Women in football
For the last two decades, women’s football has been the fastest growing sport in England.
The introduction of The Football Association (FA) Women’s Super League (WSL) in April 2011 and the impressive performance of Great Britain during the London Olympics 2012 have seen the sport thrive even more in recent years.
Football is now the most popular team sport in the country amongst women and this increased interest shows no sign of relenting with over a million women and girls playing the game.
There is also a large focus on representation off the pitch with Kick It Out playing a vital role in trying to address the lack of female presence in the football industry. Several leading women from across football provide vital support to the campaign and are helping to shape its future work in this area.
Every year, Kick It Out hosts a Women’s Raise Your Game conference, which gives women hoping to work in football a chance to hear from industry professionals and receive one-to-one mentoring, as well as workshop training.
Women also play an important role on both Kick It Out’s Professional Game Guidance Group and Grassroots Guidance Group, with key figures including Siobhan Atkinson, the Acting Director of Leicester City Community Trust, Ruth Hopkins, Head of Access and Development at Level Playing Field, Sue O’Brien, Chief Executive of the National League Trust and Juliet Chard, Campaigns Officer at Stonewall.
In addition, England stars Toni Duggan and Jordan Nobbs are key ambassadors for Kick It Out’s ‘Next 20’ initiative and help the campaign promote messages of equality and inclusion to their local communities.
Kick It Out has also built up strong links with Women in Football (WiF), the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF), the MWSF and the WSL, and continues to seek additional partner organisations.
Here is some further information on the key organisations Kick It Out works with in this area.
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Muslim Women's Sport Foundation (MWSF)
Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation
38a Station Road
Harrow
Middlesex
HA2 7SE
Tel: 020 8427 0873
Fax: 020 8863 9370Email: info@mwsf.org.uk
Web: www.mwsf.org.ukThe MWSF is a volunteer-led charity with the overarching aim to provide opportunities for women from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities to participate in a variety of sports without compromising their religious or cultural values.
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Women in Football (WiF)
Women in Football (WiF)
Email: info@womeninfootball.co.uk
Web: www.womeninfootball.co.ukWiF is a network of professional women working in and around the football industry who support and champion their peers.
WiF aims to improve women’s representation at all levels of the game by celebrating women’s achievement, challenging discrimination and lobbying for change, sharing professional contacts, advice and expertise, and offering mentoring opportunities to the next generation.
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Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF)
Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF)
50 Featherstone Street
London
EC1Y 8RT
Tel: 020 7608 5299Email: info@wsff.org.uk
Web: www.wsff.org.ukThe WSFF aims to make being active more attractive to women. The organisation uses its experience, research and lobbying power to help break down the barriers that are putting women off. It aims to persuade and inspire women to take part in physical activity by offering support to sport deliverers and giving women the advice they need.