Cranking up confidence: Bike riding initiative set to boost self-esteem of young girls

Award-winning Daughters & Dads program uses sports to bring girls and their fathers closer together – and boost confidence (for dads too) 

Since 2015, Daughters & Dads has been encouraging girls and their dads to play sports together like cricket, football and basketball. It’s an evidence-backed program delivering life-changing results to girls, dads and families.

Now WestCycle is set to pilot Daughters & Dads Cycling as the latest innovative version of the program, in partnership with the University of Newcastle and Healthway.

It will be the first time the internationally renowned program has engaged cycling – with WestCycle onboard to deliver it beginning in Term 1.

“Daughters & Dads is all about creating environments where young girls can participate in sports, get active, develop critical thinking, have fun and gain the self-esteem and independence benefits that flow from that,” said WestCycle Strategic Projects Manager, Sarah Nisbet.

‘Daughters & Dads Active and Empowered’ emerged in 2015 out of research at the University of Newcastle showing the immense benefits of positive father involvement on children’s self-esteem, physical activity and overall health behaviours.

“It’s drawing on the positive roles fathers can play to inspire and motivate and nurture their daughters,” Nisbet said. “At a time when cycling participation rates are falling among all children, these kinds of well-structured, research-backed programs have the potential to really change behaviours and attitudes among young girls – and build their confidence and resilience.”

Dads benefit too

But it’s not just daughters drawing benefits. With statistics showing a high percentage of fathers taking a somewhat secondary role in their daughter’s development, the program has spurred many dads to new levels of engagement and influence in their daughters’ lives.

“Fathers gain the satisfaction of seeing their daughters develop skills and confidence, forming closer bonds, and smashing through gender stereotypes that only limit girls and their sporting opportunities,” Nisbet said.

“Many dads who have been through a Daughters & Dads course have in fact become strong voices for gender equality – not to mention better dads!”

The initial program is structured for girls aged 5-11 years old and combines theory and practical elements.

One of the key targets will be to challenge parental bike safety concerns that are common blocks to children riding to school, and riding bikes more often.

Daughters & Dads: A little history

Daughters & Dads was launched in response to falling rates of physical activity among Australian adolescent girls, and rising numbers of girls with serious self-esteem issues.

Its impact has seen it receive widespread government support and expand into most Australian states as well as countries like Austria and the UK.

Its conception drew on the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids program developed by professor Phil Morgan from the University of Newcastle that focused on, “positive lifestyle role modelling and effective parenting strategies”.

“Research has consistently demonstrated the unique and powerful influence dads wield in shaping physical activity behaviours, learning ability, self-esteem, body image, social skills and resilience, particularly for girls,” said professor Morgan. “Physical activity is a unique domain to foster this relationship.”

Media enquiries:

Shane Starling

WestCycle Communications Manager

Phone: 0492 897 199

Email: [email protected]

Background and additional information

  • Only 20% of Perth children travel to school by active transport.
  • Research shows less than 10% of teenage girls can adequately perform basic sport skills such as kicking, catching and throwing.[2]
  • Only one in five adolescent girls meet Australian physical activity recommendations – while activity rates have been slipping across the board, adolescent boys are much more active than adolescent girls.
  • Self-belief in girls starts to decline as early as 7 years old.[3]
  • Girls enter sport two years later than boys on average, and drop out of sport six times faster.
  • More information on the program is here. 

[1] https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/activetransport/active-travel-to-school.asp

[2] https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/kids-drop-ball-on-sports-skills-ng-ya-383788

[3] https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=27408

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Tim Roach

Elected Director | Off Road

Tim has been in senior leadership and strategic development roles for more than twenty years. He is currently Director of Executive Education in the School of Business and Law at Edith Cowan University and is a past Assistant Commissioner and General Manager in the public service. He is an Accountant (FCPA) and sits on the Divisional Council of CPA Australia.

Tim has been involved in racing mountain bikes, BMX and triathlon for many years, both as a father of two children who race and as a past and current bike racer. Tim is the current over-50 State Champion in downhill mountain biking. He is also a very regular and enthusiastic transport cyclist; frequently seen in a suit and tie riding to meetings in the city on a mountain bike.

Denise Sullivan

Chair | Governance & Risk Committee

Denise Sullivan has a career spanning over twenty years in senior management and executive roles in the state public and not-for-profit health sectors.

In her usual role of Director Chronic Disease Prevention with the Western Australian Department of Health, she leads the development of state chronic disease and injury prevention policy and planning frameworks and contributes to the shaping of the national preventive health policy agenda.

Her professional interests cover many aspects of chronic disease and injury prevention encompassing health communications, health promotion and research, public policy on health and workforce planning and development.

She has a particular interest in furthering collaborations with other sectors with a mutual interest in promoting a more active and healthier WA community, and creating and sustaining environments that support this. Denise is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Leadership WA Signature Program, and an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and the Australian College of Health Service Managers.

Denise is a recreational cyclist and recent convert to mountain biking (although trainer wheels still on!).