Young Women’s Activation Fund
Here we go!
We’re stoked to be one of nine organisations to be part of SportNZ’s Young Women’s Activation Fund. Over the next 2 years we will use this funding to focus on creating more opportunities for young women aged 12 to 18 at WORD.
While we have made amazing progress in striving for equity and creating opportunities for everyone in mountain biking, there is still heaps of room for growth and further support for wahine- specifically in Porirua and Wainuiomata. With this amazing funding opportunity, we will be launching new initiatives to increase participation and provide better pathways to outdoor leadership for wāhine 12-17 years old.
Co Design!
We’re working with girls and young women to design their own mountain bike programmes. The best way to be better is to ask how to be better…and we are so lucky to have these wāhine speaking their minds!
Here’s what changes we have made so far for 2020:
Shifted the 13-17 year old girls programme from Mt Victoria to Makara Peak as if offers more variety of trails.
Added another Instructor to the 13-17 year old group to create a wider range of groups.
Encouraged fluidity among the small groups each week to enable young women to choose a group ride based on how they are feeling that day.
2019-2022 Young Women’s Activation Fund Initiatives
New 13-17 year old girls programme
ALL WORD girl’s only programmes and camps are lead by female Instructors. An increase in our Female Instructor team over the last year has meant we are able to offer our 13-17 year old girl’s after school programme in more locations!
Porirua- Starting Term 1, 2020
Wainuiomata- starting Term 4, 2021
We’ll be spreading the word about these new programmes through existing relationships with schools including presentations and offering FREE ‘have a go days’.
Know a young women who might be keen to join? Yay! Check out more info on the 13-17 year old girl’s!
New transition programme for 12 year old girls.
This programme is designed to help 12 & 13-year-old girls make the step to the teenage term programmes. We understand that this can be a nerve-racking and intimidating time, and we want to help keep these amazing wāhine shredding into their teens! We’ll be doing this through:
Camps-specific 12-13 year old camps designed to foster self confidence, friendships and rad MTB skills!
End of intermediate school celebration! A party just for those girls heading to college!
Buddy ups with female Assistant Instructors- a social ride to get to know these young women that are already part of the teen programme.
50% female Assistant Instructor representation
We are proud to have a 50/50 gender split on the Lead Instructor and Instructor team, but unfortunately we do not have this same equality on the Assistant Instructor team (currently 30%).
Keep an eye out for info sessions, shoulder tapping and more training opportunities for young women to Join the Assistant Instructor Team!
50% female participation across all of WORD!
This is our big sky dream! We want to see 50% of WORD filled with girls and young women. This is across the board- after school programmes, camps, and events.
We love trying new things- whether that’s a new programme or camp or a new trail or new snack. This risk taking is made based on our research and your voice! So please keep telling us your new ideas of what you and your daugther love. Together we can help spread the love of biking to all girls and young women, one ride at a time…