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.
About This Project
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.
Research by Make Space for Girls UK found…
Most parks have more facilities for dog waste than for teen girls.
94% of youth facilities are skate parks, multi-use games areas or BMX tracks.
Girls are 3x more likely to use swings, shelters & social seating.
Snapshot Week Success!
Thank you to everyone involved in our project’s Snapshot Week.
More 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.
Our Girls’ Recreational Spaces Project Plan
We are currently preparing for the Snapshot phase of our Girls’ Recreational Space Project plan.
Latest Project News
The Nature Play WA team recently ran a workshop at the Parks and Leisure Australia conference for local government staff, landscape architects and play space builders. Some of the perceived barriers to consulting with girls include:
- Girls feel uncomfortable/embarrassed about speaking out, for social and/or cultural reasons.
- Girls lack trust in the consultation process and don’t feel it is a safe space.
- Standard consultation processes don’t engage tween/teen girls.
- Lack of time and funding.
And these are some of the solutions attendees proposed:
- Find and engage mentors that girls trust.
- Form relationships with youth organisations and schools for consultation purposes, and maintain those relationships.
- Make consultation a collaborative process (e.g., chalkboards, chats and prompts – not surveys).
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
ENGAGED TO DATE
ORGANISATIONS
ENGAGED TO DATE
