Creating Welcoming parks for Teenage Girls
Across the UK, teenage girls are significantly under-represented in park use and frequently report feeling unwelcome or unsafe in public green spaces. Make Space York responds to this national issue through a practical, place based approach rooted in listening, co-creation and long term cultural change.
Established in Rowntree Park in York in 2021, the project has worked directly with more than 350 girls and young women through surveys, creative workshops, interviews, events and co design sessions. Rather than making assumptions about what girls want, the project asked them directly and demonstrates how inclusive, girl centred design can transform both physical space and community culture.
Key Findings:
- Feeling ‘welcome’ in parks is essential to whether girls use the space. This includes feeling safe, and having equipment and facilities that meet their needs and wants.
- Feeling safe is part of feeling welcome. This includes maintenance, layout, sightlines, lighting, access to toilets and who else is present in the space.
- Teenage girls value the opportunity to be active, but often in a non competitive sports based way in parks. Many girls don’t use sports based facilities aimed at ‘teenagers’ in parks for numerous reasons. They value places to swing, sit, climb and ‘play’.
- Ongoing programming and events can help girls build confidence and positive associations with parks.
Implications for Practice:
- Engage teenage girls meaningfully in consultation and design processes.
- Audit parks for gender equity in both provision and actual use.
- Balance sports dominated infrastructure with social and informal spaces.
- Integrate programming, activation and community partnerships alongside physical design improvements.
Nationally, teenage girls are below daily activity guidelines, more than three times more likely to have mental health issues than boys and over half state they don’t feel safe in parks, with this number increasing at night. The relationship formed with public space during adolescence shapes independence, wellbeing and civic belonging. Make Space York shows that gender inclusive design is not a niche concern. It's not about spaces just for girls, it's about practical and necessary steps toward creating parks that are welcoming and inclusive.
About Make Space York
Make Space York is a grassroots initiative established in 2021 in Rowntree Park, York. The project was developed in partnership with the Friends of Rowntree Park, a community led charity. Initially inspired by the national Make Space for Girls campaign, Make Space York translates research into practical local action. It combines listening, co-creation, programming and advocacy to ensure teenage girls are recognised as a key user group in public space.
Working collaboratively with girls, volunteers, local partners and the council, the project has supported consultation, co designed improvements, and an annual festival of free activities to help girls feel more confident, visible and welcome in the park. Make Space York demonstrates how community organisations can work alongside national movements to create meaningful, place based change.
