http://www.womenglide.co.uk/


At 17:31 28 August 2015, wrote:
I run the Junior group at our soaring club and we've had a recent influx
of=
girls in a primarily male-dominated Junior group. This is outstanding
and=
I want to encourage more of it, but I need some advice from female
soaring=
pilots about what will motivate young women to remain in our program.

For all of the kids there is a warm up period that can be difficult for
the=
m to get through before they are comfortable enough to come out the field
a=
nd feel useful. At age 14, we're talking about kids who are at that
awkwar=
d end of middle school, start of high school age. The culture of the
boys
=
is that they tend to kid around and tease each other a lot. They laugh
it
=
off and usually form a bond that sticks as they continue as Juniors.

All I really know about the girls is that this *isn't* the way they form
bo=
nds, particularly with a group of kids that are mainly boys. I know that
t=
here's more of a social aspect to their participation -they prefer when
the=
y are at the field that another girl is there with them, for example.
They=
are also much more sensitive to making mistake, so they are more
hesitant
=
to just jump in and help, which makes it take longer for them to
acclimate.

I'd be interested in hearing from any female soaring pilots of any
suggesti=
ons that you may have for ways to encourage the girls during this initial
p=
eriod. If I can encourage this group I've got to stick around, I think I
c=
an recruit some of their friends next season and begin to build on that.