#ShePaddles Champion Club Programme

The project aims to:

• Improve the overall diversity of paddlesport by engaging women and girls from a range of backgrounds and growing this membership in clubs and organisations in England
• Develop and expand the delivery of women only activities/events
• Increase the number of women who are qualified coaches and leaders in England
• Improve the representation of women within leadership roles, including committee positions and coaching opportunities 
• Improving the understanding and awareness of the need for suitable amenities for women and girls, such as access to toilets
• Raise the profile and visibility of women and girls partaking and leading in paddlesport activities

We are identifying clubs that are keen to create a positive environment through engaging with women and girls from varying backgrounds. The package of support will assist clubs to develop in key areas (set out below),  with the long term goal of achieving the key milestones and achieving Champion Club status.

These central areas are designed to facilitate and promote inclusivity, increase participation and improve the leadership opportunities for women and girls within clubs. 

We appreciate that this may be a short, medium or long term goal for clubs to achieve the Champion Club milestones. However, no matter which stage you are at, whether your club is only just starting, part way, or several years into developing women and girls; this programme is designed to support you on this journey.

Key Areas:

ShePaddles Clubs are those clubs that are committing to developing womens and girls within the one or more of the following areas:

• Improving the imagery representation and visibility of women on website/social media platforms
• Increasing the availability of Women only sessions/events
• Increasing the availability of Women led sessions 
• Improving the understanding and awareness of the need for suitable amenities for women and girls, such as toilets
• Improving representation of women in leadership positions in the club

ShePaddle Champion Clubs are clubs that have actively engaged women and girls continuously over a period of time and have achieved the following milestones:

• 50:50 (men:women) imagery representation on website and social media platforms 

• 30% or more active Women Coaches/Leaders 

• 30% or more women committee members 

• 30% or more women club members 

• Organise regular Women & Girls only events/ sessions (every two weeks or less), which are women led

• Providing access to women only changing amenities* 

*Clubs do not need to own facilities, but make provision for women only changing e.g. pop up tents, access to scout hut facilities etc.

ShePaddles Champion Club programme outline:

We have a series of 3 interactive webinars that will provide participants with opportunities to learn, ask questions and discuss their experiences with other clubs. 

Alongside these webinars, clubs will be supported through the following steps:

1. Assess the current provision for women and girls in their club situation- Self Diagnostic Tool
2. SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threat) analysis
3. Women and Girls Development plan   
4. Progress Review  

Webinar 1: Understanding your audience

• Insight into barriers and motivations of women and girls

• Top tips on how to effectively engage with women and girls

Please note: Highly interactive session, mixture of learning and discussion throughout  

Webinar 2: How to write an effective Women and Girls Development Plan

• Steps to create a development plan

• Things to include

• Things to consider

Please note: Highly interactive session, mixture of learning and discussion throughout  

Webinar 3: Delivering engaging sessions for women and girls

• Final considerations 

• Top tips for effective delivery and implementation of activities/events 

Please note: Highly interactive session, mixture of learning and discussion throughout 

Benefits to clubs:

• Continued support and guidance by ShePaddles and Club Support Teams

• Individual meeting with ShePaddles team to provide specific support and advice

• Opportunities for shared learning and in depth discussions with other clubs

• Eligible to apply for the ShePaddles bursary funding which supports the development of women coaches/leaders

• Dedicated, closed Facebook group for additional peer support

Become part of the movement! Keep spreading the word!

Join the Women's in Paddling Facebook Group here. This amazing group has 5.4k + women who are sharing and supporting their paddling ideas and ambitions, make new friends, meet up, swap advice and stories and discuss paddling in general.

Use #ShePaddles in your posts and stories. British Canoeing will help increase your reach by sharing your posts. You will also become part of the #ShePaddles community, which has over 23,00 posts!

Other key hashtags to use: #BritishCanoeing #GoPaddling #WePaddleTogether

Tag us in the caption of your posts, directly in your photos or in your stories using @british.canoeing and @gopaddling. Go Paddling is our page dedicated to recreational paddling and inspiring people to get paddling.

Submit your Clubs expression of interest

Should your club wish to find out more about the #ShePaddles Champion Clubs Programme and or be included in the 2022/23 cohort please submit your expression of interest to [email protected]