Making neighbourhood parks inclusive for teenage girls and young women in Cardiff

As the summer months encourage more of us outdoors, parks and public spaces become increasingly important places to meet, exercise and spend time with friends and family. But who are these spaces designed for, and who feels welcome using them?

Our latest impact funding blog explores how Dr Sina Shahab of Cardiff University’s Welsh School of Architecture worked with teenage girls and young women to understand their experiences of neighbourhood parks and help shape more inclusive public spaces across the city. It was made possible and funded through Cardiff University’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Impact Acceleration Account (IAA).

Neighbourhood parks play an important role in health, wellbeing and community life, yet the needs of teenage girls and young women are often overlooked.

This project explored how young women experience public parks and how co-design approaches can help create more inclusive, welcoming and meaningful public spaces.

Researchers worked with teenage girls and young women across Cardiff through a city-wide survey, park observations and eight co-design workshops across four secondary schools.

The project engaged 368 survey respondents and 58 workshop participants, generating valuable evidence on experiences of safety, mobility and park use, alongside five redesign proposals for neighbourhood parks.

A further 60 stakeholders from policy, practice and academia attended the project’s final symposium, demonstrating strong interest in this issue and the value of creating spaces for these conversations.

IAA funding enabled researchers to bring together young people, policymakers and practitioners to explore the future of inclusive public spaces.
The project has highlighted the importance of involving teenage girls and young women in conversations about the design and use of public space.

It has also strengthened partnerships and created opportunities for ongoing research, engagement and policy discussions in Cardiff and beyond.

For further information, please contact Dr Sina Shahab ([email protected]).