Make Space for Girls

Today we're launching our Impact Report for 2023 - what we've been up to last year and how we think it is making a difference. This covers everything from research projects to appearing on Radio 4 - and of course talking to lots of teenage girls. It sets out what we’ve achieved in our five key areas of focus - raising awareness, engagement, research, policy and getting things built.  But it isn't just about us, it's also a celebration of the many amazing collaborations we’ve been part of this year.  To find out more you can read all about it – and download the report – on the blog pages of our website. https://lnkd.in/exk6eSz2

If anyone can help with this either by being interviewed or filling in the questionnaire, that would be great. The more research that gets done on this, the more we know what works!

If you want to hear me talking about my recent book The Hard Way, fear, going feral and also Make Space for Girls - these things being very much related - then I have just the thing for you. With many thanks to Mickey Noonan and the Standard Issue podcast. https://lnkd.in/ezY4_q4f

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We were really pleased to be asked to run workshops this week with the The Sweaty Betty Foundation at the Go London Summer Forum run by the Greater London Authority at the London Stadium. The event brought together both practitioners who work with young people to help them be more active and the young people themselves. Our workshops gave a space for young women to say what they wanted from public spaces, while we encouraged practitioners to look at parks and public spaces through the eyes of teenage girls. This wasn't just a chance for us to get our message across, but also an opportunity to talk to both young people and professionals from all across London and to find out what the barriers and opportunities were in their local area. Thanks to everyone who produced such an energetic and well-organised event. Afsana Lachaux Paulina Turcan Safia Noor and all the others who worked so hard

In loving memory of Pam Alexander OBE, the "Handbook - Creating Places for Women and Girls" was launched yesterday evening at Arup!   The team at London Legacy Development Corporation have worked collaboratively (in every sense of the word, with ELEVATE, Greater London Authority, Make Space for Girls to name but a few) to deliver a practical toolkit for built environmental professionals to design and build spaces which cater for women and girls and subsequently become equal for all.   The event was a wonderful gathering of all those involved showcasing how the handbook stands to: compliment the existing gender mainstreaming work from a planning perspective; provide a high level summary that can be applied locally; champion meaningful engagement which requires unlearning and deep listening; and enable women in the industry to bring their lived experience and a diverse lens to the fore to make better places for all.   CALL TO ACTION: Read the handbook, try and test the tools, and spread the word! https://lnkd.in/eaeSFWjD   It was also prudent to recognise that this is one element of the work that needs to be done to prevent violence against women and girls and to also think beyond the red line to improve existing built places.   Marina Milosev Anne Ogundiya Kuljeet Sibia Sara Dawes Layla Conway Renea Henry-Kemp Lyn Garner Mark Camley Anthony Hollingsworth Rosanna Lawes Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA DL QP JM Jamie Kerr Jennie Savage FRSA Heba Tabidi Olufunmi Adeoye Ruth Lin Wong Holmes Mei-Yee Man Oram

Some really interesting experimental work taking the Safer Parks Guidance and using it digitally.

Have you had a chance to read the piece that we contributed to the last issue of the Scottish Planner? We reflect on our work over the last year when we explored the integration of children and young people's voices in town planning in Scotland. You can read the full issue here https://lnkd.in/eJqVkyV5

Thank you so much to The Developer and Festival of Place for inviting us to help lead a workshop at the Festival last week. It was great to be part of such a stimulating event and to meet so many people working in parallel and related areas. A huge thank you also to Marina Milosev for stepping in to help with the workshop at short notice when Julia King wasn't well enough to take part, and it was really good to have so many people participating, not just in asking excellent questions but also making zines about their experience of public space.

Last week, I attended The #FestivalofPlace at Boxpark, Wembley. I started the day considering Trauma informed design, how how engagement can support emotional safety and trust - leading to more inclusive and empowering spaces for all communities. I was also really excited to attend a session on embedding play in public spaces - and how playfulness can lead to healthier children, families, and communities. It was interesting to hear so many view points from various industries and experiences. I’d also like to thank Make Space for Girls incredible workshop on creative engagement with teenage girls and how they are responding to the gendered provision of teenage leisure spaces in parks and public spaces. I especially liked the practical element of the workshop, enabling us to end the day with some arty ‘cutting and sticking’ activities.