//REWORK THIS
Challenging menstrual stigma and supporting menstrual health in sport and education
In recent years, issues surrounding menstruation and menstrual health have become more openly discussed in society. We now know that period poverty is a huge issue for many girls and women. There have been positive changes to sports clothing, for example, with the Lionesses changing their shorts to dark colours and Wimbledon allowing dark-coloured underwear under white shorts and skirts.
However, the education and knowledge especially of young girls, who are experiencing the first years of their first periods, is still limited. Menstrual health education in schools is minimal and the lack of knowledge about successful coping strategies with menstrual symptoms and menstrual stigma prevents girls from participating in Physical Education (PE) and activities of daily life (e.g., sport). This project prompts you to think about the challenges that girls, young women, and those supporting them (teachers, coaches) might face and invites you to develop practical, easy-to-digest information and solutions on menstrual issues.
The project is led by Dr. Petra Kolic senior lecturer in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences and Programme Lead for the BSc (Hons) Sport: Coaching and Development
Over the course of six weeks, you will develop your own outreach package on an issue around menstruation that you believe to be important in your subject area or professional field. For example, if you are training to become a teacher, you could develop a lesson plan delivered to a year group in school or if you are a sports coach, you could design a booklet to distribute among girls, who you coach.
To help you throughout this process, we will meet in-person as a group in week 1, where I will share some current knowledge and insights around the menstrual cycle, periods and sport, and menstrual health in schools. In weeks 2 and 4, I will offer online or in-person meetings (your choice) to check-in, review, and discuss your thoughts. Finally, in week 6 (final week), we will meet again in-person as a group to look at your outreach packages and discuss how you could implement them in your day-to-day practice.
In preparation for the project check out the resources here that will help get you thinking about the project and provides some reading that will help you understand and start to tackle this issue!
Associated Badges:
In A Nutshell...
- Tackle ... social stigma impacting girls and women in PE and sport
- Design... your own outreach package to create positive change
- Challenge ... societal issues that create inequalities in PE and sport
- Show leadership ... by working under your own motivation to design your own initiative
- Earn up to 200 Rise points ... which can be recognised within your degree.
Schedule
-
10:00 to 12:00 on 04/10/23 - Business School Room 1.22 (North Atrium)
Week 1 Project Introduction -
10:00 to 11:00 on 11/10/23 - JD East 246 (2nd Floor)
Week 2 Check-in Access Associated Resource → -
10:00 to 11:00 on 25/10/23 - Takes place online
Week 4 Check-In -
10:00 to 12:00 on 08/11/23 - Business School room 3.13
Week 6: Project Showcase