mental health and wellbeing.
The Young Women in Sport Mentorship Programme, which is fully-funded, is available to women between 18 and 24 years old who are based in Scotland and working in the sports sector.
It comes as research shows that whilst the presence of female leadership in sport has become more visible in the last decade, at the current pace of change it would still take 25 years to achieve gender equality in leadership roles across Scottish sport.[1] This programme aims to accelerate change by breaking down barriers for young women in sport and equipping them with the skills and confidence to thrive.
Kirsty Stewart, Physical Activity & Sport Partnership and Development Co-ordinator from SAMH said:
“We know that around the age of 11, female participation in sport starts to drop off and a gender gap emerges. By the age of 20, only around half of young women are still taking part in organised sport.[2]
“Sport and physical activity is so important for our mental health and wellbeing, and we hope that by helping to enable more young women into leadership roles in sport, we can inspire a new generation of girls to stay active.”
Maureen McGonigle from Scottish Women in Sport said:
“It’s a privilege to work with an organisation like SAMH who clearly understand the complex needs of our society and, in particular with this programme, young women. Scottish Women in Sport’s leadership report 2021 identified the major gaps in leadership at all levels of sport and it is my belief that this programme will impact on participants, enabling them to challenge for future roles and bring further equality in to sport.”
Hannah Luke, who took part in the pilot programme said:
“This course was not only an incredible opportunity to connect with a range of young women in sport across the country but moreover, provided me with many strategies and reflection activities for myself as well as resources and preparation to work with athletes on similar topics. I would highly recommend this course to all young women in sport. This is a unique opportunity created specifically to support us and is a thoroughly enjoyable experience.”
The programme is open to all young women, aged between 18-24, from across the sporting world – including athletes, officials, coaches, participants and players – who want to build self-confidence and leadership skills, connect with others, and improve their mental health and wellbeing knowledge.
It follows a hybrid model with opportunities to learn in-person and online, including taught modules, networking, and mentorship. Participants will have the opportunity to gain accreditaion for participating, with an Adult Achievement Award from the SCQF.
To find out more about the programme, contact kirsty.stewart@samh.org.uk
