News
StreetGames has taken an important step forward in its mission to make sport accessible for everyone, officially signing the IWG’s Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration – a globally recognised commitment to equity, inclusion and opportunity for women and girls in sport and physical activity.
The signing took place at a women and girls’ multisport festival held in Rochdale on Saturday 18th October, delivered in partnership with Your Trust and Rochdale Youth Service. The event brought together partners, local organisations, and young females to celebrate this shared commitment to making sport inclusive for all.
The Declaration, first established in 1994 and renewed in 2014, sets out the principles needed to ensure that women and girls have equal opportunities to participate, compete and lead in sport at every level.
For StreetGames, becoming a signatory reaffirms our long-standing commitment to tackling inequality in community sport and ensuring that girls and young women from low-income and underserved communities can benefit from the life-changing power of sport.
Speaking about the announcement, Helen Crowley, Head of Network Support at StreetGames, said:
“At StreetGames, we believe that sport has the power to change lives, but only if everyone has the chance to take part. Signing the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration underlines our commitment to ensuring that girls and young women from all backgrounds can enjoy, lead and shape sport in their communities.
“It’s not just about taking part – it’s about giving girls the chance to lead, to have their voices heard, and to open doors for others. Real change happens when inclusion is part of everything we do.”
Nigel Harrison, StreetGames’ new Chair, added:
“This is an important moment for StreetGames. As a charity, we’ve seen first-hand the barriers girls face in accessing sport, from confidence and cost to culture and opportunity.
By signing this Declaration, we’re saying loud and clear that gender equity isn’t an optional extra – it’s fundamental to how we deliver sport for development. It’s about giving young women the same chances to play, volunteer, coach and lead, and amplifying their voices at every level.”
Turning commitment into change
StreetGames’ commitment to gender equity builds on years of work to make sport and physical activity accessible to all. Across our network of over 1,600 community partners, we continue to:
- Create inclusive, local opportunities for girls to take part in sport and physical activity through Doorstep Sport and HAF programmes.
- Support young female leaders to grow their confidence and skills through initiatives like Young Advisors, Peer Research, and Youth Leadership programmes.
- Provide training and resources for coaches and volunteers to help remove barriers to participation and challenge inequality.
- Work with partners across the sport, health, and youth sectors to make gender equity a central part of community sport delivery.
Building a more inclusive future
By becoming a signatory of the Brighton Plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration, StreetGames joins a global movement dedicated to transforming the future of sport for women and girls.
Lisa O’Keefe MBE, Secretary General of the International Working Group on Women & Sport (IWG), welcomed StreetGames’ commitment:
“I am delighted to welcome StreetGames as a signatory to the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration. Their long-standing work to make sport and physical activity more accessible for girls and young women, particularly in underserved communities, perfectly reflects the spirit and purpose of the Declaration.
“StreetGames has shown real leadership in embedding inclusion at the heart of community sport, ensuring that every girl has the opportunity not only to take part but also to lead and shape the future of sport in her community. Their commitment is a powerful example of inclusion in action.
“We are proud to welcome StreetGames and their network as part of the global IWG movement and we look forward to celebrating their impact at the IWG Global Summit on Women and Sport in 2026.”
