Creating More Inclusive Parks: Engaging Teenage Girls in Public Space
This webinar explores how parks and green spaces can become more welcoming, inclusive and responsive places, with a particular focus on teenage girls - a group whose experiences and needs are often overlooked in the design and use of public space.
Using Rowntree Park as a core case study, Abigail Gaines shares practical insights from the Make Space York project, exploring how listening directly to young people can help shape meaningful improvements in parks and green spaces.
The session combines research, lived experience and practical examples, highlighting how small changes, stronger community connections and co-design approaches can influence how spaces feel and how they are used.
Watch the full recording below, alongside speaker details.
Guest Speakers
Abigail Gaines
Make Space York Project Lead & Friends of Rowntree Park
Since 2021, Abigail has worked directly with young people to explore why teenage girls are often missing from parks and what changes could help create spaces where they feel safer, more welcome and more included.
Using Rowntree Park in York as a case study, Abigail explores how meaningful engagement can move beyond consultation and become a process of co-creation - involving young people in shaping the spaces they use.
She shares practical approaches for reaching underrepresented groups, including working with schools, guiding groups, youth organisations and existing community networks. Abigail highlights the importance of building trust, creating clear opportunities for involvement and ensuring young people understand how their ideas can influence real change.
Key Themes from the Webinar
The webinar explores several important themes, including:
- Why teenage girls are often missing from parks and public spaces
- Understanding different experiences of safety, comfort and belonging
- Engaging young people in meaningful ways
- Moving from consultation to co-creation
- Working with schools, youth groups and community organisations
- Designing spaces around lived experience
- Small design changes that can create significant impact
- Supporting more inclusive and equitable green spaces
Practical Approaches Shared
Abigail highlights several practical approaches for organisations looking to engage underrepresented groups:
- Build relationships with existing community networks
- Work with organisations already connected to young people
- Be clear about what you want to achieve and why participation matters
- Create accessible and meaningful ways for people to contribute
- Ensure safeguarding and permissions are considered when working with young people
- Start with small changes that respond to community needs
- Continue listening beyond a single engagement activity
About the Green Flag Award Academy
The Green Flag Award Academy supports individuals, organisations and communities to build the skills and knowledge needed to manage high-quality green spaces.
Through webinars, training, resources and shared learning opportunities, the Academy aims to support the ongoing improvement of parks and green spaces across the sector.
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For more information or to suggest future webinar topics, please contact the Green Flag Award Academy team at [email protected]
