Studio You, a digital exercise platform for teenage girls across England, has teamed up with Nike to launch a series of new video content, teaching a variety of non-competitive activities to ensure no girl is left behind in physical education.
Launched in 2021, Studio You grew out of the iconic This Girl Can campaign, launched by Sport England a decade ago, and funded by The National Lottery. A digital platform for PE, it contains 100 video lessons, plus tips and guidance to inject fun into PE across a range of activities such as dance, yoga and fitness.
This Girl Can’s senior campaign activation manager, Dani Ward, said the hub has been shaped by new research into girls’ experience of PE lessons, which led to a small group of girls co-designing the video content. “We’re flipping the script on what we presume girls want from PE, with girls’ voices and choices allowing them to lead the way in what they want their lessons to look like,” she explained.
According to Ward, a one-size-fits-all approach to PE is “leaving behind” the 55% of teenage girls who aren’t meeting their recommended activity levels. “Working with both girls and PE teachers, Studio You and Nike aim to inspire positive behaviour change, helping more girls develop a love for movement, for life.”
Research by the Youth Sport Trust shows girls’ enjoyment of PE drops by 30% between the ages of eight and 15. So the Studio You hub has been designed to feature fresh, modern content and resources informed by what girls today say they want.
Dan Burrows, Nike’s global GM of future of youth sport, added: “Nike is committed to powering the future of youth sport, because an active next generation means a healthier and more equitable future for all kids. We know girls, especially, face complex cultural and social barriers to getting, and staying, active.”
Recognising that over a third (34%) of girls want to learn new activities incrementally, videos and lessons were designed in bite-sized formats. A diverse team of Nike trainers were recruited after consultation with girls themselves, to lead engaging and accessible lessons. Ensuring content fits seamlessly into classrooms nationwide, the formats were tested with PE teachers, who endorsed the approach.
Studio You and Nike also enlisted the support of Nike’s partner, Disability Sports Coach, to include disabled trainers. Trainers featured in the content demonstrate adaptive movements for relevant disciplines, ensuring inclusion for all girls.
Launched in January 2015, This Girl Can is our nationwide campaign to get women and girls moving, regardless of shape, size and ability. Since This Girl Can launched Studio You in September 2021, 161,200 girls have used it, 60% of secondary schools in England have registered to it, and an average of 36,600 girls use it weekly. Content emphasises non-competitive activities such as dance and fitness – the top two activities that girls said they’d like to practise in PE – showing girls that physical activity can be about self-expression, confidence and fun, not just winning.
