Youth champions inspiring teenage girls to stay active

Six inspiring pupils are helping girls across the city stay active during their teenage years by designing and launching new fitness activities suited to their needs – including girls-only gym, football and try tag rugby sessions.

Girls face unique barriers to participating in sport as they age, from body image concerns to a lack of confidence in male-dominated environments. To tackle these barriers, pupils aged 13 to 18 applied through the Brighton Youth Council to be involved in the project as Active Champions, helping to create welcoming, inclusive spaces for teenage girls to take part in sport and physical activity.

The project, which is supported by Brighton & Hove City Council’s Healthy Lifestyles Team and funded by Active Sussex, provided training to the Active Champions to run focus groups in their own schools and community groups to find out what would really make a difference.

Helping girls find a love for sports

The answer was clear: girls wanted safe, fun, non-judgmental spaces. They asked for girls-only swimming, football and gym sessions — and that’s what this project is delivering.

In response, the council’s Healthy Lifestyles Team ran a series of girls-only try tag rugby, football and swimming sessions across the city earlier this year. 

Evie, 15, one of the Active Champions, said: “I got involved in this project to help other girls find a love for sports. I think this project is great for encouraging young people to be active, and personally I’ve really benefitted from getting to meet other people and get involved in sports I hadn’t tried before. One of my favourite moments was taking part in the sports day at the cricket ground.”

Why this matters

According to the Brighton & Hove Safe and Well at School Survey (SAWSS), conducted in 2023, only 15% of secondary-school-age girls said they had done one hour of physical activity every day for the past 7 days, compared with 27% of boys. In primary schools, 22% of girls did so, compared with 34% of boys.

The consequences of this inactivity can be wide-ranging, from reduced mental wellbeing to increased risks of long-term health conditions.

By involving young people directly in the design of these sessions, the project is not only addressing these inequalities head on but also giving Active Champions the confidence and leadership skills to make a lasting impact in their communities.

Cllr Mitchie Alexander, Cabinet member for Communities, Equalities, Public Health and Adult Social Care, said: “These girls-only fitness sessions are a brilliant example of what happens when we listen to young people and let them lead the way. By creating safe, supportive spaces designed by girls, for girls, we’re tackling the real barriers that too often push them out of sport – such as body confidence and fear of judgment. Every girl deserves to feel strong, confident and included, and this initiative is a powerful step in that direction.”

Get involved

The fitness sessions, which are open to all girls aged 13-18, will be staffed by female instructors, with an emphasis on fun, fitness and feeling good rather than competition or appearance.

You can get involved by booking one of the upcoming sessions:

• Girls-only gym sessions, including weightlifting and circuit training, at FMG Project, 24 Kensington Street, every Friday, 6pm – 7pm, running until 4 July
• Tag rugby on 3G sports pitch at Withdean Sports Complex – every Wednesday, 4.30pm – 5.15pm, running until 2 July
• Football on 3G sports pitch at Withdean Sports Complex – every Wednesday, 5.15pm – 6pm, running until 2 July