Move Together Blackpool: Young Women Accessing Physical Activity and Sport
United Youth Alliance, in partnership with Blackpool Football Community Trust and local organisations, delivered a youth-led research project exploring the barriers young women face when accessing physical activity and sport in Blackpool.
Engaging over 500 young women through questionnaires, focus groups, podcasts and creative sessions, the project highlighted key challenges including body image, confidence, mental health, affordability, transport, safety and gender-based discrimination. Young women also identified a lack of female coaches, visible role models and accessible opportunities to participate in sport.
Led by the voices and lived experiences of young women, the report sets out five key recommendations to make physical activity more inclusive, accessible and welcoming. These include establishing a youth-led steering group, developing youth-friendly communications, mapping local activity opportunities, increasing the visibility of women in sport, and creating shared resources co-designed by young women.
The report provides a foundation for meaningful change, ensuring young women help shape future opportunities and encouraging every young woman in Blackpool to feel confident, included and empowered to get active.