4HER
AN INITIATIVE TO
EMPOWER WOMEN
THE 4 PILLARS OF – 4HER INITIATIVE
EMPOWERMENT
Empowering females as active participants and leaders – to break the status quo and create lasting change.
EQUITY
Considering the needs of our female athletes as distinct from those of our male counterparts.
LEADERSHIP
Encouraging the breaking of barriers to inspire a lifelong pursuit of leadership.
ATHLETICS
Uniting in our collective love of sport, while recognizing and appreciating the multifaceted benefits of athletics.
ABOUT US
4HER was developed with the ultimate goal of creating gender equity through sport within the Grande Prairie Community. The aim of this initiative is to empower girls and women as active participants and leaders, thus creating a lasting change in our community and beyond. 4HER is designed for females, and is based upon the four pillars: empowerment, equity, leadership and athletics.
For most athletes, sport is much more than reaching a pinnacle level of performance and competition. Rather, it is the life skills and personal growth associated with sport that are so important. The statistics surrounding female participation and drop out rates in sports are disheartening; a study released from Canadian Women and Sport found that only 62% of girls have participated in sport, and one in three drop out by their late teens.
Girls in sport are largely disadvantaged when compared to boys within the same community. Therefore it is important to consider the needs of our female athletes as distinct from those of our male athletes. The programming followed in youth sport is repeatedly built around the assumption that boys and girls are the same, when in reality girls often enter and remain in their chosen sport(s) for very different reasons.
SWAN CITY FC believes that unless the way we raise our female athletes is changed; we will continue to lose them at a young age. The goal is to provide support and create empowerment within the female athletic community from the earliest age groups. Our aim is to keep female athletes fulfilled and happy to continue participating in their sport, in order to benefit athletes in their lifelong pursuits.
With the aim of accessibility for all; 4HER will aim to implement programs surrounding financial support for those disadvantaged, mental health services, body image support, female focused training and injury, nutrition, and female centred sport programming from our earliest age groups.
The female coaching group within the SWAN CITY FC is passionate about providing the most beneficial and meaningful experience that we can for our female athletes and their families. We look forward with optimism as we work collectively to best suit the needs of our female members.