On 11 October 2021, International Day of the Girl, The Football Association (The FA) launched an initiative called ‘Let Girls Play’: a campaign supporting English football’s governing body’s strategic mission to give all girls equal access to play football in school by 2024.
Fronted by ‘Let Girls Play’ ambassadors Abi (aged 17) and Olivia (aged 15) and Barclays’ ambassador Kelly Smith, MBE, the campaign aims to inspire and empower communities and schools to help drive change and unlock equal opportunities for girls to participate in the sport.
#LetGirlsPlay encourages people to stop, listen and then consider how they can make a difference to the challenge and the creative seeks to drive viewers to a bespoke website at www.englandfootball.com/LetGirlsPlay which offers inspiring resources to help influence the start of change and allow more girls to feel the mental and physical benefits of exercise through playing football.
As well as a launch event and a PR and media strand, the content spanned Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
The initiative sees The FA work with a ‘Change Squad’: a group of young women aged from 14-to-18 all of whom are passionate about making a difference for girls who want to play football and who will act as advocates and use their voices and actions to help change long-held perceptions around the sport.
The FA is working on the project with partner Barclays through the ‘Barclays Girls’ Football School Partnerships’ which aims to build a sustainable infrastructure of schools committed to developing the girls’ game.
The campaign seeks to challenge the fact that only 63% of English schools currently offer girls’ football in Physical Education lessons and The FA’s ‘Inspiring Positive Change’ strategy is to have 75% of schools providing equal access to football for girls in PE lessons by 2024.
“Momentum is building as next summer’s UEFA Women’s EUROs gets ever closer, but we do not want to wait until then to inspire and empower others to help create equal access to playing football at school,” commented The FA’s Director of Women’s Football Baroness Sue Campbell. “Currently, only a third of girls aged 5-18 participate in football every week, and we want to change that. Now is the time to drive a far-reaching ambition to open up the game in every way to girls and the Let Girls Play campaign allows parents and teachers to play a huge role in joining us in this commitment.”
Former England International and Barclays athlete endorser Kelly Smith, MBE added: “When Barclays asked me to be part of the #LetGirlsPlay campaign, I couldn’t have been quicker to say yes. The campaign is one that’s very close to my heart and something I am extremely passionate about when it comes to providing equal access to football for young girls. When I started my journey in football, I had no other choice but to play in a local boys’ team and wasn’t offered the opportunity to play football in school during PE lessons. This has progressed hugely over the last few years, and I’m proud to be part of The FA’s #LetGirlsPlay campaign which will really make a difference to the young girls like I was who just want to play football.”
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The FA’s objective is to help girls become more physically active with improved well-being, increased physical literacy of five to eight year-olds and help all girls develop the confidence and competence to play football at school and in a community setting.
The Barclays Girls’ Football School Partnerships network is growing the women’s and girls’ football workforce in schools to sustain the growth of participation levels. It is also helping to make the game more inclusive for all by increasing the number of diverse, SEND and girls from low income families who are participating and enjoying football whilst at school.
The Barclays Girls’ Football School Partnerships aim to generate greater collaboration with local football and education providers to create a clear, coherent pathway for girls at a local level to grow and develop in and through football.
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