Leeds University Students Drive Change in Women’s+ Sports

Efforts to improve equity and inclusion in campus sports gain momentum

Students at Leeds University have initiated a project aimed at addressing disparities in women’s+ sports participation and support on campus. The project highlights ongoing challenges faced by women’s+ sports teams, including unequal access to facilities, limited training times, and a lack of recognition compared to men’s teams.

Origins of the Women’s+ Sports Participation Project

The initiative began after the Activities and Opportunities Officer observed significant imbalances between women’s+ and men’s sports. Women’s+ teams were often focused on participation, while men’s teams were performance-oriented, affecting resource allocation and support.

To better understand these issues, focus groups were held with ten sports societies. These discussions revealed common frustrations such as juggling growing participation numbers with limited resources and feeling overlooked. The feedback indicated that the challenges were structural rather than isolated incidents.

Student Voices Lead to Institutional Engagement

Rather than appointing a single coordinator, the project emphasised amplifying student voices directly to university stakeholders. Representatives from the ten societies presented their experiences in a dedicated session, which fostered understanding and shifted the dialogue towards shared responsibility for change.

Practical Changes and New Roles

Following these engagements, several immediate improvements were made, including:

• Adjustments to training schedules
• Improved access to sports facilities
• Clearer principles for space allocation

Additionally, funding was secured to appoint five Women’s+ Sports Activators. These students work part-time supporting societies and promoting trans inclusion in sport. The high number of applicants demonstrated strong interest in advancing the project’s goals. The activators have helped build trust with clubs and facilitated important conversations around inclusion.

Inclusive Mixed-Gender Tournaments

The project also organised mixed-gender sports tournaments that attracted over a hundred participants. These events provided a welcoming and inclusive environment, which students noted is increasingly rare nationally, especially following recent legal rulings affecting trans participation in sport.

Feedback from participants highlighted the importance of such spaces for wellbeing and belonging. One trans student remarked that these events helped address feelings of disenfranchisement from sport.

Looking Ahead

The project has made significant strides in creating a fairer and more supportive sporting environment for women’s+ students at Leeds. However, organisers emphasise the need to maintain momentum to ensure sport remains accessible and inclusive for all students in the future.