You Can Do Sport hosts female empowerment event at YMCA Newark

Young girls were encouraged to try new activities without fear of judgement, rejection, or ridicule as part of an empowerment campaign.

The ‘She Moves, She Thrives’ programme, delivered by You Can Do Sport brought together girls from four schools in Newark to participate in a day of empowerment and physical activity.

The latest event, held on March 25, was designed with the YMCA Framework of Outcomes for Young People and aligned with Sport England’s ‘Uniting the Movement’ and ‘This Girl Can’ strategies.

You Can Do Sport director Natalia Postlethwaite said: “Throughout the day, I overheard students make comments such as ‘I never knew I could lift a weight’, and ‘that’s the first time I have ever tried yoga, and I loved it’.

“I guess there is no better way of knowing an event was a success than that, and when its participants are pressing you to know when they can do it all again.

“It was months of collaborative hard work brought to life, and we cannot wait for the next one.”

Forty students from Toot Hill, Newark Academy, Magnus Church of England and Suthers School — plus two teachers from each school — attended the event.

The full-day programme focused on tackling inactivity, low confidence and social disconnection among primary and secondary school girls.

It started with strength and conditioning, then moved to blended yoga and meditation, and self-defence just before a lunch break.

Just after lunch, the fourth activity was netball and it closed with a presentation at around 1.25pm before guest speaker Olympic Champion Shona McCallin MBE, also a European and Commonwealth champion British Hockey player reinforced the broader message of the programme.

The She Moves She Thrives has been developed to offer girls a safe and engaging space where they can explore a range of activities, including strength and conditioning, self-defence, yoga, Pilates, meditation, and team sports such as netball or football.

Across written reflections by the students themselves, repeated themes were recorded such as confidence, resilience, social connection and inclusion, impact on mental health, teamwork and collaboration and environment and staff.

Natalia believes that the need for these sorts of events in Newark is ‘evident’.

She added: “Increasing female participation in sports provides numerous mental, physical, and social benefits.

“Research consistently shows that sports engagement builds resilience, improves academic performance, and strengthens mental well-being.”

According to Sports England’s Active Lives Children and Young People survey, participation levels among girls declined sharply during adolescence — with 43% of girls disengaging from sports after primary school.

By the ages of 13 to 15, only 10% of girls meet the recommended activity levels compared to 16% of boys.

Natalia said: “This is particularly relevant to Newark, where several areas rank among the most deprived deciles of the Index of Multiple Deprivation.

“By working with YMCA Newark, this programme provides accessible, community-driven solutions that ensure physical activity is available to those who need it most.

“By aligning with Sport England’s national strategies and leveraging YMCA Newark’s infrastructure and expertise, this initiative allows young women to rediscover the joy of movement.

“She Moves, She Thrives is more than a programme, it is a movement.”

Currys, who have been loyal sponsors of You Can DO Sport for seven years, paid for brand t-shirts for the girls to wear on the day.

To ensure lasting impact, the programme will involve follow-up activities, offering monthly or bi-monthly sessions available to all participants.

Schools will be supported in embedding physical activity modules into their curriculum to ensure that movements remain a central aspect of education.

A Board of Ambassadors led by You Can Do Sport, consisting of female leaders in sport and wellbeing, will oversee programme development and help shape its evolution based on participant feedback.

The programme’s next event will focus on boys, in response to the crisis report by The Centre for Social Justice and current TV series such as Adolescence.