Building Confidence and Breaking Barriers for Girls: Thank You, Jumpstart!
Group of You Grow Girl participants showing off their stance!
At Beat the Streets, we believe in the power of sport to change lives, especially for girls who face barriers to participation. Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities (Jumpstart) partnered with us for the third consecutive year to deliver our impactful You Grow Girl program. Through their support, BTS has reached over 160 girls and counting, providing them with structured, empowering activities that build confidence, resilience and physical literacy.
But Jumpstart does more than fund programs – it champions gender equity in sports. Through innovative initiatives and insightful research, it’s tackling the challenges preventing girls from staying active and engaged in sport, ensuring no one gets left behind.
Who Is Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities?
Founded in 2005, Jumpstart is on a mission to enrich the lives of kids in financial need through sport and physical activity. By breaking down barriers like cost and accessibility, they have helped over 3 million children across Canada participate in the sports and activities they love.
For Jumpstart, allowing kids to play is more than just getting active. It’s about boosting self-esteem, nurturing creativity, and connecting kids to their communities. As they put it:
"No kid should be left out."
Championing Gender Equity in Sports
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities goes beyond traditional support by tackling a pressing issue in the sports world: keeping girls engaged and active. Studies show that by adolescence, half of girls stop participating in sports, often due to barriers like cost, lack of quality programs, or feeling unsafe in their environments. Jumpstart is working to change this reality, creating opportunities for girls to grow, lead, and thrive through sports.
One of their standout initiatives, Play to Lead, is designed to build leadership skills among young women and help them develop confidence on and off the field. This focus on empowering girls aligns perfectly with our You Grow Girl program, which aims to provide girls with the tools to overcome challenges, embrace physical activity, and discover their strength through combat sports.
The impact of programs like these is clear. According to research highlighted in the Rallying for Girls’ Mental Health, The Rally Report 2022 (Canadian Women & Sport):
78% of girls who participate in sports report enhanced mental health.
76% say sports boost their confidence.
Despite these benefits, the challenges are real. However, only 1 in 3 girls feel comfortable discussing stress or mental health with their coaches, as noted in the (The Rally Report 2022, Canadian Women & Sport). Jumpstart’s dedication to fostering safe, inclusive spaces ensures that girls can fully reap the rewards of sports participation.
How Jumpstart Supports You Grow Girl
At Beat the Streets, we’ve seen firsthand the impact of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities’ support. Thanks to their generosity, our You Grow Girl program has empowered over 160 girls to date, and with their latest support, we plan to reach another 100 participants this year.
This combat sports and resilience-building initiative offers over eight hours of programming, introducing girls to engaging sports like kickboxing or wrestling and activities that build physical literacy, confidence, and resilience. While our role is to spark interest and provide a strong foundation, we’ve been inspired to see schools take the lead after our sessions, creating new sports teams and initiatives to keep girls engaged and active.
For example, after hosting You Grow Girl, West Humber C.I formed an all-girl boxing team, proving that girls can overcome barriers and thrive in sports with access and encouragement.
“You Grow Girl has resulted in an increase in participation in sports that are traditionally perceived to be for males only. We have developed after-school and lunch programs for girls that are continuing to grow in popularity. Now we have a girl’s boxing program twice a week at lunch, girls-only weight training twice a week at lunch, and a ‘Miss-Fits’ exercise and empowerment group that runs twice a week after school.”
With Jumpstart’s funding, we’ve broken down barriers and ensured that girls – regardless of financial circumstances – can discover the transformative power of sport.
Thanking Jumpstart
We’re grateful to Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities for their unwavering commitment to empowering girls through sport. Their support of You Grow Girl is helping us encourage meaningful change, one school and one student at a time.
Together, we’re proving that every girl can discover her strength and reach her full potential with the right opportunities. Thank you, Jumpstart, for helping us make this vision a reality!
If Jumpstart’s work inspires you, we encourage you to learn more about its incredible initiatives to break down barriers in sports. Visit their website or check out its insightful reports, like:
About Beat the Streets:
At Beat the Streets, our mission is to advance the education of low-income children and youth in the Greater Toronto Area through fun and unique wrestling, life skills, and employment-based development programs. Since 2015, we have served over 28,000 young individuals through our Wrestle 4 Fun, Level Up, You Grow Girl, Work It (Summer Jobs), and Volunteer programs, providing them with opportunities to develop their physical, mental, and social well-being. We believe in empowering the next generation by breaking down barriers and creating pathways to success.
Join us in our mission to impact youth:
Join us in making a difference by supporting our cause and learning more about how you can contribute to the education and growth of children and youth in need. Together, we can shape a brighter future for all.
