Tuition Fee ONLY Torfaen County Borough Council MSc by Research Scholarship: #ifyougoigo: Challenging Stereotypes and Barriers to Participation to Get More Women, More Active, More Often

Funding providers: Torfaen County Borough Council

Subject areas: Sport and Exercise Sciences – physical activity; behaviour change; health and well-being; psychology

Start date: 

• 1 October 2024 (Enrolment open from mid-September) 

Project description: 

This MSc project presents a unique opportunity for an individual to be embedded within a Local Authority (LA) to evaluate their #ifyougoigo initiative. The candidate will work closely with practitioners and service providers at Torfaen County Borough Council, researchers at the Welsh Institute of Physical Activity, Health and Sport (WIPAHS; a pan-Wales collaboration between each of the eight Welsh Higher Education Institutes and Sport Wales), and women attending the #ifyougoigo sessions, to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the programme. 

The #ifyougoigo initiative aims to get more women, more active, more often throughout the Torfaen LA. As part of this initiative, the Sports Development Team work in partnership with Torfaen Leisure Trust to run a physical activity programme for women aged 18-59 years, who have identified at least one physical- or mental- health-related reason they feel limits their engagement in physical activity, exercise and/or sport. The free, 10-week #ifyougoigo initiative allows local women to participate in weekly group exercise sessions and receive personal 1:1 training, mentoring, and nutritional advice targeted towards the long-term adoption of a healthier lifestyle. Women on the programme also access Torfaen Leisure Trust classes and gyms and are supported to connect with local community sports clubs.   

The physical and mental health benefits of physical activity are well-established, however, low physical activity levels, particularly in women, persist. Behaviour is often influenced by multiple factors, namely, interactions between an individual’s perceived capability, the opportunities available, and their motivation. #ifyougoigo aims to remove practical barriers and work to change how women feel and think about physical activity, exercise, and sport. Evidence and insight show that women are far more likely to exercise if they have someone to go with them. This principle of peer support/companionship, along with the provision of a person-centred approach, within a socially inclusive professionally-supported environment, is core to the design of the initiative.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with the Torfaen Sports Development team and be based between their Pontypool site and WIPAHS, with a base at the Sport and Exercise Sciences Department, Swansea University. They will be responsible for collecting data via a variety of methods (both qualitative and quantitative) that assess the effects of the programme on the physical, mental, and overall health and well-being of women participating in #ifyougoigo and will ultimately oversee a comprehensive evaluation of the programme.

Eligibility

Candidates must hold an Upper Second Class (2.1) honours degree in Sport and Exercise Science or relevant similar discipline. If you are eligible to apply for the scholarship but do not hold a UK degree, you can check our comparison entry requirements. Please note that you may need to provide evidence of your English Language proficiency.

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only, as defined by UKCISA regulations.

Additional Salary Information

This scholarship covers the full cost of UK tuition fees and additional research expenses.

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