How to make parks more welcoming for teenage girls is a question more and more local authorities, park managers, landscape architects and community organisations are beginning to ask. Yet for many, knowing where to start can be difficult.
A Guide to Creating Parks that Work for Teenage Girls, written by Abigail Gaines, Project Lead for Make Space York, was created to help answer that question.
Drawing on several years of learning from the Make Space York project, alongside a growing body of research, case studies and inspiring examples from across the UK, the guide brings together practical ideas that can help create parks which feel more welcoming, inclusive and relevant for teenage girls.
It has been designed as a practical resource that anyone can pick up, dip into and use in real projects. Whether you're developing a new park, improving an existing space or looking for ideas to inform future plans, the guide provides evidence, inspiration and practical suggestions that can be adapted to suit different communities.
It is written for those involved in shaping public spaces, including local authorities, landscape architects, urban designers, park managers, developers, councillors and community organisations.
The guide includes:
- insights gathered through engagement with teenage girls;
- case studies showing how girls' ideas have influenced real projects;
- examples of physical improvements to parks across the UK; and
- practical ideas that can be adapted and applied in different settings.
Its aim is simple: to help create parks where teenage girls feel welcome, valued and part of the community, while recognising that designing for girls often creates better public spaces for everyone.
You can download the guide here:
https://letsmakespace.org/a-guide-to-creating-parks-that-work-for-teenage-girls/
