Women In Leadership 2024

In 2024, the Foundation paired with WaiBOP football, to support the delivery of a women's football leadership course. WaiBOP received a $11,000 grant to launch this course, set to begin in November 2024. This funding will aid 40 women complete the course, aiming to provide them with essential skills, confidence, and a robust support network to thrive in football environments.

Since its establishment in 2000 WaiBOP has been the forefront of inspiring and delivering football across various communities. This program comes in response to the surge in interest in women’s football, particularly following the success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which led to a 25% increase in women and girls playing the sport. WaiBOP's commitment to developing female leaders in football goes beyond just promoting participation; it's about fostering a more inclusive and equitable future for women in the game. Originating as part of NZ Football's Aotearoa United: Legacy Starts Now plan (the legacy programme behind the FIFA Women’s World Cup), this initiative has been running at the national level for several years. Last year, it was expanded regionally, with each Federation running one locally.  

The focus of the leadership programme is mainly personal and professional development of the women participating. It runs for three days with the final goal being the creation and delivery of a small football development project. This should include things they have learnt on the course as well as being tagged to their community and the passion dedicated to the participant. This project allows for the women to apply practical and leadership skills into practice. Each participant has been dedicated $200 for their project from the funding.  

“I believe the grant will be a huge benefit to expand the scope of the project that people can do” - Alida Shanks

This year, the WaiBOP football leadership course will cater to two distinct cohorts, designed to support women at different stages of their sporting journeys. One group will be for participants aged 18-25, while the other will be for those aged 25 and over. The decision to create two separate groups stems from last year’s successful programme, which saw 18 women take part. Building on this success, the organisers have expanded the course to accommodate the diverse needs and experiences of younger and older women in sport. To reflect the cultural significance and values behind the course, WaiBOP's Board member, Cheri-Lee Atkinson (who is connected to the local iwi Tainui), suggested meaningful names for the two groups. The younger cohort will be known as ‘Ngaa Tipu Wahine’, which translates to "Group of Blossoming Women," while the over-25s will be ‘Ngaa Wahine Puaawai’, meaning "Group of Blossomed Women."

This year, the programme has also expanded its reach by inviting other regional sports organisations and trusts to participate. Both Swimming Waikato and Sport BOP will be attending, further strengthening the regional collaboration in developing female leadership in sport. This course allows WaiBOP to make a significant impact on womens participation in sport.

“The programme is hugely important, to help foster a network between women working and volunteering in the sport community, to share experiences, and to learn (or brush up) on skills to help them navigate the sport community” - Alida Shanks

The leadership programme received great feedback last year. In a survey, 100% of participants said the programme was valuable and well-organised. They also felt that the skills learned would help them be more effective in their roles and that they were confident applying those skills on the job. Participants were happy with the programme's location, timings, and communication, and they praised the facilitator for their knowledge, clear communication, and enthusiasm. Every participant said they would recommend the programme to others, showing how much, they appreciated its impact.

In total, the 2024 Women’s leadership programme expanded to 21 participants. Each group had a 2-day workshop, with one day for the group alone, and the next day both groups were integrated. This was to allow the groups to share their project ideas and to bring in tuakana-teina. In the feedback, one person suggested a more formal session as an opportunity for the younger group to ask the older group questions about their leadership journeys. Overall, the participants enjoyed the leadership programme, giving it an overall satisfaction rating of 90%. Participants were also asked before the course, on a scale of 1 to 6, how confident they are to try new things, and how confident they are to express their ideas. The average response increased by 1-point average for both questions.  

Some project ideas from the ‘Ngaa Wahine Puaawai’ (25+) group include a workshop on how to cope with the negative side of refereeing. Another is a session in how to support young athletes through puberty and their menstrual cycle, for physical (how to train at different stages in a cycle) and mental wellbeing for girls aged 10-15. The ‘Ngaa Tipu Wahine’ (18-25) group also had some great ideas for their project, with one aiming to look at attitudes and values in a programme for at risk youths, helping them learn life skills, growth mindset and how to link this to sport. These ideas should start around March 2025.  

The 2024 WaiBOP Women’s Football Leadership Course represents a powerful step forward in empowering women through sport, blending cultural identity, personal development, and community impact. With expanded participation, targeted age cohorts, and a strong foundation of regional collaboration, the programme has built on past success to offer even more meaningful opportunities for growth and leadership. The participants’ innovative project ideas highlight the real-world relevance and lasting value of the course, while the consistently high satisfaction ratings reflect the programme's effectiveness in building confidence and capability. As these women take their new skills back into their communities, they not only strengthen the game of football but also pave the way for a more inclusive and supportive sporting environment for future generations.

🔗Learn more about the Women in Leadership course: https://youtu.be/7PJOGVpk8IU

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