'Participation Strategy' and 'Women & Girls Strategy' launched

Gymnastics Ireland is proud to launch our new 'Participation Strategy 2026-2028' and 'Women & Girls Strategy 2026-2028'.

The two strategies have been developed in support to the main Strategy 2025-2028 and will lead the way on participation and women in sport throughout the Olympic cycle.

To view the Gymnastics Ireland Participation Strategy 2026-2028 click here...

To view the Gymnastics Ireland Women & Girls Strategy 2026-2028 click here...

Commenting on the launch of the strategies Gymnastics Ireland Director of Participation, Inclusion and Club Development (DPICD) Aimi Baker said:

‘The new Participation Strategy provides Gymnastics Ireland with a structured roadmap for development & delivery of programmes & initiatives and is critical for several core reasons including driving participation, promoting inclusion & equality, advocating lifelong engagement in gymnastics and ensuring sustainable growth at both national and club level.
We are also very proud to launch our first Women & Girls Strategy. This strategy will be key to ensuring retention, building a positive & inclusive culture and actively listening to the voices of women and girls across along their gymnastics journey.
I am really excited about working towards transforming our ideas & goals into sustainable, inspiring and engaging programmes for everyone!’

Chief Executive Officer Ciaran Gallagher added:

'Huge work has gone into the creation of our new Participation and Women & Girls Strategies 2026-2028. Both of these have been developed in support of our master Strategy 2025-2028 and build on the huge progress we have made in each of these areas throughout the duration of the previous strategies. Through these we will continue to expand our programmes & services for our huge female membership base while also developing new programmes & initiatives to expand our male and adult membership. Massive congratulations to our Participation & Inclusion teams who spear headed the development and also a huge thank you to all our members and partners who fed into the process!'

The period of the last Participation Strategy delivered a step change for the development of our sport in Ireland. During this time, we…

• Launched Gym4TEENS - a programme focusing specifically on participation of teenage gymnasts
• Developed & launched our ‘Gymnastics for All’ club support programme to develop display gymnastics & link in with ‘The Floor’
• Published globally recognised ‘The Gymnasts Voice - Harnessing opportunities to retain teenage girls in gymnastics’. Presented at World Gymnastics - Gymnastic for All Colloquium
• Launched JumpSTART – a discipline specific participation programme focusing on Acrobatics, Rhythmic, Trampoline and Tumbling
• Expanded the GymSTART Floor & Vault Competition
• More than doubled the numbers of clubs participating in ‘The Floor’
• Our clubs participated & excelled at global gymnastics festivals such as ‘World Gym for Life’ & ‘EuroGym’
• Awarded the Active Disability Ireland NGB Xcessible Bronze & Silver Awards
• Annually rolled-out participation & inclusion visibility campaigns such as GymABLE & Women in Sport
• Developed & launched:
• GymSTART & JumpSTART Judge education pathways
• Gymnastics for All workshops for coaches & gymnasts
• Partnered with external disability organisations to deliver additional disability coach education
• Attended key international educational conferences & initiatives with World Gymnastics & European Gymnastics
• Worked with Sport Ireland & other partners in the development of our Women in Sport programme
• Signed & activated a new partnership agreement with Special Olympics Ireland
• Worked with Ireland Active to develop a gymnastics programme for the fitness & leisure sector

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