The NSW Office of Sport and the University of Newcastle (UON) have officially launched a partnership to deliver the female 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 and the partnership will see the NSW Office of Sport and UON deliver the program as part of the NSW Government’s women in sport strategy, Her Sport Her Way.
Professor and Co-director of UON’s Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition, Phil Morgan said research showed that girls were marginalised in physical activity contexts.
“Importantly, we also know that the father-daughter relationship is associated with significant psycho-social developmental and health outcomes,” Professor Morgan said.
“Physical activity provides a unique domain to foster this relationship,” he said.
Professor Morgan said this was the first program in the world that targeted fathers and daughters and the results had been outstanding.
Acting Minister for Sport, Geoff Lee said the program provided fathers with positive parenting strategies to empower girls to combat gender prejudice.
“Research shows that sporting activities help girls develop physical and emotional confidence,” Mr Lee said.
“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,” he said.
“We are investing in this program because it is achieving incredible results.”
Further information about women in sport can be accessed at this PS News link.
