NSW Government and University of Newcastle partner to deliver award-winning program

The NSW Government and the University of Newcastle (UON) have launched a partnership to deliver UON’s ground-breaking girls’ empowerment program, Daughters and Dads Active and Empowered across NSW.

 The program targets fathers as the agents of change to improve their daughters’ physical activity levels, sport skills and social-emotional wellbeing.

The partnership will see the NSW Office of Sport and UON deliver the program State-wide as part of the NSW Government’s women in sport strategy, Her Sport Her Way.

Commenting on the statewide roll-out of the award-winning program, NSW acting Minister for Sport, Geoff Lee stated “research shows that sporting activities help girls develop physical and emotional confidence.

“This program encourages fathers and father figures to play a greater role in supporting their daughters to develop physical confidence as well as social and emotional skills which build self-esteem.

“We are investing in this program because it is achieving incredible results. It provides fathers with positive parenting strategies to empower girls to combat gender prejudice that can exist in many aspects of their lives.”

Advising that the program was part of the NSW Government’s vision for the future of women’s sport in the state, NSW Office of Sport acting Chief Executive, Karen Jones noted “Her Sport Her Way is driving powerful change for women and girls, and leaving a legacy for the way women’s sport is played, led, promoted and consumed.

“We’ve been amazed by the results of the pilot in improving girls’ sport skills, confidence, self-esteem and resilience, and are excited to roll the program out State-wide.”

UON Professor Phil Morgan said research shows that girls are marginalised in physical activity contexts, adding “importantly, we also know that the father-daughter relationship is associated with significant psycho-social developmental and health outcomes.

“Physical activity provides a unique domain to foster this relationship.

“This is the first program in the world that has targeted fathers and daughters and the results have been outstanding.

“We are thrilled that the NSW Government have invested in a program that has such strong evidence behind it.

“We look forward to rolling this program out across NSW to make a real difference and impact in communities.”

The Her Sport Her Way Year One Action Plan was launched in August 2019 and features 29 initiatives that will assist in reducing barriers to participation and promote inclusion for women and girls.

For further information on Her Sport Her Way and the Daughters and Dads Active and Empowered program go to www.sport.nsw.gov.au/ourwork/women-in-sport

Her Sport Her Way images courtesy of the NSW Office of Sport.