Proudly
supported by the Ladies Gaelic Football Association and delivered by the Youth
Sports Trust
Ahead of the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football
Championship semi-finals on Sunday August 25th, Lidl Ireland is proud to
officially launch the Lidl #SeriousSupport Schools Programme, supported by the
Ladies Gaelic Football Association and delivered by the Youth Sports Trust.
Lidl Ireland have invested over €125,000 in this new initiative which aims to
reduce the drop-off rate in sport participation amongst girls aged 11-14 years.
Research undertaken by Lidl into how sport
participation impacts the lives of women both on and off the pitch, and the
factors that influence dropout rates, showed that by age 13, 1 in 2 girls drop
out of sport. Girls are 3 times more likely to give up sport than boys. Yet, it
was discovered that girls who continue to play team sports are 4 times more
likely to feel body confident, 50% feel more supported and 80% are more likely
to have positive mental wellbeing when compared with their peers who do not
play sport.
The Lidl #SeriousSupport Programme will see 33
chosen schools across Ireland partner with one of Lidl’s ten athlete mentors
who are current or former elite-level ladies Gaelic football players. Their
experience is at the highest level and all have inspiring stories to share and
are committed to using sport to transform the lives of young people. The
athlete mentors will introduce students to the Lidl values, which are key to
the success of elite athletes.
The mentors involved are Carla Rowe, Dublin; Lyndsey
Davey, Dublin; Caroline O’Hanlon, Armagh; Donna Berry, Kildare; Eilish Ward,
Donegal; Katy Herron, Donegal; Louise Galvin, Kerry; Lucy Hannon, Galway;
Sinead Burke, Galway; and Cora Staunton, Mayo. All schools involved will
receive inspirational assembly talks, #SeriousSupport workshops from their
mentors and will then undertake a Ladies Gaelic Football project of their own
throughout the year, applying the concepts they’ve learnt through the
workshops.
Piloted in seven schools, the Lidl #SeriousSupport
Schools Programme has delivered proven results and provides schools with the
opportunity to make a considerable impact amongst young female students. A
review of the pilot programme found that 96% of participants felt the programme
increased their aspirations while 92% felt it increased their confidence. A
staggering 98% found the programme increased their team work.
Since 2016, over €3.5 million has already been
invested in The Ladies Gaelic Football Association by Lidl Ireland through
programmes which include Lidl’s Future Stars, Post Primary Schools and Club
competitions which continue to drive awareness of the sport across the country.
