Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT) are proud to support the 20×20 National Campaign to increase female involvement in sport and physical activity by 20% during 2020.
LYIT along with 26 other third level colleges, has’ shown its stripes’ by pledging its active support of and involvement in the 20×20 campaign.
Photo: LYIT third year students, Aisling Nee, Nicole Gordon, Lauren Creggan and Aoife McColgan all representatives of LYIT’s ladies soccer, gaelic and basketball teams and proud ambassadors of the 20×20 campaign pictured with Danny Gillespie, Sport Centre Supervisor.
The campaign is presented by The Federation of Irish Sport and its members (National Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Sports Partnerships and Third Level Institutions) and is calling on the people of Ireland and all those involved in Irish sport and physical activity to champion female sport in a concerted effort with three measurable calls to action in 2020:
- 20% more media coverage of women in sport
- 20% more female participation
- 20% more attendance at women’s events by the end of 2020.
The 20×20 objective is to create a measurable cultural shift in our perception of women’s sport so that it will be seen as something strong, valuable and worth celebrating, on a par with male sport. (Federation of Irish Sport 2018, Healthy Ireland 2018).
Helen Kennedy, LYIT Sport’s Centre manager welcomes the campaign, “not only is this a great initiative but a necessary one too to give parity to female sport.
As a nation it is very important that we encourage movement to shift Ireland’s cultural perception of female sport. The Sports Centre has an action plan and a number of ongoing activities to encourage this movement including ladies only gym times and a school girl’s open day in February 2020 for Badminton and Adventure Frisbee.
A longer-term strategy based on linkages both within LYIT and with the wider community will help sustain this upward support of women’s sport’.
Everyone can help to encourage this initiative by pledging to do just one small thing to help start this shift for female sport.
Whether you’re a teacher who can help create greater parity and opportunities for girls, a journalist who can help increase visibility of female athletes and competitions, a parent who can attend a match or a person who can simply encourage a young woman to get involved in sport, we need you to show your stripes because, as the campaign slogan says, If she Can’t See It, She Can’t Be It.
LYIT will officially launch their 20×20 support campaign on 25 November 2019 at 12.45pm in the Letterkenny Campus (Room 1102) and everyone is welcome to attend.
