Where Are the Girls?
Creating Inclusive Recreational Spaces for Girls
This project aims to understand how current spaces are being used by girls, what girls want and will use in a recreational space, and how best to meet these needs.
Have Your Say About Girls Rec Spaces
Love your local park? Or think it could be better?
Snap a photo of something you would – or wouldn’t – use in your local outdoor space and tell us why. Got an idea to make it more fun, safe or inclusive? Share it with us via our online Padlet! No need to log in. Hit the + button to share your thoughts.
Snapshot Findings
Nature Play WA invited the community to observe local spaces and complete a survey to capture who was using these spaces and how they were being used. We were thrilled by the community involvement which resulted in the findings below:
Of the 6,500+ people observed, 17% were teenagers, with teenage girls comprising only 6% of the total sample. When teenage girls were present in the space, they were not consistently using the facilities.
This bar graph presents the data on the percentage of teen girls observed in different types of spaces. BMX tracks and basketball courts were the two types of facilities that were least likely to be used by girls.
Community Observations
I do see teen girls skating here at times, but for the half hour I was there today, there were no female users skating or scooting at all.
Esplanade Youth Park
All users were male, ranging from 6 years to adults. Only female observed was a mum sitting on the edge of the skate park.
Coolbellup Skate Park
Lots of younger children on scooters, all boys, except one young girl skateboarding.
Walliabup Skate Park
Girls are sitting on wide seating facing each other talking.
Scarborough Youth Hub
Very few teenagers in the space at this [time]. Those that were teen girls were either sitting with their family, walking on the fringes, waiting for the swings or in the sheltered seating area.
Duncraig Adventure Hub
Exclusively boys on the pump track.
Lake Monger Pump Track
Interested to Know More?
Download the full report of the first year of this project.
Ways to Be Involved
Community Members
Stay abreast of what’s happening with Girls’ Rec Spaces and our other projects via our newsletter.
Youth Organisations
Do you work with youth? We would love you to be involved in the consultation process.
Developers/Designers
Work with us to identify barriers and solutions to designing and managing recreational spaces for WA girls.
Project Aims
Our Girls’ Recreational Spaces Project aims to create safe, inclusive, and engaging recreational spaces that support tween and teen girls to be more active and connected.
With research showing that up to 90% of Australian girls aged 11-17 are not meeting recommended physical activity levels, this project will consult directly with girls to understand their needs.
The findings will inform a practical toolkit to guide local governments, designers, and developers in shaping recreational spaces that truly welcome and empower girls.
This project has been inspired by Make Space for Girls UK.
Project Plan
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
ENGAGED TO DATE
ORGANISATIONS
ENGAGED TO DATE
