1.3 million teenage girls who once considered themselves as ‘sporty’ fall out of love with sport and drop out after primary school.
This isn’t inevitable. It is a myth that teenage girls are naturally averse to exercise. With the right support and opportunities, teenage girls are motivated to be active and can keep their love of sport alive.
And, in a society which is currently experiencing a mental health crisis among our teenage girls, being active can be a powerful remedy.
That’s why we created the Big Sister project, a programme created by girls, for girls, to support teenage girls to enjoy sport, exercise and physical activity during puberty.
In its 10-month pilot phase (supported by Places Leisure, Places Foundation and Hey Girls), Big Sister saw more than 3,000 teenage girls make 55,000 visits to their local leisure centres. And now, thanks to a continued partnership with Places Leisure, Big Sister is a permanent feature at leisure centres across the UK.
What is Big Sister?
Big Sister offers free and discounted gym memberships to girls aged between 9-15 at over 80 Places Leisure centres across the country. Girls have unlimited use of the gym during dedicated hours, unlimited swimming, access to girls-only classes, called We Move classes, and the promise of girl-friendly leisure centre environments with staff trained to understand and meet their needs.
Places Leisure staff have access to specialist training, developed by Women in Sport, on the physical and emotional barriers facing teenage girls who want to be active. This training is based on Women in Sport’s deep understanding of teenage girls and our sector leading research into their relationship with sport.
What has Big Sister achieved so far?
Since Big Sister became a national scheme in August 2024:
- 3,535 girls have signed up for Big Sister memberships
- Big Sister instructors have delivered 1,084 We Move classes to almost 1,981 girls
Big Sister originally ran for ten months in three pilot areas. In that time:
- 3,000 girls were supported to be active, resulting in 55,000 visits to participating leisure centres
- 6 in 10 girls said they enjoy sport more
- 63% said they are now more confident to try new things
And it makes girls feel good:
- 63% of girls who took part said Big Sister gave them more resilience
- 62% said it gave them more confidence
- 59% said it made them happier
We know that Big Sister works. We’re thrilled that girls across the country can now get involved and rediscover the joy of sport.
“Since starting I’ve had the opportunity to try Boxfit, circuits, Pilates, meditation and indoor cycling. I’ve also had the chance to pick the music for our gym class and stand in front of the class teaching my classmates and sharing my passion for gymnastics. I really enjoy the classes and always look forward to the next one. And my confidence has grown so much.” – Tia, age 10
Big Sister partners
Big Sister is delivered by our partners at Places Leisure, part of Places for People.
Places Leisure is a social enterprise that operates over 80 leisure centres nationwide, welcoming over a million members annually.
