In the latest campaign phase, This Can Can is addressing the enjoyment gap which finds that men enjoy being active more than women. The national This Girl Can campaign has identified 4 action areas as key drivers for supporting women to enjoy being active:
1 . Social
Having a support network or feeling part of a bigger community is integral to making activity enjoyable whether you're exercising alone or with others. Even if it's a catch up with friends, with a workout on the side.
Muslim Girls Fence is an example of a project which focuses on the social aspect of activity by allowing students to come and fence or just sit back and catch up with each other, talk about their days or what they may be feeling or going through.
Find out more about making your activities and sessions social
2. Suitable
Designing your offering to cater to your communities' specific needs. Considering their cultural, and practical requirements, as well as ensuring timings are considerate of their competing priorities. You can power up enjoyment by making it feel possible for them.
Welcome Gym is a brilliant example of how activities can be made suitable for women. It's gym network designed around the lives of its user and made to be as accessible as possible for everyone. They started by looking at the lives of the people in their communities and building an offering around them so that people felt comfortable rather than starting with a traditional offering and then going after the customers that were willing to pay a certain amount.
Find out more about making your activities suitable
3. Self-affirming
Creating an environment where members feel confident and comfortable in their own skin regardless of shape, size or ability. Boosting enjoyment by empowering them to show up unapologetically as themselves and find their tribe.
Goal Diggers FC is a non-profit club aiming to make football more available and accessible to all women and non-binary people regardless of previous experience or ability. Their inclusivity-first approach has led to an incredibly diverse community where members know it is safe to be themselves.
Find out more about making your activities self-affirming
4. Safe
Creating spaces where women feel emotionally and physically safe, free from harassment and intimidation. Because when they're free from worry, they're free to enjoy activity.
Black Girls Do Run is a running group that also boasts an impressive online following. Their group aims to create a safety net and reduce the anxiety that running alone often brings.
Find out more about doing 'safe' well
