First Step Outdoors Adventure is providing POWA to younger women

A POWA woman abseiling during a previous adventure. Photo / Supplied

First Step Outdoors Adventure is announcing a special Women’s Adventure Day at the lodge and the new project Girl POWA (Pirongia Outdoor Women’s Adventures), which is partly funded by New Zealand’s Tū Manawa fund, supported by Sport Waikato which aims to help encourage our female rangatahi to get out in the great outdoors.

#Itsmymove is the Sport NZ Initiative and motto behind one of the upcoming events, which focuses on getting young women “out there”.

“With the Fifa Women’s World Cup coming, it is a really good time to promote outdoor activities with young women - as there is a gap in that area,” says the event’s organiser and Pirongia Forest Park Lodge warden Kate Parr.

A recent Sport NZ study found that males spend more time being active, especially from age 16. There is a 17 per cent gap at age 16. By age 17 this has increased to 28 per cent. This in part is attributed to girls being more likely to cite judgment, lack of confidence and fear of failure as barriers to increasing their participation.

Young women’s confidence decreases during their school years. Agreement with the statement “I feel confident to take part” declines from 76 per cent at age 12 to 53 per cent at age 17. Fifty-five per cent feel judged on their appearance by others when they go out, 42 per cent feel judged when they are on the street and 52 per cent feel judged on social media.

“This is why we are really pushing POWA day as a chance for participants to become role models to these younger women through building relationships when they are in their teenage years,” says Kate, “as well as Sport Waikato, who let us know about the Tū Manawa fund and said that this funding would really support us if we wanted to target getting more young women into the outdoors.”

The first activity hosted by First Step Outdoors is the: Girl POWA adventure day. This is a female-only adult and teen day for women to adventure together and support one another. The event is held on Saturday, May 20 from 8.30am to 4.30pm at the Pirongia Forest Park Lodge

“We are encouraging nanas, mums, aunties, friends, big sisters, neighbours, cousins and mentors to inspire a special teen in their life and join them in this fun day of abseiling, climbing, zip lining and archery,” says Kate.

The GIRL POWA Adventure Day has been designed to allow adventurous women to inspire and role model to young females in their lives, aged 13-20 years. There is fun to be had, skills to learn, challenges to overcome and a huge benefit from being in the great outdoors.

The cost is $100 per team. The teams are made up of 1 adult and 1 teen per team. The cost also covers morning tea, afternoon tea and lunch.

From feedback from POWA women, First Step Outdoors listened to their thoughts about how attendees wanted to bring younger females to events. Through the funding they have received they have allowed the event to be cheaper for those wanting to attend.

Two women preparing to abseil on a previous outdoors adventure. Photo / Supplied.

A similar event will be held the following day for the second annual Women Only Adventure Day on Sunday, May 21 from 8.30am to 4.30pm. This event has the same activities and the price is $130 per person and includes morning, afternoon tea and lunch, goodie bags and spot prizes.

Currently, the First Step Outdoors adventure is part of a case study which takes place this Saturday. Sport Waikato and Recreation Aotearoa is promoting and highlighting the work that First Step Outdoors is doing with young women. The participants will feature in a 2 to 3-minute movie which will be uploaded to all of the Sport NZ and Recreation Aotearoa web pages.

Last Friday, First Step Outdoors was part of a webinar with Recreation Aotearoa speaking with Sport NZ surrounding a case study on the work they have been doing.

“It is a really exciting time for us, with promotion and getting funding for activities. As well as being a part of highlighting ways to target younger women to allow them to be more active in the outdoors,” says Kate.

For more information check out the Facebook page @firststepoutdoorsltd or email admin@fiststepoutdoors.com.