What this project is about

Sport staff often face challenges in retaining girls and gender-diverse youth, who can experience harassment, body image issues, and safety concerns in sport. Social learning spaces may be fruitful in addressing these inequities, to provide sport staff with opportunities for education, peer learning, and co-producing solutions. A multi-institutional research team, led by Dr. Maji Shaikh and Dr. Sara Kramers, collaborated with BGC Canada to facilitate a social learning space for improving gender+ equity in BGC sport and physical activity programming. The purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a social learning space for co-generating gender+ equity strategies in recreational youth sport. For this project, we defined gender+ equity as: “fairness in access to opportunities, positive participation, and accruement of developmental benefits for all people without such fairness comprised by their gender identities and expressions”.

The social learning space was facilitated virtually on Zoom through six 1-hour sessions to engage with BGC staff who were involved in the design, oversight, and/or delivery of sport programs. A reflective workbook was provided for the participants to individually reflect on the social learning space discussions and record observations of gender+ (in)equity within their sport contexts. Following the last session, the staff were interviewed individually to gather their insights and experiences of the social learning space.

This project was funded by E-Alliance and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).

Findings

The social learning space was perceived by the BGC staff as beneficial for increasing their awareness of gender+ inequities in their community sport spaces, as well as supportive for creating strategies for advancing gender+ equity within their club and the broader community.

The staff shared how their girl and gender-diverse youth may experience barriers to participating in sport-based programming across individual (e.g., believing that sport is only for boys), social (e.g., being misgendered), environmental (e.g., unwelcoming spaces), and policy levels (e.g., no gender-based policies). To mitigate these barriers, the staff learned more about addressing gendered biases, assumptions, and stereotypes that may be unintentionally reinforced within their clubhouses, such as by using inclusive and affirming language. Through analyzing the social learning space sessions and the staff interviews, six strategies were identified for advancing gender+ equity in their youth sport programming:

1. Emphasize connection as much as skill-building
2. Build an empowering physical and social environment
3. Be intentional when planning activities
4. Empower youth in decision-making processes and co-leading programming
5. Never stop learning and reflecting on social justice in sport
6. Evaluate your program regularly and adjust where needed

Overall, the participants felt more confident and competent to action gender+ equity in their clubs but were challenged by rigid program structures and processes.

For those interested in facilitating a social learning space for advancing gender+ equity and social justice, the research team recommends building rapport with the members of the social learning space before diving into specific content and integrating more time for dialogue and capacity for sustaining the space long-term.

Knowledge Products

YouTube Video

Authors: Majidullah Shaikh & Sara Kramers

December 2023

In this video, we share five lessons learned from facilitating this project to advance gender+ equity in youth sports.

Infographics

1. Promoting Gender+ Equity in Community Sport

Authors: Sydney Graper, Tess Armstrong, Erika Gay, Majidullah Shaikh, Sara Kramers, Corliss Bean, Tanya Forneris, & Cathy Van Ingen

Six strategies for advancing gender+ equity are also shared based on the findings from our project. This infographic can be accessed by clicking the button below.

2. What we Learned in a Social Learning Space to Promote Gender + Equity in Sport

Authors: Erika Gay, Tess Armstrong, Sydney Graper, Majidullah Shaikh, Sara Kramers, Corliss Bean, Tanya Forneris, & Cathy Van Ingen

An overview of the project is provided in this infographic, including what the social learning space entailed, how the space was experienced, and what the participants learned and gained through their involvement. Challenges and successes are shared regarding facilitating the social learning space, as well as suggestions for advancing gender+ equity in youth community sport programming. This infographic can be accessed by clicking the button below.

Conference Presentations

Reflections on embarking community-engaged action research as student researchers: A case of evaluating a social learning space for gender+ equity in youth sport project

Authors: Sydney Graper, Tess Armstrong, Erika Gay, Sara Kramers, Majidullah Shaikh, Corliss Bean, Tanya Forneris, & Cathy Van Ingen

Conference: The Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology (SCAPPS), Montreal, Quebec; October 2022 [link to abstract]

An expert team of youth development and sport researchers created a social learning space for community sport staff to address gender+ equity challenges in recreational sport programs. Two researchers (Shaikh and Kramers) led the space, supported by three research assistants (Graper, Armstrong, and Gray). The research assistants reflected on their dual roles as observers and facilitators, expanded their awareness of gender+ equity, and developed critical praxis for future academic and applied work. These insights go beyond a “how to” in regards to facilitating an effective social learning space, offering practical advice for Principal Investigators to empower research assistants in community-engaged action research. This presentation can be accessed by clicking the button below.

Encouraging the use of social learning spaces in sport research

Authors: Erika Gay, Sydney Graper, Tess Armstrong, Sara Kramers, & Majidullah Shaikh

Conference: North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM), Montreal, Quebec; June 2023

A social learning space (SLS) can consist of two to hundreds of people and is a place where people with shared inquiries interact and develop relationships to engage in learning and make a difference. The purpose of this 60-minute workshop is for attendees to reflect on how they could use a SLS to advance knowledge related to their research topic. The Gender+ Equity SLS will be used as a case study example to illustrate to attendees how an SLS was used to advance knowledge related to the topic of gender+ equity. This workshop will consist of three main parts, including (a) an overview of SLS and the Gender+ Equity SLS; (b) opportunities for reflection on using a SLS in one’s research in small group discussions; and (c) a 15-minute group debrief. This workshop will contribute to knowledge on associated processes and outcomes of using SLS as a gender+ equity intervention and beyond. Practically, this workshop will contribute to attendees’ knowledge of what works to enable effective SLS’s, how to plan an SLS, and the challenges that may be faced. This presentation can be accessed by clicking the button below.

Collaborator – Dr. Tanya Forneris, Interim Director and Associate Professor of Teaching, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus

Collaborator – Dr. Cathy Van Ingen, Professor, Brock University, Canada

Collaborator – Teresa Murray, Senior Manager, Programs, BGC Canada

Research Assistant – Erika Gray, PhD Candidate, University of Ottawa, Canada

Research Assistant – Sydney Graper, Master’s Student, University of Ottawa, Canada

Research Assistant – Tess Armstrong, Master’s Student, Brock University, Canada

Partner – BGC Canada

Funding ­– E-Alliance; Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP)