This week’s blog comes from Faatima Gardee, a member of the SW/S Digital Committee as well as a being a Fit for Girls Tutor.
The programme Fit for Girls was created by sportscotland and the Youth Sport Trust to inspire and empower girls. Fit for Girls tutors facilitate a safe space where girls can share their journey and barriers in sport and develop leadership skills. The programme has existed since 2008 and has gone through a number of iterations to become what it is now – a two-part workshop delivered by tutors who are young people themselves, creating a peer-led, friendly environment for the girls to contribute, share their experiences and create positive goals for PE (physical education) and sport in their schools and clubs.
Last May saw another addition to the programme in the form of a conference – a ‘Sharing and Learning Event’ for girls who had previously attended the workshops. With a turnout of over 200 girls along with many of their mentors, this was a milestone event for Fit for Girls since it served as a celebration of the programme and its positive impact as well as a celebration of the Fit for Girls ambassadors – girls acting as role models and change-makers within their schools and clubs. The event also provided an opportunity for the girls from different schools and areas of Scotland to connect with each other, share their progress and learn new skills to help them in their roles.
The event, originally suggested by tutors in early 2024, was hosted at the Stirling County Rugby and Football Club on the 10th of March 2025 and moderated by Grace Stirling and Erin Gillen, two previous Fit for Girls tutors. The keynote speaker, Maree Todd (Minister for Drug & Alcohol Policy and Sport) led with a moving speech about the power that young people have to inspire, instil confidence in others, broaden conversations and create change. The girls were then split into their groups, (which were named after different female athletes from Scotland) and began rotating through each interactive zone.
This included a Sharing and Learning Zone to celebrate achievements and share ideas, a Self-Care Zone where the girls could meditate through yoga, Activity Zones where boccia was played, a Mindfulness Zone where the girls learnt about sleep and mental health and finally, the Live Podcast Zone to hear the stories of different speakers. There was also a zone where the girls’ mentors could go to share their progress and ideas with each other as well as get support and feedback.
Following their rotations, the groups were challenged to make a TikTok or Reel related to female sport using current trends. It was amazing to see how excited the girls were to collaborate on this task and how they used their creativity and influence to create some truly amazing videos – one such example being a reel where they asked a number of girls what their sporting pet-peeves were.
In the Sharing and Learning Zone, the girls were encouraged to share their experiences with the programme and how they felt about the conference.
Confidence was the skill mentioned most often with girls saying that they’ve, “become a more confident leader”, “built confidence by telling their story to S1s” and “gained more confidence in themself by putting themself in situations they wouldn’t normally”.
The program has also helped girls see themselves as leaders: they are proud to inspire younger students, promote participation and create inclusive spaces for all girls in sport.
They shared their experiences, achievements and feelings in relation to this:
“I love being someone to look up to for younger girls.”
“Leading my own Active Girls sessions made me feel independent.”
“Leadership has helped me connect with younger girls and help them speak up.”
“We supported girls in overcoming insecurities and encouraged them to get involved.”
“We’ve helped ease P7s into high school through sport.”
The girls were all really proud to be part of campaigns that fostered female participation, such as Active Girls Days and Weeks, PE takeovers and girls-only sessions as well as events to celebrate Women and Girls in Sport Month.
It was marvellous to see the positive impact of the programme and what the girls have achieved since attending their workshops; the feedback really speaks for itself and it’s clear that the ambassadors immensely value being a part of Fit for Girls:
“Being part of Fit for Girls has inspired and motivated me.”
“It’s given me so many opportunities I never thought I’d have.”
“We’ve seen the impact—more girls smiling, taking part and feeling included.”
The Sharing and Learning Event was a powerful moment of reflection and celebration of the Fit for Girls programme that continues to evolve, inspire and amplify the voices of young women in sport. From building confidence to fostering leadership and creating inclusive environments, it’s clear that the workshops have had an incredible impact. The Fit for Girls ambassadors are not only growing as individuals – they are actively shaping a positive future for girls in PE and sport across Scotland. As the program continues to grow, so too does this community of leaders who are proving that when girls are given the space, support, and opportunity to lead, they can truly change the game.