In a groundbreaking partnership, Dove and Nike are excited to introduce the revolutionary ‘Body Confident Sport’ program. This initiative is designed to bolster body confidence and self-esteem in teenage girls participating in sports, addressing a pressing concern uncovered by recent research.
Startling statistics reveal that a significant 45% of teenage girls worldwide abandon sports, a rate that is twice as high as their male counterparts. The main culprit behind this concerning trend is low body confidence. In response, the Body Confident Sport online coaching program has been meticulously developed as a first-of-its-kind, scientifically-proven set of coaching tools to instill body confidence in girls aged 11–17.
This innovative program benefits from insights and contributions from girls and coaches in six different countries, including France, India, Japan, Mexico, the U.K., and the U.S. Its curriculum is rooted in tools that have undergone rigorous clinical trials involving over 1,200 girls, proving their effectiveness in enhancing self-esteem and body confidence.
The ‘Body Confident Sport’ program is poised to impact over one million young people worldwide. It will be made accessible through an extensive network of organizations in schools and sports clubs, making a significant difference in the lives of teenage girls around the world.
Alessandro Manfredi, Chief Marketing Officer at Dove, highlights the transformative power of sports for girls: «Sports have the potential to make girls feel confident and strong, yet for so many, the judgment and criticism they face within the sports environment is damaging their confidence and limiting their self-belief. We are proud to team up with a like-minded brand like Nike to take action towards a more equitable future for girls – on and off the field.»
This partnership between Dove and Nike has been in development for two years, involving collaboration with experts from the Centre for Appearance Research (CAR) and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport.
Vanessa Garcia-Brito, VP and Chief Social & Community Impact Officer at Nike, Inc., emphasizes the complex challenges girls face globally: «Globally, girls face complex cultural and social barriers, and they also enter sports later and drop out of sports earlier. Our partnership with Dove, and unique focus on coaching through body confidence, aims to change that. Together, we’re taking action to break barriers by providing coaches with the tools to empower girls with a lifetime of confidence. By shifting the conversation from what their bodies look like to what their bodies can do, we’re empowering more girls to stay in sports and experience the benefits. We believe we’re creating the next generation of female leaders and changemakers who will move the world forward.»
Discover the ‘Body Confident Sport’ program – Empowering Teenage Girls in Sports with Dove and Nike.
