A local leisure centre project has encouraged 3000 girls from across the country to get active in their communities. The Big Sister project was designed to encourage teenage girls to enjoy sports, exercise and physical activity during puberty.
In just ten months, there were 55,000 individual leisure centre visits, with more than 50% of girls surveyed reporting better mood and motivation. Participants reported a 59% increase in happiness, a 62% increase in confidence and a 64% increase in enjoyment in sports and exercise.
Project Big Sister was developed to combat a statistical disinterest in sport and physical activity among young girls. According to Women in Sport; an organisation represented on The Drive Phase, more than 40% of girls who considered themselves sporty, completely disengaged from sport post-primary school.