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International Women's Day: Unite Girls

Posted 8th March 2024
by John

March 7, 2024

As today is International Women’s Day, we put the Hull FC Community Foundation’s Unite Girls project under the microscope.

The project was launched in September last year, in partnership with the JVenn Foundation. It focuses on inspiring vulnerable young females with greater resilience and encourage the development of healthy aspirations for the future.

Engaging over 40 young girls aged between 11 and 16, the project helps tackle a variety of mental and physical healthtopics throughout the course of the programme, supporting young females during the transition into teenage life.

It originally manifested out of the pre-existing Unite Fitness project run by the Community Foundation for local women. Unite Fitness sessions take place every Monday (6-7pm) at Hull FC’s Elite Performance Centre, focusing onimproving the fitness of local women. Monthly empowerment sessions around relaxation and nutrition are also delivered, with a key focus around empowering and inspiring local women.

What is unique about the Unite Girls programme is that it is also suited to individuals who do not necessarily have much of an interest in any particular kind of sport, but perhaps want to get active and be a part of a team.

As a result of sustained participation, the girls have gained knowledge of how to improve their overall health in a manageable way.

The programme involves education and activities around a whole host of areas, including teamwork, nutrition, and communication.

In an extension to the delivery of Unite Girls, the Community Foundation also delivered Unite Girls camps during the festive half-term break, engaging with sixteen girls outside of school hours to get involved in a range of activities such as cooking, multi-sports & games, arts & crafts, ice skating, trampolining and minigolf.

For most of these girls, they rarely get the opportunity to take part in social and physical activities outside of school, especially if they do not play sports.

Daria Niedzielko, a parent of one of the girls who attended Unite Girls camps, said: “I’m a lone parent on low income and no family help, so any holiday is always a struggle. I don’t like my daughter being sat at home, she should be socialising and doing fun and sport activities. I’m feeling very grateful for Unite Girls camps, I hope there are more to come in the summer as it takes a big financial emotional pressure of me as a lone parent and it supports my child's development"

Louise, who is 15-years old, also joined us for the Unite Girls camps during the festive break with her sister. She struggles with mental health issues and learning disabilities, and this usually prevents her from involving herself in social and physical activities.

However, since attending Unite Girls, Louise’s confidence has grown and she has developed new friendships, as well as involving herself in a variety of new activities that she hasn’t before engaged in.

Leanne, Louise’s mum, said: “Louise struggles with social meet ups and joining in school activities, especially without an adult there that she knows, so for her to feel comfortable attending these sessions and meeting new people is a big thing for her.”

For more information on the Unite Girls project, as well as Unite Fitness, please email health@hullfc.com.

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