Greenbank Sports Academy is committed to giving more women and girls the opportunity to play, compete and enjoy sport in a safe, welcoming and accessible environment.
Our Women and Girls Football and Multi Sport Strategy sets out how we will improve access, develop opportunities and ensure women and girls have a voice in shaping our facilities and activities.
From someone trying their first recreational session to a player developing their skills through club competition, we want every woman and girl to feel that they belong at Greenbank.
Creating more opportunities to play
Working with Greenbank Power Football Club, Liverpool Futsal Club and Project Futsal, our strategy aims to increase women’s and girls’ football teams using the Academy from four to eight by 2032.
We will support a range of opportunities, including affiliated team training and matches, social and recreational sessions, and pathways for players who want to progress. Powerchair football is an important part of this commitment, helping ensure disabled women and girls can access opportunities to develop and compete.
Our ambitions extend across sport, with activities such as netball, handball, roller derby, basketball, badminton, boccia, table tennis and inclusive cycling contributing to our wider community offer.
Making time and space for women and girls
Access to suitable training times can make a real difference to participation. Our strategy commits to allocating at least 15% of peak weekday slots to women’s and girls’ activity, with an ambition to increase this to 30% by the third year of the strategy.
Peak hours are Monday to Friday, from 5pm to 10pm. We also commit to providing at least one women’s and girls’ only evening during these hours, creating dedicated space for participation and development.
Improving facilities and the experience of taking part
With support from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, our facilities improvement project includes refurbished female toilets, a new Changing Places room and improvements to the accessible toilet and baby-changing facilities.
These improvements support our wider commitment to making the Academy more comfortable and accessible for players, visitors, families and carers.
We are committed to maintaining well-lit access routes, parking and surrounding areas, alongside clean, accessible changing rooms, toilets and showers. Our strategy also includes providing sanitary bins and products.
Inclusion at the heart of our approach
Women and girls can face different and overlapping barriers to taking part. Our approach recognises the needs of disabled people, people with long-term health conditions, culturally diverse communities, people experiencing financial disadvantage and LGBTQ+ people.
By working with clubs and community partners, we aim to reduce barriers and create an environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Giving women and girls a voice
Women and girls should help shape the opportunities available to them. Our strategy commits to representation across our committees and board, designated women’s and girls’ leaders, and a steering group that includes women and girls in reviewing how our facilities are used.
Listening to participants will help us understand what works, where improvements are needed and how we can encourage more people to get involved.
Whether you are looking to take part, develop a women’s or girls’ team, or work with us to create new opportunities, contact Greenbank Sports Academy to find out how you can get involved.
mark.palmer@greenbank.org.uk – Sport Development Manager