Supporting girls’ mental health through physical activity

Next week, from Monday 12 – Sunday 18 May 2025, is Mental Health Awareness Week. It’s a time dedicated to educating and raising awareness about the importance of mental health. This is an important time to reflect on how physical activity can play a powerful role in improving young people’s wellbeing.

At Our Goal CIC, through our work with a range of girls from different communities in Greater Manchester, we regularly see first-hand how movement positively impacts mental health. Whether it’s football, rounders, or a gym session, physical activity creates space for girls to open up, build confidence, and feel part of something. Earlier this year, one of our Year 7 girls, Lilly, put it simply: “The sessions help with my mental health.”

There’s growing research to back up what we witness every week. According to the Mental Health Foundation, regular physical activity can increase self-esteem and reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Yet, we know that teenage girls are far less likely than boys to take part in sport, often due to lack of confidence or feeling like they don’t belong.

That’s why we’ve designed our sessions to prioritise wellbeing. We create safe, supportive environments where girls can be active without pressure. We are trying to break down some of the barriers girls face to being active, such a fear of being judged, not feeling confident, and worries about showing themselves up in a big group. We find that creating safe spaces to be active in our small group sessions often allows conversations to flow more easily, and girls feel more able to share what’s on their minds.

Physical activity isn’t a magic trick that can fix everything, but it is a powerful tool in building stronger, more resilient young people. For many girls, being part of a team or understanding and embracing their physical strength is a big step in feeling better in themselves—both mentally and emotionally.

This Mental Health Awareness Week, let’s try to harness the power of physical activity. Remember that even something small - like going outside for a walk, or game of badminton with a friend - can probably make a big and positive difference to our day.