Scottish Women in Sport (SW/S) have a vision for a world where women and girls have equal and fair opportunities in sport and we believe one way that this can be achieved, is through a gender balance on all decision-making boards.
This year we support the theme of International Women’s Day 2024, #InspireInclusion, by adding ‘Start at the Top’.
Our 2021 research, giving the gender breakdown on a variety of roles in sport, highlighted the gap still prevalent in leadership roles between women and men.
If we want to change this, we must have change from the top down.
SW/S spoke to three women from diverse backgrounds who hold posts in sporting organisations. They shared what their journey was like and why they believe in order to #InspireInclusion, we must look at changes from the Boardroom down.
Cara ShearerPartnership Manager, sportscotland
Cara is an experienced sport development professional with a demonstrated history of working in the sports development and research sector. She is passionate about working with under represented groups to make sport a more inclusive space. She currently works for sportscotland as a Partnership Manager, as well as sitting as Vice Chair for both Scottish Women in Sport and LEAP Sports Scotland.
Aileen NeilsonScotland and GB Wheelchair Curler
Aileen first tried curling when she was 15 years old, but due to surgery and radiotherapy on a tumour on her spinal chord when she was 2 ½ , she was unable to continue playing. Due to nerve damage, she faced the challenge of declining mobility from aged 18 but successfully completed her degree and achieved her goal of working with and inspiring young people. When she took her class of children along to her local ice rink, the coach encouraged her to try wheelchair curling and she was delighted to be back on the ice. Aileen was selected to play for Scotland in 2007 and has been a member of the Scotland/GB Wheelchair Curling Squad ever since. She was the first female skip at a World Championships and Winter Paralympics. As well as skipping the team to a silver medal in 2011, the highlights of her career include skipping the GB Team to a bronze medal at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games and skipping the Scottish Team to a silver medal in front of a home crowd in 2019.
#InspireInclusion
