Girls outdoor

Today there are many people, including lots of women, participating in outdoor activities.  However, in some areas there are less women than men - in particular in the more ‘extreme’ sports such as white water kayaking/rafting or mountaineering, and in management positions at outdoor centres or schools. Lots of research has been done on why this is the case, and researchers have come up with a variety of reasons as to why this is the case.  Here are some:

·         Masculine portrayal of the activities;

·         Predominance of men participating;

·         Lack of female instructors, mentors and role models;

·         Lack of knowledge of techniques and strategies for effectively educating women in the outdoors.

Some outdoor activities do appeal to males more than females.  However, as a female in outdoor education and recreation I have seen many girls and women flourish while engaging in properly managed outdoor activities.  What a shame that some may be turned off by one or more of the reasons above!

In order for everyone to gain the benefits of outdoor activities, everyone must be given an equal opportunity to engage.  Researchers have given us the following insights into the education of women in the outdoors:

·         Females often require education and instruction that is designed specifically for women. 

·         Women need encouragement to participate, support while learning and exposure to female role models and mentors. 

·         Women need instruction from leaders who support the learning pace and style of women.

·         Single gender groups can be beneficial for female beginners.

·         Females working in outdoor education and recreation should be supported in order to boost the number of women in the industry.