Girls Takeover is a bespoke programme from Newport Live designed for girls aged 11-18 in Newport, providing them with the opportunity to access fitness settings they might not feel confident attending alone.
The primary goal of Girls Takeover is to use physical and social activities to break down barriers such as low confidence, fear of trying new things, and social pressure. The programme also offers opportunities for personal and professional skill development through volunteering, fostering both physical and social empowerment. This year, Girls Takeover has won the Street Games National Us Girls award, for engaging women and girls!
Girls Takeover offers a wide range of activities, including fitness sessions, swimming (a major favourite), football, netball, badminton, arts and crafts, and “chill and chat” sessions, where girls can relax, colour, play board games, and build relationships. The popular Bingo Lingo event, featuring music, disco lights, and fun prizes selected by the girls, has become a programme highlight. Other activities include 5k walks along Newport’s Riverfront and movie days, which have attracted record attendance with 34 girls at one session!
The success of the programme is rooted in its responsiveness to participant feedback. Since its launch, Girls Takeover has engaged 367 girls over 17 sessions. While the first sessions saw only three girls, recent events have seen attendance rise to 34.
The programme has also helped bridge gaps between schools and the community, building relationships with more girls across secondary schools in Newport.
Streetgames, who allocated the award commented….
“Our Awards are an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the outstanding individuals and organisations using sport and physical activity to transform the lives of children and young people living in underserved communities. A big well done to Newport Live and the team there for their excellent work with Girls Takeover”.
The awards event itself was hosted at the headquarters of team GB and the celebration event saw national winners from across the UK come together to share more about their powerful stories and incredible impact.
Newport Live’s winning team also had the pleasure of hearing from Team GB athletes Abigail Irozuru, Peter Speight and Rachel Smith about their own journeys and the role of community coaches and organisations in supporting their success.
Ellen Phillips, Development Officer, describes Girls Takeover as a “first-class programme” that has opened her eyes to the opportunities it provides for young girls to gain new skills and build confidence.
The feedback from both participants and their parents has been overwhelmingly positive with girls reporting enjoying the variety of activities and the supportive, non-judgmental environment. Parents also appreciate the opportunity for their daughters to experience a range of activities in a safe and encouraging space with one parent sharing that her daughter has since joined a local gym, inspired by her participation in Girls Takeover.
Lauren Bourne, Development Officer and creator of the initiative, is incredibly proud of the success of the programme and the many girls she has had the chance to meet and help gain confidence, stating many now have gym memberships because of the programme.
Steve Ward, CEO of Newport Live told us….
“Our Community initiatives are a core part of what we do here at Newport Live.
Girls Takeover is a fantastic way of engaging women and girls from within our city, in a positive and inspiring way – so I’m really proud that this hard work has been recognised by this national award”.
To book into the next Girls Takeover sessions visit HERE.
