Creating welcoming parks for teenage girls.
Supporting older girls to feel confident, comfortable and included in Rowntree Park
Many girls stop using parks as they enter their teenage years. Spaces that once felt easy to enjoy can begin to feel unwelcoming or not designed with them in mind. Parks have numerous benefits for physical and mental health and it’s important that older girls have the opportunities, activities and spaces where they feel included and able to be themselves.
The Make Space York project is led by Abigail Gaines as a passion project and something she feels deeply about. Abigail is the charity manager of the Friends of Rowntree Park, runs the Tiny Roar CIC, and is the parent of a teenage girl and boy. Contact: makespaceyork@gmail.com
The Make Space Report – launched January 2026
The Make Space York report summarises the first few years of the project. It all started with listening to teenage girls about their experiences of Rowntree Park and this led to co creating an area with them and a festival of events.
It shows how small, low cost changes, shaped by lived experience, can make public spaces feel more welcoming and inclusive. The report shares what worked, what was learned, and why designing parks with girls in mind leads to better spaces for everyone.
The Make Space York project now also goes beyond just Rowntree Park and engagement and events take place in other parks in York. The project has it’s own website which can be accessed here.
News!
| 1. An area in Rowntree Park that was co-created with teenage girls 2024 – see more here. To be added to in 2026! 2. The Make Space for Girls Festival 2025 – see more here 3. Exhibition May 2025 at Spark York. Blog here. |
Make Space Festival
The Festival ran for it’s third year in June 2025 and events for 2026 are being planned. It offers a range of free events and activities for older girls. This has included sports and fitness classes, art and craft workshops, music and dance performances, health and wellbeing, nature crafts and conservation, photography and social awareness sessions. Most events are aimed at girls 10-18, with some suited to younger, and also some sessions women are also welcome! The Make Space Festival is all about reclaiming the public space, trying new things, meeting like-minded individuals – and most of all, having fun.
Each year so far has seen around 40 free events and over 350 girls involved – feedback has been amazing! We also won a Green Flag Award for the ‘Best initiative to increase the use of parks by women and girls’ 2023-4 , the first ever recipient of this award!
See a blog on the 2025 festival here
See the 2025 Festival programme here
The Make Space Festival 2026 programme will be launched at the start of May 2026 – check back here for details!
Thank you to funders and sponsors of the Make Space York Festival and events 2026
Use the links below to find out more about the project:
- Why do we need to ‘Make Space for Girls’ in parks?
- Teenage girls help co create a new area in Rowntree Park
- The Make Space York Festival blog 2023, 2024, 2025
- Events & Activities for teenage girls in Rowntree Park
- Research and engagement at the start of the project 2021-22
- Answering your questions – why are we talking about teenage girls?
- Buy a tote bag to support the project.
The Make Space York project was initially inspired by national organisation Make Space for Girls – who campaign for parks to be designed with teenage girls in mind. The national organisation does not run the project in Rowntree Park and York, but support what we are doing to raise awareness and make a difference. Abigail, Make Space York project lead, has also worked as an associate for Make Space for Girls since 2024 doing freelance engagement projects, CPD and speaking engagements.
The main national organisation wants to inspire projects like this, and councils, architects, planners, developers to engage with teenage girls on parks and make a difference! In addition the project supports the work of the ‘Safer Parks: Improving access for women and girls’ guidance – and we are a case study in this!
Abigail Gaines – makespaceyork@gmail.com
Teenage girls need space and events in parks where they can feel safe, confident and empowered to be themselves.