Creating safer parks for women and girls
A new open-access online training course is helping professionals across the UK apply research-backed principles to create safer, more welcoming parks and green spaces for women and girls.
Developed through a major collaboration between the University of Leeds and public sector partners, 'Safer Parks: Improving Access for Women and Girls – Training for Professionals' celebrated an official launch on 5 October 2026.
This collaborative project led by the University of Leeds in partnership with Green Flag Award Academy, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Police Crime Prevention Initiatives and Make Space for Girls, aims to increase awareness of the Safer Parks Principles and to support their adoption across a wide range of organisations and settings.
From research to real-world impact
The launch event hosted at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority offices on Wellington Street in Leeds was opened by Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
The training is grounded in University of Leeds research led by Dr Anna Barker exploring women's and girls' perceptions and lived experiences of safety in parks and public spaces. Building on this evidence base, the course provides practical tools, case studies and examples to help professionals understand and apply the Safer Parks Principles in their own work.
Participants are introduced to approaches for assessing safety and gender inclusivity within parks, identifying opportunities for improvement, and evaluating the impact of changes. The course also highlights effective ways to engage women and girls throughout the design and decision-making process, ensuring their experiences help shape local spaces.
The launch demonstrates how University research can be translated into practical resources that influence policy, professional practice and public-sector decision-making.
Its fantastic to see the course come to life following a huge collaborative effort across the Digital Education team and the wide partner group. Together, we've designed and developed a rich and engaging learning experience that connects professionals working in the field with the lived experiences of women and girls, helping to inform and enhance their practice. We're particularly proud of how the expertise of the research team and programme partners has been creatively woven throughout the course.
Kate Nicolson, Digital Education Manager
Creating engaging and accessible learning
Designed by Digital Education's Digital Learning Design team, the course is hosted on the University of Leeds' online courses platform and is freely available to anyone, without login requirements or access restrictions.
Digital Learning Design colleagues helped transform complex research findings into an engaging learning experience. The training combines guidance, professional insight, practical examples and immersive digital content designed to help learners understand the experiences of women and girls in parks and public spaces.
The resulting resource helps professionals to build confidence, identify actions and champion improved practice within their own organisations and communities.
A collaborative approach to safer public spaces
The course was developed through extensive collaboration between the Digital Learning Design team, researchers, practitioners and sector partners, drawing together expertise from across policing, local government, park management, architecture, urban design and community safety.
Partners contributed to stakeholder design workshops, course content, case studies and filmed materials, helping to ensure the training is relevant, practical and applicable across different types of parks and green spaces.
Importantly, the course emphasises that the Safer Parks Principles can be applied to a wide variety of environments, from highly landscaped destination parks to smaller local green spaces
This course is so important because it brings the Safer Parks Principles to life in a way that is practical, accessible and relevant for everyone who has a role in shaping, managing and caring for our parks. For me, the real value lies in seeing the voices of women and girls from our research translated into action. The course helps bridge the gap between evidence and practice, giving people the knowledge and confidence to apply the principles in their own settings. That's how we create the wider change needed to make parks safer, more welcoming and equitable for everyone.
Dr Anna Barker, Associate Professor in Criminal Justice & Criminology
Panel members answering questions at launch event
Supporting change beyond the University
The launch forms part of a wider national programme of work aimed at improving safety and accessibility in public spaces. By making the course openly available, the partnership hopes to encourage widespread adoption of the principles and contribute to safer, more inclusive parks across the UK.
The project was part-funded through a RISE (Research into Intervention, Safety and Empowerment) award, supporting innovative projects that address violence against women and girls.
A showcase for digital education and partnership working
The project highlights how Digital Education can support researchers and external partners to extend the reach and impact of University research through high-quality online learning.
By combining research excellence, sector expertise and engaging digital course design, the partnership has created a resource that not only shares knowledge but supports meaningful change in professional practice and the design of safer public spaces.
Explore the course: Safer Parks: Improving Access for Women & Girls