To mark the eighth annual Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week (September 30-October 6), First Minister, John Swinney, visited UHI Perth to meet the female leaders who are improving access to sport and physical activity as part of sportscotland’s Active Campus Network.
The Active Campus Network is a partnership between sportscotland, Scottish Student Sport and Colleges Scotland. It helps to put sport and physical activity at the centre of college life by giving students across the country the opportunity to get active, significantly benefiting their physical and mental wellbeing supported by an 18-strong team of Active Campus Co-ordinators.
During his visit the First Minister announced £1.45m of new investment to ensure that the programme will continue to deliver over the next two academic years.
Mr Swinney met students and staff at UHI Perth who are benefitting from the Active Campus programme which is delivered by an all-female leadership team.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week is opportunity to celebrate the many ways that women and girls can be leaders and role models in sport and in their wider communities.
“We must continue to do all we can to break down barriers and ensure women are free to pursue their talents and achieve their ambitions. That is why the Scottish Government and our partners, fund initiatives across our communities to ensure we are building a sporting culture in which everyone has the support to achieve their ambitions.
“The Active Campus Programme has already helped thousands of women and girls to take up a sport, and I am certain that this funding will help inspire many more.”
“Together let's celebrate all that women and girls in sport have achieved so far, and ensure we support them to be the leaders and role models that inspire success in the future.”
Data from the first year of the project has shown a significant increase in sport and physical activity across the college sector. There were over 30,000 visits from participants to more than 3,500 Active Campus sessions in 23/24. This represents a 79% increase in visits and 31% increase in sessions from baseline data at the start of the initiative.
Chair of sportscotland, Maureen Campbell, said: “We are delighted that this new investment of £1.45m of National Lottery funding will continue the excellent work of the Active Campus Network.
“Colleges across Scotland have really embraced the initiative, and the team of co-ordinators has demonstrably helped to put sport and physical activity at the centre of college life. By giving students across the country more opportunities to get active, this programme significantly benefits the physical and mental wellbeing of participants.
“As we celebrate Women and Girls in Sport Week it’s so encouraging to see strong female leaders really driving programmes like this forward, supporting their peers to be more active and helping to create a more diverse and inclusive sporting system.”
This year the campaign for Women and Girls in Sport Week focuses on leadership, celebrating the strong leaders and role models who motivate and inspire others to take part in sport and physical activity as well as remove barriers which discourage women and girls from participating.
Lindsey Brown, Active Campus Coordinator at UHI Perth, said: "Being the first Active Campus Coordinator at UHI Perth has been incredible. Both staff and students have welcomed sport and physical activity through communicating what they want to see and volunteering as coaches.
"Our participants have been an integral part of shaping what our Active Campus looks like and with each year welcoming new students, I’m excited to see how this will progress and develop in the future.
"A key aim of this academic year is to increase our number of women and girls participating in the Active Campus programmes. We’re off to a great start, and hosting events like our Women and Girls Climbing session will support our goals. It’s incredible to have Mr Swinney's support in this."
Funded by the National Lottery, the success of the Active Campus Network is testament to the strength of the partnership between sportscotland, Scottish Student Sport and Colleges Scotland. This new investment will build on the fantastic work being carried out across the college sector to create more opportunities for sport and physical activity.
Andy Witty, Director of Strategic Policy at Colleges Scotland, also welcomed the investment in student sport: “Colleges Scotland warmly welcomes the funding announcement today which will allow the great work of Active Campus Co-Ordinators to continue.
“Today the First Minister has seen the power of the investment to date in sport at Scotland’s colleges in action. The work carried out by the 18 Active Campus Co-ordinators has been transformative, increasing the number of participants in sport at college with students taking part in an incredible 52 different sports from pickleball to cricket to rowing.
“Active Campus Co-ordinators have worked to help students become more active more often, improving physical and mental health. Colleges Scotland really welcomes the investment which looks set to bring even greater opportunities in the future.”
Speaking on the announced extension of Active Campus funding through to 2027, Scottish Student Sport Chief Operating Officer Stew Fowlie said: “Today’s announcement by the First Minister is absolutely tremendous news for the student sport network. At a time when difficult decisions are being faced across sport, health and education it is wonderful that the role Active Campuses can play across all three policy areas has been recognised. I am delighted that through the National Lottery funds sportscotland has been able to continue supporting the hugely exciting progress of the 18 Active Campus Coordinators, who are undoubtedly contributing so positively to college life across Scotland.
“We feel very confident that today’s decision will be looked back on favourably in the years ahead as we aim to position tertiary education as an ever more important part of Scotland’s sporting system, and to enhance student life for the large and diverse college population."
