The Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, Maree Todd, visited Street Soccer Scotland at the Powerleague pitches in Edinburgh on Monday 30th September, to visit their Street 45 programme. The Street 45 programme is structured to appeal to women using ‘football themed’ exercise and aerobic sessions.
Street Soccer Scotland uses football inspired training and personal development as a medium to empower people who are affected by social exclusion.
Street 45 is a great example of a sport’s programme for women, by women, with programmes taking place every single week. It is fully flexible to players’ needs and what they want from the sessions, with Zumba, boxercise just as common as a bit of football. The programme shows the physical and mental health benefits of sport and also demonstrates that sport can be more about competition or fitness, it can be a tool to support intentional personal development.
Staff offer peer support and mentoring, and Street Soccer Scotland also offer players the opportunity to take part in first aid, sports coaching and CV workshops. The programme is currently delivered in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen.
Minister for Public Health, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, Maree Todd: "I was pleased to visit Street 45 during Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week and hear about the opportunities for women and girls to participate in sport and physical activity in a warm, friendly and inclusive environment.
I was struck by how passionate the programme leaders are about Street 45 and have no doubt they will encourage others to follow in their footsteps."
Street Soccer Women’s Programme Coordinator, Sarah Rhind said: “We’re delighted to have the opportunity to showcase our Street45 Programme and the amazing women that make up our community. Street Soccer is more than a sport programme, it’s a family. Our Women’s Programme creates connection and networks of support, tackling isolation and highlights the power of women supporting women.
This programme is developed by the women who take part, they have a voice at every session and shape our delivery. I’ve come through Street Soccer programmes myself and now lead the Women’s Programme, part of my job now is to support the leaders for the future.”
Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week aims to reach as many women and girls across Scotland as possible. The campaign is designed to show women that whatever their age, location or life stage, there is a sport or physical activity that’s right for them. The hope is to reach as many women and girls as possible to help boost their physical, mental and social health which all comes from being active.
The week also provides an opportunity to promote the visibility and participation of women and girls as role models in sport and physical activity to help break down barriers and inspire women and girls to be active.
Chief Executive of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop, said: “Sport makes a huge impact on people and communities across Scotland every day, and sportscotland’s aim is to help make sport accessible to all.
“Women and Girls in Sport Week is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the great work being delivered across the sporting system to encourage more women and girls to become physically active.
“There are so many inspirational role models working to create opportunities for women and girls to follow their own sporting journey, it is important that those people and the projects they contribute to are recognised and this campaign gives us a great opportunity to do that.
