A new strategy has been created to encourage more women to get involved in sport and fitness.
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City of Ballarat’s Active Women and Girls Strategy aims to foster women in sports leadership and highlight female role models.
Ballarat is currently facing higher rates of obesity and psychological stress when compared with Bendigo, Geelong and the state average, according to this year’s Ballarat City Council Sport Participation Profile.
With the city’s current infrastructure identified as a barrier to female participation, the report states improvements to facilities such as child play areas and basic amenities, and fixing lighting and walking track quality may need to be undertaken.
It follows the adoption of the Lake Wendouree Master Plan by council in November, which flags a $1.5 million lighting upgrade around the Steve Moneghetti running track as a high priority.
The strategy is also designed to combat a severe drop off in sporting participation rates as females age.
Peaking at 32 per cent between the age of four and 15, the percentage of females involved in sport declines to only two per cent for those aged 16 – 19 and down again to one per cent for those aged between 20 and 29 years old.
City of Ballarat officers stated that at a 2016 forum, residents said sports “training and completion times not suiting females with family commitments” was a big concern with a need for the city to attract and host more significant female teams and events in Ballarat.
The strategy is built around four pillars – participation, changing culture, creating equitable infrastructure and media promotion to provide positive messaging.
City of Ballarat’s council will consider the 2018 Active Women and Girls’ Strategy at the April 4 ordinary meeting.
