Dr Annette Stride

Background: The way rugby union is structured in England means that volunteers have significant control over the development of the sport and work at every level from grassroots to senior decision making. This makes it particularly concerning that volunteering at a leadership level remains relatively inaccessible for those of historically marginalised identities e.g., gender, race, and disability. Aim: This presentation considered how different women negotiate and disrupt power in voluntary rugby leadership roles. Taking an intersectional, narrative approach this work identified the different pathways women have taken through their leadership journeys, the changing places and spaces that have influenced their experiences, and the diverse, fluid ways power operates in their lives. Methods: Semi-structured photo elicitation interviews were conducted with 22 volunteer leaders from all levels of rugby union across England. Data were then analysed using a pluralistic narrative analysis and presented as a series of creative non-fiction stories, inspired by the work of Black, feminist theorist Audre Lorde. Discussion: This presentation included a reading of one composite creative non-fiction extract. This extract attended to the key themes of changing agency, (un)belonging, and (in)visibility and specifically presented the narrative typology, ‘self-determination’ narrative. Conclusions: This concluded by offering a number of recommendations for those in policy and practice to create volunteering spaces in which all women can thrive. These recommendations included, developing trust with volunteers, transparency, and attending to the emotive experiences of volunteering.

In this article, we explore the footballing experiences of girls with learning disabilities. We situate our article within an after‐school football initiative that sought to forge a partnership between Bryant Park Special School and Liberty High Specialist Sports College, both based in different suburbs within one city in the north of England. We ask the following question: How are after‐school football initiatives, designed to enhance football opportunities and links between special and mainstream schools, being experienced by a range of stakeholders? In seeking to explore this question, we offer a series of critical non‐fiction narratives that capture the different ways in which a number of girls with learning disabilities, a male football coach and the male head teacher of a special school experience the realities of the football initiative. These tales illustrate not only the practical challenges of attempting to enhance football opportunities but also the theoretical challenges of exploring intersectional discourses concerned with girls, learning disability and girlhood.

This chapter highlights how the intersections of different identity markers, namely gender, culture, and religion contribute to a diversity of experiences for a group of young women who are often viewed homogenously. Categorical approaches often lead to comparisons between groups and, in the case of sport, Physical Education (PE), and physical activity, in relation to recommended guidelines. Large scale evaluations of PE highlight participation differences between particular groups of students. The young women were acutely aware of how competence and physical ability could mark them out as different. Drawing on Hill Collins’ matrix of domination in the research enabled an analysis of the multiple layers of challenges South Asian, Muslim young women face in their involvement in PE. With many of the young women at Woodstock High choosing not to wear the hijab during PE, the importance of acknowledging the locally situated cultural requirements of Muslim communities to ensure all needs are met is emphasised.

Background: Single- and mixed-sex grouping have long been a focus of attention in physical education (PE) and are matters often at the fore of discussions about curriculum planning, teaching, and learning. Nonetheless, there remains little consensus or guidance on which approach (or combination of approaches) should be preferred in PE in primary and secondary schools in England. Further, while single- and mixed-sex grouping have been extensively researched in PE in secondary schools, hitherto there remains an absence of research examining these practices in PE in primary schools. This research sought to address gaps in the literature to build a stronger evidence-base for decisions about gendered grouping practices in PE. Specifically, the study was designed to provide a snapshot of current single- and mixed-sex grouping arrangements in primary PE in England. Method: Data were collected via an online survey which was administered to all state-funded mainstream and special schools providing for children in Key Stage 1 (aged 5–7) and/or Key Stage 2 (aged 7–11) in the North-East of England (917 at the time of study). A total of 254 surveys were completed giving a response rate of 27.7%. Results: The responses indicate that nearly all schools were using mixed-sex grouping for PE, with children typically remaining in their mixed-sex form class and taught the same curriculum activities by their class teacher. Notably, no schools were using single-sex grouping for all PE lessons, although some were teaching combinations of single- and mixed-sex classes across different year groups and/or different activities of the curriculum. The responses also challenge the traditional dichotomous representation of single- and mixed-sex grouping by showing that some schools were grouping children into smaller single-sex groups within mixed-sex PE classes, particularly in activities requiring bodily contact. Some schools were also organising children into smaller mixed-sex groups within mixed-sex PE classes to encourage boys and girls to work together and support one another in their learning. Reported reasons for current grouping arrangements reflected both pragmatic considerations and perceived educational benefits of particular approaches, including school timetabling and consideration of gender equity in curriculum provision in PE. Conclusion: The conclusion calls for further research to explore the efficacy of single- and/or mixed-sex grouping in supporting and meeting the needs of all children in primary PE. Relatedly, we also highlight the importance of intersectional perspectives being brought to single- and mixed-sex grouping debates to inform the development of more nuanced, evidence-based policies and practices that promote inclusion and celebrate the diversity of children. We further suggest a need for research and policy to reconsider the language used in grouping practices to reflect commitments to gender diversity and gender equity.

There is substantial international literature on single- and mixed-sex grouping in physical education (PE), much of which focuses on the relative impact on students’ physical activity levels, perceived self-confidence and/or interactions with teachers and peers. A smaller body of research has explored students’ perspectives on single- and/or mixed-sex grouping in PE. However, much of this research is dated, limited in scope to a relatively small number of students from a small number of schools and/or dominated by binary thinking, with little recognition that students may express preferences for a combination of grouping approaches. This study was designed to extend previous research by generating large-scale data relating to cisgender students’ preferences for single-sex grouping, mixed-sex grouping or a combination of these approaches in secondary school PE. The study used an online survey to generate data from 2073 boys and 2161 girls (n = 4234) from 47 co-educational secondary schools located throughout England. Analysis of responses revealed that, overall, most boys and girls preferred single- (52.7%, n = 2231) to mixed-sex grouping (23.1%, n = 979) or combined arrangements in PE (24.2%, n = 1024). Further exploration of preferences showed variations by demographic and situational factors, including gender, ability, cultural background, familiarity with a particular approach and/or the nature of the learning situation. Discussion pursues the potential benefits and challenges that schools may face in adopting flexible, situation-specific, gendered grouping practices in PE. The paper affirms the importance of student voice in decisions that powerfully shape learning opportunities and experiences and in potentially assisting in advancing gender equity in PE.

25 years ago Scraton’s (1992) pivotal research on the reproduction of gender relations in girls’ Physical Education (PE) identified curricula, pedagogy and leadership as key. Since then our theoretical understandings have developed, most notably through the recognition of the significance of the intersections of gender with ethnicity, class and disability (Flintoff et al, 2008). Yet, continued concerns over girls’ health and disengagement in PE (Women’s Sports Foundation, 2012) suggest a need for contemporary empirical feminist work informed by these theoretical shifts (Kirk & Oliver, 2014). This presentation reports on a study that explored the extent to which PE policy and practice have shifted in the last 25 years and the role of contemporary PE in reproducing and challenging gender relations. The research was conducted in four schools serving diverse student populations, reflecting the change in school demographics since Scraton’s (1992) research. Elmhurst High and Woodside Secondary are co-educational, consisting predominantly of South Asian, Muslim students. Willetts Park, also co-educational, serves a predominantly White student population. Bliss Hill is an all-girl’s Islamic faith school. Similar to Scraton’s (1992) study, all schools are based in a socio-economically deprived area in the north of England. A critical interpretive, feminist lens was adopted and data were generated through 70 lesson observations of girls’ and boys’ PE and interviews with 10 PE teachers. Despite the introduction of a National Curriculum in 1992, the findings suggest that little has changed in PE content during the intervening years. Lessons are predominantly games based, with a traditional teacher-led pedagogy. The enduring practice of offering a differentiated curriculum to boys and girls, and teachers’ gendered assumptions about boys’ and girls’ abilities reinforces powerful gendered discourses around hegemonic masculinity, heteronormativity and ableism that inform identities, power relations and girls’ relationship with PE. Yet, this research also identified significant differences in practice. Whilst Scraton (1992) noted a key focus of PE to be the encouragement of active leisure interests, this study highlights the preoccupation with assessment and the measurement of competency in narrowly defined terms. This change in focus in linked to a broader remit within schools around achievement and is reflected in a preoccupation with school inspections, student league tables, and attainment targets. This accountability adds to the pressures experienced by teachers whose concerns and anxiety over high levels of surveillance and accountability becomes manifest within their lessons through a distinct lack of fun and enjoyment.

Background: Within physical education (PE) research in England, the focus on gender issues has predominantly been concerned with White, middle class, non-disabled girls' experiences, marginalizing girls falling outside these parameters. Purpose: Drawing on ‘middle ground’ thinking, using Hill Collins' matrix of domination and intersectionality, this paper reports on part of a larger study exploring how South Asian, Muslim girls experience, give meaning to, and negotiate physical activity in their daily lives. Specifically, this paper focuses on what the girls have to say about school-based PE and how this relates to their involvement in physical activity away from school. Research setting: The study is situated in one large, urban, co-educational, local authority school in Yorkshire, England. The school caters for 1850 11–18-year-old students; 95% of students are from minority ethnic communities; 76% classed as British Asian of Pakistani origin; 91% are Muslim; and 63% live in the top 10% most deprived neighborhoods in England. Data generation: Data were generated in three phases over two years including (a) in-depth observations of all girls in PE lessons, (b) the creation of research artifacts with 23 girls within four focus groups and (c) in-depth individual and paired interviews with 14 girls. Data analysis: Data analysis involved two levels. At the first level a ‘storyteller’ position was adopted. Here, each girl's multiple data sources were analyzed to craft a narrative for each of the 14 girls involved in all three phases of data generation. At the second level a ‘story analyst’ position was assumed. This involved analyzing all of the narratives in combination, following the constant comparison method to identify recurring themes. Findings: In analyzing across the girls' narratives key issues emerge including: (1) the girls as active agents, (2) the importance of social relations in girls' enjoyment and involvement in PE and (3) the PE–physical activity nexus. In combination, these findings illustrate diversity within the group. In demonstrating differences a number of the girls reveal some similar kinds of experiences to those of White girls from previous studies. For other girls, their positioning at the intersections of gender and ethnicity reflects some qualitatively different kinds of experiences. Conclusions: The findings challenge previous constructions of South Asian girls as different and ‘other’ from White girls. Moreover, they trouble stereotypes of these girls as passive, frail and oppressed. Many of the girls show themselves to be active agents in negotiating PE and physical activity opportunities. For some girls these negotiations had influenced after school provision. However, the school had not listened to girls' concerns regarding practices within the curriculum. Through collaboration, the school and its teachers could learn from the girls who repeatedly demonstrate their ability to be resourceful in negotiating challenges in their endeavors to be physically active. In valuing and acting upon their insights, South Asian, Muslim girls can become known for who they actually are, rather than who we think they should be.

This paper explores the physical education (PE) and physical activity experiences of a group of South Asian, Muslim girls, a group typically marginalised in PE and physical activity research. The study responds to ongoing calls for research to explore across different spaces in young people's lives. Specifically, I draw on a 'middle-ground' approach, using Hill Collins' matrix of domination and the notion of intersectionality. These concepts offer the possibility to explore the kinds of settings (physical, social and cultural) in which girls undertake PE and physical activity, how these spaces influence experience and how the girls navigate these spaces. The study is based in a large, urban, co-educational, secondary school in Yorkshire, England (95% of the students are from minority ethnic communities, 91% are Muslim and 63% live in the top 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in the country). Data generation involved three phases: observations, creating research artefacts in focus groups and in-depth interviews. The findings reveal the diverse ways the girls are physically active. They also demonstrate a complexity to their involvement which is contingent upon space, discourses and people. For example, discourses of competition, ability and peers are more significant within PE; whilst family, religion and culture feature beyond this context. The paper concludes by acknowledging the girls' heterogeneity and agency in the ways they strategically navigate spaces in their quest to be physically active on their terms. © 2014 Taylor & Francis.

Research that focuses on the home as a physical activity setting appears preoccupied with measuring activity. What is less researched is how the home is experienced as a physical activity context. This paper explores the physical activity experiences in and around the home of 13 South Asian, Muslim young women. Data were generated using participatory approaches in focus groups and individual interviews. The research highlights the home and vicinity, as a physical, social and cultural space, significant to these young women’s physical activity involvement. However, the home also emerges as an important site in the reproduction of gendered power relations. These young women recount the ways in which expectations on them to undertake traditional gender roles within the home can leave them with less time and energy to be physically active. Despite this, the young women suggest that positions other than ‘wife’ and ‘mother’ are envisaged for their future, not least in the ways in which they prioritise their education and schooling. The young women emerge as active agents who navigate diverse expectations and priorities to be physically active on their terms.

Whilst gender related research in Physical Education is extensive, what is less considered is the ways in which gendered power relations both influence and are reinforced by PE policy and practice. In this regard Scraton’s (1992) study has been pivotal in highlighting how PE contributes to young women’s understandings of themselves, their bodies and their place in the world. Through its structures, content, and delivery, PE reinforces messages around young women’s sexuality, physicality and motherhood. 25 years on from Scraton’s work, this study explores to what extent contemporary PE reproduces and challenges gendered power relations. Data were generated across four secondary schools in the north of England through observations (80 hours of boys’ and girls’ PE classes across two half terms) and semi structured interviews with 10 PE teachers. Using a middle ground feminist lens and Hill Collins’ (2000) matrix of domination as the theoretical framework, this presentation will explore the ways in which gendered power circulates across multiple sites. Moreover, this presentation will explore the interconnected ways in which gendered power relations operate within the daily routines of a PE department contributing to the reproduction of gendered difference and making resistance to the status quo difficult.

Internationally, there is a general concern with lower levels of engagement in sport by women and girls in comparison to men and boys. This concern has largely focused on active sports participation. The research discussed in this presentation takes a different perspective, foregrounding women as sports volunteers. Within England, sport is the third most common sector in which people volunteer and the Active People Survey (2014/15) reveals that two-fifths of sports volunteers are female. Quantitative research in sports volunteering has focused on satisfaction, decision-making, time and future intentions. Traditionally volunteering has been associated with altruism where volunteers have a lifelong commitment to support the group they are serving. More recently, this simplistic notion of volunteering has been extended through the development of a number of frameworks that offer a more complex understanding of volunteer motives, aspirations and commitment. This research draws upon these frameworks and aims to explore why and how women volunteer in sport. By taking a gendered analysis we explore the key factors and circumstances that facilitate and challenge participation in sports volunteering. Over 50 women and men were interviewed from three regions in England, across three contexts: core sports (boxing, rugby league, netball, cycling, tennis and disability sports); mass market sports (Park Run); and the non-sport/ leisure sector. This presentation focuses upon data generated from the core sports context and considers: (a) how life choices or circumstances influenced the frequency, consistency and amount of time that women could dedicate to volunteering, (b) the kinds of challenges women experienced in their quest to volunteer, (c) how they navigated these challenges, and (d) what governing bodies of sport can learn from these women’s experiences to better serve the needs of their women volunteers. These findings demonstrate that a number of gendered differences influence women’s sport volunteering experiences, and that the intersections of gender with disability and/or ethnicity lead to more or less favourable experiences for some volunteers. Many of the women experienced discriminatory stereotyping that influenced their volunteering and sense of wellbeing. Importantly, some women were able to draw on the support of others to navigate challenges and to enable positive personal outcomes. The findings offer a valuable resource for governing bodies of sport to enable them in their future planning, marketing, and training of their volunteer workforce. In so doing, they will be better placed to attract and retain more women in volunteering roles within their sport.

Background Despite increases in the ethnic diversity of the student population within English schools, there remains a distinct lack of Black and minority ethnic representation within the teaching profession. Research has explored the reasons behind this lacuna within education more broadly, highlighting discrimination, verbal abuse, lack of management support, and racial inequalities in pay and promotional opportunities contributing to Black and minority ethnic teachers feeling undervalued. However, within Physical Education (PE), a subject area where this gap is more pronounced, there has been less attention paid to the experiences of Black and minority ethnic teachers. Purpose This paper explores Black teachers’ lived experiences of becoming and being a PE teacher. Two tenets of Critical Race Theory (CRT) are drawn upon – the permanence of racism and counter-storytelling. These offer an interrogative lens to explore White norms and dominant discourses that render the education system inequitable. Method Semi-structured interviews with six self-identified Black PE teachers were used to generate data. Data were initially analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Then, in adopting the position of ‘storyteller’, these data were woven together and the themes reflected in a counterstory featuring three composite, fictional and data driven characters. Discussion The counterstory, featuring Shanice, Leon and Clive is offered, and demonstrates the permanence of racism through the multiplicity of overt and insidious ways it pervades all facets of these characters’ lives. After offering the story we discuss three key themes embedded within it: lack of representation; stereotyping; and acts of resistance. Conclusion In drawing the paper to a close we offer a number of concluding remarks about Shanice and Leon’s experiences. In so doing, we highlight some strategies that can be initiated within schools and higher education that might help to increase the representation of Black educators at all levels of the profession, promote more equitable practice, and better support Black teachers to fulfil their teaching aspirations. The paper ends by recognising the usefulness of counter-storytelling before we contemplate how, as an authorship team, we can extend this research.

This article focuses on young people with disabilities and mainstream physical education in England. Within this context there have been unprecedented levels of funding and resources directed towards physical education in order to support more inclusive physical education experiences for all young people, including those with disabilities. Physical education holds a unique place within the school curriculum; it is a subject area where the physicality of students is publicly exposed to others (including teachers, classmates, and support staff). There are likely to be some tensions around physical education and its relationship with students with disabilities. In particular, it is claimed that physical education was conceived of, and continues to be practiced, in a normative way. By drawing on interview data from three young people with disabilities, non-fictional narratives are used to re-present their identities at the intersections of schooling, physical education and disability. These narratives offer insights about how physical education impacts on various aspects of social life including home, family, friends and other school subjects.

Participatory research with young people has become an approach increasingly adopted by researchers within PE and sport. In this paper, we draw on our research diaries to collectively reflect on our experiences of attempting to work in participatory ways. Although we each work with different young people and have adopted differing participatory approaches, there are similarities in our research experiences. This includes recurring accounts of ‘muddling through’ and messiness occupying our reflections. We are also struck by the absence of concern within the literature to reveal the messiness of research. In light of our shared musings about participatory research with different young people, this paper offers some preliminary thoughts about our experiences of dealing with this messiness. We take as our focus the increasing concerns to support rights-based research that advocates inclusion, participation and empowerment, and draw on our research to explore how these features were worked towards. In these discussions we are open about the limitations of the research, challenges encountered and the resultant messiness arising. Our conclusion turns to what it might mean if researchers were more transparent about the usually unpredictable, messy and confusing situations that arise in the practice of doing participatory research with young people.

This report focuses on research commissioned by The Football Association (FA) and conducted by Leeds Beckett University. The research explored The FA’s Coaching Disabled Footballers’ (CDF) course which has been running since 2004. This study primarily focused on the experiences of those involved in organising, delivering and participating in the FA CDF course. The research adopted a multi-method approach and included the generation of questionnaire data from 408 CDF course participants. Five County FA case studies were undertaken and within these 25 interviews were completed (with County FA Officers, CDF Tutors and CDF course participants). Two CDF courses were attended and a secure Facebook group established for participants from these two courses. In addition, a web presence audit and an international benchmarking exercise were completed.

Conference presentation about Black and Minority Ethnic teachers' experiences of becoming and being a Physical Education teacher

Background Despite increases in the ethnic diversity of the student population within English schools, there remains a distinct lack of Black and minority ethnic representation within the teaching profession. Research has explored the reasons behind this lacuna within education more broadly, highlighting discrimination, verbal abuse, lack of management support, and racial inequalities in pay and promotional opportunities contributing to Black and minority ethnic teachers feeling undervalued. However, within Physical Education (PE), a subject area where this gap is more pronounced, there has been less attention paid to the experiences of Black and minority ethnic teachers. Purpose This paper explores Black teachers’ lived experiences of becoming and being a PE teacher. Two tenets of Critical Race Theory (CRT) are drawn upon – the permanence of racism and counter-storytelling. These offer an interrogative lens to explore White norms and dominant discourses that render the education system inequitable. Method Semi-structured interviews with six self-identified Black PE teachers were used to generate data. Data were initially analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Then, in adopting the position of ‘storyteller’, these data were woven together and the themes reflected in a counterstory featuring three composite, fictional and data driven characters. Discussion The counterstory, featuring Shanice, Leon and Clive is offered, and demonstrates the permanence of racism through the multiplicity of overt and insidious ways it pervades all facets of these characters’ lives. After offering the story we discuss three key themes embedded within it: lack of representation; stereotyping; and acts of resistance. Conclusion In drawing the paper to a close we offer a number of concluding remarks about Shanice and Leon’s experiences. In so doing, we highlight some strategies that can be initiated within schools and higher education that might help to increase the representation of Black educators at all levels of the profession, promote more equitable practice, and better support Black teachers to fulfil their teaching aspirations. The paper ends by recognising the usefulness of counter-storytelling before we contemplate how, as an authorship team, we can extend this research.

D/deaf people are often ignored within sports research. This paper centralizes the experiences of four D/deaf athletes who have competed in the Deaflympics and offers some insights about their socialization into sport. The key questions addressed are: (1) What are the key factors enabling D/deaf athletes’ involvement and progression in elite D/deaf sport? (2) What are the key challenges D/deaf athletes face when participating and progressing in D/deaf sport? Findings from the interviews suggest that early specialization into sport does not include exposure to Deaf sport.

This paper connects with practitioners and scholars in sport management regarding the utility of adopting narrative inquiry, and more specifically stories as a medium to re-present research findings. We map out the broad field of narrative inquiry and also discuss what features are required to constitute stories. Drawing from some sport management research undertaken on behalf of The English Football Association, we offer one story crafted to re-present data generated. We discuss the benefits and challenges of using stories as a means of data re-presentation. The paper concludes by offering our thoughts regarding the contributions stories make to research in sport management.

In this article, we explore the footballing experiences of girls with learning disabilities. We situate our article within an after‐school football initiative that sought to forge a partnership between Bryant Park Special School and Liberty High Specialist Sports College, both based in different suburbs within one city in the north of England. We ask the following question: How are after‐school football initiatives, designed to enhance football opportunities and links between special and mainstream schools, being experienced by a range of stakeholders? In seeking to explore this question, we offer a series of critical non‐fiction narratives that capture the different ways in which a number of girls with learning disabilities, a male football coach and the male head teacher of a special school experience the realities of the football initiative. These tales illustrate not only the practical challenges of attempting to enhance football opportunities but also the theoretical challenges of exploring intersectional discourses concerned with girls, learning disability and girlhood.

Research that focuses on the home as a physical activity setting appears preoccupied with measuring activity. What is less researched is how the home is experienced as a physical activity context. This paper explores the physical activity experiences in and around the home of 13 South Asian, Muslim young women. Data were generated using participatory approaches in focus groups and individual interviews. The research highlights the home and vicinity, as a physical, social and cultural space, significant to these young women’s physical activity involvement. However, the home also emerges as an important site in the reproduction of gendered power relations. These young women recount the ways in which expectations on them to undertake traditional gender roles within the home can leave them with less time and energy to be physically active. Despite this, the young women suggest that positions other than ‘wife’ and ‘mother’ are envisaged for their future, not least in the ways in which they prioritise their education and schooling. The young women emerge as active agents who navigate diverse expectations and priorities to be physically active on their terms.

This scoping review brings together, for the first time, research spanning five decades focusing on Muslim students’ experiences of physical education (PE). In taking stock of this work, it advances knowledge by mapping how understandings of the relationship between religion and PE have developed, whilst identifying new avenues of inquiry. Therefore, this scoping review is a useful resource for pedagogues and other stakeholders to reflect on current PE policy and practice to ensure they are best serving their Muslim students’ needs. Two questions are addressed: ‘How has research developed understandings regarding Muslim students’ experiences of PE?’ and ‘What lessons can be learnt to support more inclusive experiences for Muslim students?’ A six-stage methodological approach was utilised: (1) identifying research question(s); (2) searching for studies; (3) selection; (4) charting data; (5) summarising results; and (6) expert consultation. A systematic literature search using key words (Islam, Muslim, Physical Education) identified 141 outputs. Using inclusion/exclusion criteria, 47 remained. The findings offer (a) a summary of the characteristics of the work reviewed, including growth of the field, research location, contexts, participants and methodological issues, and (b) a critical commentary, identifying a preoccupation with particular identities, the significance of acknowledging heterogeneity, and the problematic positioning of Muslim students. The paper concludes with some future research recommendations, including the need for research exploring Muslim boys' and young men's experiences, adopting alternative theoretical approaches, exploring different contexts and re-orientating how research is undertaken ‘with’ young people.

Visiting Natural Green Spaces (NGS) is an important lifestyle factor that contributes to quality of life. Whilst NGS can be used to combat health issues, many of which are experienced by South Asian Muslim communities in the UK, it is concerning that such communities face the largest disparities in access to NGS compared to other ethnic minority groups. This paper responds to the paucity in research of South Asian people’s experiences of NGS. Data were generated through individual semi-structured interviews with 20 South Asian Muslim men and women. Using Bourdieu’s concepts of field, habitus and capital, data underwent thematic analysis. This paper reports on the key findings of the study: defining the field of NGS; enhancing wellbeing in NGS; and challenges of accessing NGS. The study concludes that we understand NGS as fields in which capital is shaped by race, religion and gender, and provides suggestions for how policy and practice can consider NGS in health enhancing interventions.

Young women’s relationship with physical activity has been explored extensively, yet the focus is often upon young women who are White. This paper considers South Asian, Muslim young women’s experiences of physical activity and how these are influenced by family. A ‘middle ground’ feminist approach is used, drawing upon the work of Hill Collins [(2000). Black feminist thought: Knowledge, consciousness, and the politics of empowerment. London: Routledge] and Hamzeh [(2012). Pedagogies of deveiling: Muslim girls and the hijab discourse (critical AQ2 construction). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing were generated with 13 young women using participatory approaches in focus group settings, and individual interviews. This research highlights how the young women’s families can both enable and challenge opportunities and involvement in physical activity. The paper discusses how gender and religion intersect with family and wider community to influence experiences in multiple, diverse and fluid ways. The young women’s narratives suggest that experiences are not determined solely by these influences; rather, they emerge as active agents negotiating different contextual challenges in their quest to be physically active.

This chapter argues for the continuing importance of feminist praxis in PE. It draws on recent research that responds to calls for more middle-ground theorizing in PE to explore difference and inequality, and for the use of creative methods in research practice with young people. The first example explores black and minority ethnic student teachers’ experiences of their PE teacher education, going beyond earlier, “single-issue” approaches that focus on gender and PETE to address how gender is interwoven with race and ethnicity (and other relations of power). The second example focuses on using innovative methods to understand the diverse PE experiences of South Asian, Muslim girls. In so doing, it challenges dominant conceptions of “femininity” as homogeneous and problematizes simplistic views of Muslim girls’ (dis)engagement. The chapter concludes by pointing to areas where future feminist praxis in PE would be valuable.

This chapter details our journey of discovery into the world of arts-based research (ABR). Starting with a defining of the field, we then outline some benefits and challenges of engaging with ABR. After this, we explore what ABR has to offer those researching in disability and PE and sport. In so doing, we take a critical lens to some of our own work and consider this in relation to Chilton and Leavy’s six criteria for ABR. Overall, this chapter offers an introduction to anyone interested in exploring the possibilities of using ABR as part of their future methodologies.

It is often claimed that physical education and school sport (PESS) can provide opportunities to transform the lives of those who participate. Research has consistently reported a variety of benefits for engaging in PESS. The development of fundamental movement skills, positive personal, social and health outcomes, and employability and life skills including teamwork, respect, resilience, trust, working with others and leadership have been well rehearsed (Coalter, 2007; Coalter, Theeboom and Truyens, 2020; Holt, 2008). Other suggested benefits include enhanced feelings of belonging (Jones et al., 2020), combatting loneliness (Sport England, 2023), and improving pupils’ attention, engagement and behaviour within school lessons (Daly-Smith et al., 2018; Norris et al., 2020). It is also well documented that physical health and mental wellbeing can be improved through PESS and physical activity (Girlguiding, 20221; Sport England, 2023; World Health Organisation, 2020). This latter aspect is particularly important with ongoing concerns regarding young people’s mental health, and the rise in referral rates to mental health services (NHS Digital, 20232; Sport England, 2023).

Transgender inclusion has become a prominent issue on the agendas of policy makers in education and sport in recent years. Despite this, teachers face continued challenges in providing inclusive experiences for transgender young people. This is particularly apparent in PE, which is a unique subject in its potential to perpetuate gender norms. There is a growing body of literature exploring LGBTQ+ issues in PE. However, there is a need to consider how trans* young people’s experiences may differ from their LGB counterparts. A small number of existing studies offer insight into the experiences of trans* youth in PE. However, comparatively little is known about the challenges faced by PE teachers in providing inclusive PE experiences for trans* young people. This paper presents a creative non-fiction monologue that reflects findings from seven interviews with secondary school PE teachers about their experiences of working with trans* young people. We draw on a ‘feminist-queer’ theoretical approach to examine the potential for PE pedagogies to reproduce, disrupt and transform binary gender discourse. Findings present three key themes: (1) teachers’ knowledge and understanding of trans* identities in PE; (2) trans* challenges to PE practice; and (3) moving towards trans*-inclusive PE. We conclude by arguing that the benefits of trans*-inclusive approaches to PE are far-reaching, and extend to all young people.

This chapter explores the relationship between sports development and social justice, focusing on community sports development policy and practice within the UK. Social justice is conceptualised as the equitable distribution of resources and opportunities, while sports development is framed in the chapter as the intentional use of sport to address societal inequalities and injustices. Despite persistent systemic barriers, sport is often heralded as a tool for promoting inclusion, reducing inequalities, and empowering communities. The chapter critiques these assumptions and highlights the complexities of achieving social justice through sport. Using StreetGames as a case study, four best-practice principles are proposed: emphasising place-based strategies, prioritising community development approaches, adopting holistic, joined-up methods to understand and tackle social inequalities, and prioritising robust monitoring and evaluation. These principles challenge traditional top-down methodologies, advocating for sustainable, community sports development programmes that address root causes of injustice. While sport holds potential as a catalyst for systemic change, achieving genuine social justice requires the sector to work holistically to align sports development with broader societal reforms.

A number of recent Managing Sport and Leisure commentaries have explored how COVID-19 is touching sport. Our commentary adds to these discussions by considering COVID-19, lockdown and (disability) sport. This is especially pertinent given the positioning of disabled people as particularly “vulnerable” in relation to current political discourse. Four key points of discussion are focused upon. First, we explore how the media has attended to issues concerning (disability) sport during lockdown. Second, consideration is given to how sporting and physical activity opportunities have been promoted during lockdown. Third, we focus on the notion of inclusion and explore the ways in which this has thrived during lockdown. Fourth, attention is given to community (disability) sport post-lockdown and what this may mean for disability sport. We conclude by arguing that the future legacy of lockdown and COVID-19 will tell us much about how disabled people have really been embraced within sport.

Background: School populations in England continue to diversify, particularly in relation to ethnicity, language, and Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Yet research demonstrates that Physical Education (PE) often remains structured, organised and delivered in ways that privilege White, male, cisgender, heterosexual, non-disabled students. Whilst the experiences of those students marginalised within PE have been explored, a single-issue approach dominates. That is, disability, ethnicity or gender have often been researched in isolation. More recently an intersectional lens has been used to consider young people’s multiple identities and how these simultaneously influence experiences of PE. However, much of this research has focused on two identities, for example gender and ethnicity, or gender and disability. Purpose: This paper offers insights regarding the ways that disability, ethnicity and gender intertwine to influence the PE experiences of five girls attending an English secondary school, Hillside High. Methods: Data were generated over two years through focus group interviews and observations of PE lessons. Using a narrative approach to data re-presentation, five stories are presented to reflect the girls’ experiences. Findings and Conclusion: Following the narratives, three themes are discussed: the (ir)relevance of PE; the importance of peer relationships; and school-imposed labels. In concluding, we explore how privilege, inequality, and difference operate; the differences between girls who share identity categories; and consider the utility of adopting an intersectional lens.

Internationally, there is a general concern with lower levels of engagement in sport by women and girls in comparison to men and boys. This concern has largely focused on active sports participation. The research discussed in this presentation takes a different perspective, foregrounding women as sports volunteers. In England, sport is the third most common sector in which people volunteer and the Active People Survey (2014/15) reveals that two-fifths of sports volunteers are female. Quantitative research in sports volunteering has focused on satisfaction, decision-making, time and future intentions. Traditionally volunteering has been associated with altruism where volunteers have a lifelong commitment to support the group they are serving. More recently, this simplistic notion of volunteering has been extended through the development of a number of frameworks that offer a more complex understanding of volunteer motives, aspirations and commitment. This research draws upon these frameworks and aims to explore why and how women volunteer in sport. By taking a gendered analysis we explore the key factors and circumstances that facilitate and challenge participation in sports volunteering. 64 women and men were interviewed from three regions in England, across three contexts: core sports (boxing, rugby league, netball, cycling, tennis and disability sports); mass market sports (Park Run); and the non-sport/ leisure sector. This presentation focuses upon data generated from the core sports context and considers findings relating to: (a) how life choices or circumstances influenced the frequency, consistency and amount of time that women could dedicate to volunteering, (b) the kinds of challenges women experienced in their quest to volunteer, (c) how they navigated these challenges, and (d) what governing bodies of sport can learn from these women's experiences to better serve the needs of their women volunteers. These findings demonstrate that a number of gendered differences influence women's sport volunteering experiences, and that the intersections of gender with disability and/or ethnicity lead to more or less favourable experiences for some volunteers. Many of the women experienced discriminatory stereotyping that influenced their volunteering and sense of wellbeing. Importantly, some women were able to draw on the support of others to navigate challenges and enable positive personal outcomes. The findings offer a valuable resource for governing bodies of sport to help their future planning, marketing, and training of their volunteer workforce. In so doing, they will be better placed to attract a wider range of women volunteers within their sport.

Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield are iconic Leeds Rhinos ex-rugby league players. In recent years they have collectively engaged in charitable work for the motor neurone disease (MND), a condition Rob was diagnosed with in 2019. One of their recent challenges was to participate in the ‘Run For All’ 2022 Leeds 10K road race. Kevin pushed Rob around the course in an adapted wheelchair. This kind of ‘assisted running’ has only recently become permissible in road race events. In this paper we present a commentary on the position of Rob and, by implication, Kevin in the ‘Run For All’ Leeds 10K as a symbol of contemporary discourse about disability and sports participation in society. Specifically, we consider the following questions: 1) What does it mean to be included and participate in sport? 2) How does the visibility of Rob in this event challenge the disability/ability binary? And 3) What role do non-disabled allies play in shaping perceptions of their disabled counterparts in sport? By exploring these questions, we contend that it should not matter that Rob and Kevin took on different roles, moved in different ways, and received different kinds of support. These facets of their collective participation signal the possibilities that open up when consideration is given to the ‘normality of doing things differently’. In concluding we argue that Rob and Kevin’s participation in the Leeds 10K represents the possibilities of what road races can become if some of the taken for granted conventions in sport are reconsidered.

In recent years, Physical Education (PE) has seen a growth in the commitment to youth voice research. This approach foregrounds the practice of researching with young people, rather than conducting research on or about them. Whilst we are cognisant of the many possibilities youth voice research offers, we are also concerned that there is a tendency to overlook the challenges of supporting youth voice activities. This paper draws on our collective reflections to bring to the fore some of the complexities we have encountered when attempting to engage in school-based youth voice research. We explore the following questions: How can youth voice research engage with different young people to capture a diversity of voices? What are the challenges of undertaking youth voice research? What are the possibilities of change through youth voice research? We consider these questions by drawing upon four principles of student voice work including communication as dialogue, participation and democratic inclusivity, unequal power relations, and change and transformation. We use these principles to critique our own research and, in doing so, draw on entries from our research diaries. The paper questions whether young people need help to share their insights and experiences about PE, or whether it is us - researchers, teachers and schools - who need help to more readily recognize and be attentive to young people's voices. We also point to the importance of recognizing modest change through youth voice research and the need to secure adult allies to support activities and potential outcomes. Engaging in youth voice research is an immersive and messy encounter that involves navigating a journey that is anything but straightforward. Even though this is the case, our moral and ethical compass continues to point us in this direction and we remain firm advocates of youth voice work. This paper offers a starting point for others to begin to grapple with the pitfalls and possibilities when supporting youth voice research.

© 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This paper focuses on part of a research project that considers women’s sports volunteering experiences. Specifically, we draw on interview data with four women boxing volunteers. Research focusing on boxing and gender has largely been preoccupied with the politics of women’s inclusion in competitive boxing, media coverage, and women boxers’ gendered identities. Less attention is given to women who volunteer within boxing clubs. Theoretically we use feminist-queer thinking, which challenges structural constraints whilst incorporating post-structural and queer deconstructive approaches towards understanding the gendered body. To re-present the women’s accounts we offer a story, ‘The boxing gym: A women’s volunteering story’, and discuss three themes: women as an exception in boxing; women having to prove themselves; and women’s sense of belonging within their boxing community. Our closing remarks highlight the precarious position of women volunteers in boxing and reiterate their role as pivotal constituents in sustaining the future of boxing communities.

The authors report on findings from part of a larger research project ‘Gender in Volunteering Research’ (GiVR). Data were collected from 24 women volunteers in 3 contexts—cycling, parkrun, and the broader field of leisure to explore the ways these women volunteer— including a consideration of the key challenges they face and how they overcome them. By taking a gendered analysis and drawing on feminist middle ground thinking, the authors extend current qualitative research within volunteering. Findings suggest the en/gendering of volunteering is evident within volunteer organisations through the ways in which gender influences the roles and volunteering experiences within these settings. Personal circumstances also mediate the en/gendering of volunteering and the women in this study were aware of how they needed to negotiate these so they could continue their volunteer activities. The authors highlight the need for sport organisations to be more caring and interested in their volunteers’ lives and circumstances.

This paper explores the physical activity experiences of a group of women based in England, and who are over the age of 30. This particular age group represent a ‘forgotten’ age, that is, they are largely ignored in academic scholarship, policy and physical activity provision. The paper explores how this group of women ‘re/engaged’ in physical activity after a sustained period of inactivity. The study is situated in a weekly football initiative (Monday Night Footy) based in the north of England, managed and organised by a group of women for women to train and play five-a-side football. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and the use of photo-biographical boards with 11 women, all of whom are regular participants to the football sessions. We use a middle ground feminist lens and Archer’s notion of ‘fr/agility’ to help make sense of the women’s experiences. From these women’s stories three key findings emerge: (a) Biographies of (in)activity – the ways in which relationships with physical activity can be characterised by fractures and fissures despite seemingly positive early physical activity experiences; (b) Pathways of re/engagement – the motives and enablers to these women once again participating in physical activity after a sustained absence; and (c) Monday Night Footy as a space for re/engagement – the ways in which this context contributes to these women’s continued involvement in football and broader physical activity. The paper concludes by offering policy makers and physical activity providers some recommendations alongside considerations for future research.

This chapter takes as a central focus Barbie Becky Paralympic Champion (1999). Becky is one of the many Barbie dolls produced by the toy manufacturer Mattel and is a wheelchair user. For many young people these dolls can hold significant currency that contributes towards defining the ways in which they embody femininity (and/or masculinity). We draw on critical disability studies and queer theory to better understand how Becky disrupts and reproduces unified representations of the sporting female. The existence of Becky could be interpreted as a forward-thinking attempt by Mattel to diversify the range of identities available to young people. A more critical engagement with Becky demonstrates that she is nonetheless a product of a neo-liberal industry that reproduces patterns of inequality.

This paper explores the physical activity experiences of a group of women based in England, and who are over the age of 30. This particular age group represent a ‘forgotten’ age, that is, they are largely ignored in academic scholarship, policy and physical activity provision. The paper explores how this group of women ‘re/engaged’ in physical activity after a sustained period of inactivity. The study is situated in a weekly football initiative (Monday Night Footy) based in the north of England, managed and organised by a group of women for women to train and play five-a-side football. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and the use of photo-biographical boards with 11 women, all of whom are regular participants to the football sessions. We use a middle ground feminist lens and Archer's notion of ‘fr/agility’ to help make sense of the women's experiences. From these women's stories three key findings emerge: (a) Biographies of (in)activity–the ways in which relationships with physical activity can be characterised by fractures and fissures despite seemingly positive early physical activity experiences; (b) Pathways of re/engagement–the motives and enablers to these women once again participating in physical activity after a sustained absence; and (c) Monday Night Footy as a space for re/engagement–the ways in which this context contributes to these women's continued involvement in football and broader physical activity. The paper concludes by offering policy makers and physical activity providers with some recommendations alongside considerations for future research.

The development of the Women's Super League (WSL) in English football, increased media coverage of the game, and an expansion of grassroots opportunities indicate a bright future for women and girls who want to play. Yet this vision must be tempered against compelling evidence of deep rooted and enduring gender inequalities within the game. This is the case for both players, and women who undertake non-playing roles, which is reflected in the relatively low numbers of women coaches and referees. Whilst The Football Association (The FA) has signalled addressing these inequalities as a key priority, critics argue that such efforts amount to superficial and limited efforts to support meaningful change. This paper departs from a concern with playing the game and responds to calls for more research to explore the experiences of women involved in football in non-playing roles. More specifically, it focuses on women coaches and referees, and addresses the following question: how do women in positions of power in football negotiate their place in what remains a distinctly male-dominated profession? In addressing this question, we take a theoretical position located at the nexus between radical and post-structural feminism, acknowledging the significance of structural power relations and individual agency in shaping daily lived social realities. Data were generated from interviews with 14 women coaches and 10 women referees. These interviews explored the structure and culture of the game and its impact on women's experiences of men's and women's competitive and grassroots football. Through a rigorous process of thematic analysis, three themes were identified: gendered entry into football careers; reinforcement of women's difference on the football field; and coping strategies for remaining in the game. Centralising the women's voices in this research highlights the insidious and persistent nature of gendered microaggressions, the sexism of football culture, and the ways in which these women negotiate this masculine terrain in their pursuit of being coaches and referees. “Andy Gray and Richard Keys hauled off air for sexist comments” (The Guardian, 24 January, 2011) “Crystal Palace Women goalkeeper accuses clubs of ignoring FA protocols after she was subjected to sexist abuse” (The Telegraph, 16 January, 2020) “Football manager demands ban on women referees” (The Guardian, 12 November, 2006) “Richard Scudamore sexism scandal intensifies as conspirator in sexist emails investigated by own law firm” (The Telegraph, 16 May, 2014) “Soccer chief's plan to boost women's game? Hotpants” (The Guardian, 16 January, 2004) “Women in Football survey a damning indictment of sexism in the workplace” (HRreview, 11 March, 2014) “Clattenburg criticised for claim female referees must pick career or children” (The Telegraph, 1 October, 2021)

Scraton’s [1992. Shaping up to womanhood: Gender and girls’ physical education. Open University Press] ground breaking research highlighted how Physical Education (PE) contributed to the reproduction of gender power relations; more specifically, how three messages around motherhood, sexuality and physicality, reflected through PE’s structures, activities and delivery, contributed to young women’s sense of self. Twenty five years on, this paper explores how contemporary PE reproduces and challenges gender power relations in four English secondary schools. Data were generated from eighty hours of observations of PE lessons, and eight semi-structured interviews with PE teachers. Guided by Hill Collins’ [2000. Black feminist thought: Knowledge, consciousness, and the politics of empowerment. Routledge] four domains (structural, disciplinary, hegemonic, interpersonal) underpinning the matrix of domination the findings demonstrate that gender remains a visible organising feature in the structural arrangements of PE. Moreover, teachers’ gendered beliefs and assumptions circulating within the hegemonic domain, and actions in the disciplinary domain, ensure that students embody their gender in appropriate ways. Furthermore, a consistency of practice was evident in teachers’ pedagogy despite differences in the schools’ cohorts. Similar blocks of teaching activities and a performance-based pedagogy failed to include difference. We suggest this is unsurprising and unlikely to change with the current National Curriculum promoting a performative, PE as sport discourse, and teacher training not conducive to developing teachers who can engage with difference and challenge inequalities. As such, PE continues to reinforce gender power relations and gender differences. By drawing upon the matrix, the need for change to occur at different levels and contexts is identified. To this end, teacher training must do better in developing the next generation of teachers who are willing and able to critique the status quo and work with girls to advocate for change. Relatedly, we draw attention to what can be achieved when power is shared through a democratic pedagogy that values girls’ voices and recognises them as co-collaborators in curriculum design.

Our ‘Belonging Framework’ is designed for those working in sports organisations. Evidence-informed, grounded in lived experiences, and created from a significant body of research from an internationally leading team of researchers in this area, its purpose is to move our thinking, conversations, and actions from a compliance or transactional approach to one that is more transformative and person-centred. Its value is in reframing the issue of inclusion, challenging our thinking and shifting our sense of responsibility through a focus on four anchors. Feeling Seen - Recognising individuals for both their performance and the unique life experiences they bring to the workplace. It’s about celebrating diversity in all its forms and ensuring people see themselves reflected across roles and leadership in the organisation. Feeling Heard: Providing employees with opportunities to voice their ideas and concerns, and then acting on them. Open, transparent dialogue in safe spaces is essential for driving meaningful change. Feeling Known: Employees want to be understood as unique individuals, with opportunities to connect meaningfully across teams and levels. Holistic understanding of both their professional roles and life outside work is key. Feeling Valued: Knowing your work and authentic self are respected, celebrated, and needed. A supportive culture that prioritises growth, development, and work-life balance is critical.

Our two new courses are all about supporting teenagers make the most of their sport participation, be it at the grassroots or performance level. In MOOC 4, “Maximising Sport Participation and Engagement in Youth Sport”, we look at the youth sport dropout phenomenon and explore what we can do to help young people stay in sport for life. In MOOC 5, “Developing Effective Talent Development Environments”. we explore what “talent” is and what effective and holistic talent development environments look like.

The idea for this Special Issue, ‘Gender, Physical Education and Active Lifestyles: Contemporary Challenges and New Directions’ developed from the interest generated by a one day conference held at Leeds Beckett University in September 2017. The conference marked 25 years since the publication of Sheila Scraton’s ground breaking, feminist analysis of Physical Education. As a pivotal text that has contributed to the growth of gender research within the UK and more broadly, it seemed fitting to mark this occasion. The reach of Sheila’s work was perhaps realised through the delegate body. Early career researchers mingled with established scholars from America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the UK. Building on this conference and a wider call for papers, we are delighted to offer two Special Issues of Sport, Education and Society. The first issue engages explicitly with the challenge of theorising and understanding gendered subjectivities and embodiment across a range of contexts. These papers reflect the diversity of theoretical approaches being employed with some drawing on feminist perspectives, and others using Bourdieu, intersectionality, critical whiteness studies, and masculinity studies. The collection of papers in the second issue seek to examine the different ways in which gender becomes implicated in pedagogical relations and practice. These range from accounts of teachers’ struggles to use critical pedagogies to address gender inequities in PE classes, to analyses of the wider pedagogical ‘work’ of the media in constructing understandings about gender, with several papers exploring these two aspects in combination. We hope you enjoy reading the papers across these two Special Issues as much as we have enjoyed the journey as the editorial team. Collectively the papers raise alternative questions and provide new insights into gender and active lifestyles, and importantly, all seek to make a difference in moving towards more equitable physical activity experiences.

Historically, practice within physical education (PE) has tended to treat students the same, without accounting for difference. This has generated much research interest within the field. Importantly, research on difference and experience within PE has commonly adopted a ‘single-issue’ approach, which considers individual identity positions in isolation (Penney, 2002). For example, there have been many studies which consider the influence of disability or ethnicity or gender (for example, Hills, 2007; Barker, 2017; Maher et al., 2019a). In contrast, this research attends to notions of difference within PE by utilising an intersectional framework. This builds on a growing body of research in PE that adopts this framework (for example, Oliver and Hamzeh, 2010; Stride, 2014; Haegele et al., 2018; Thorjussen and Sisjord, 2018). Inspired by the core principles of intersectionality, outlined by Hill Collins and Bilge (2016), I specifically focus upon the intersections of disability, ethnicity and gender to explore how multiple differences influence girls’ experiences in PE. Data generation took place over a two-year period in a secondary school in the north of England. This school has higher than the national average numbers of ethnic-minority students (90%) and students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (15%). Thirteen girls aged 11 and 12 took part in a qualitative research project, ‘PE and Me’, which included focus group discussions and the generation of research artefacts. Data were also generated through observations before, during and after the ‘PE and Me’ project. Data analysis involved two phases. First, I adopted a storyteller position, presenting each student’s experience in the form of a narrative. Second, I took a narrative analyst position (Smith, 2016a), drawing out patterns and themes emerging from all of the narratives. The findings demonstrate the complex and fluid nature of each girl’s experience in PE. Experiences are influenced by a myriad of factors, including the structure and delivery of PE, the context of the school, and peer relationships. The complex construction of identity leads to different experiences as the girls move across spaces and interact with different people, leading to moments of privilege and marginalisation. These findings have important implications for future research within PE, calling for a more nuanced understanding of sameness and difference, and a more critical examination of the methodological approaches used when researching with students. Moreover, this thesis calls for practitioners to better recognise the ways in which differences are created through practice, to ensure a more equitable experience is had by all.No description supplied

Our two new courses are all about supporting teenagers make the most of their sport participation, be it at the grassroots or performance level. In MOOC 4, “Maximising Sport Participation and Engagement in Youth Sport”, we look at the youth sport dropout phenomenon and explore what we can do to help young people stay in sport for life. In MOOC 5, “Developing Effective Talent Development Environments”. we explore what “talent” is and what effective and holistic talent development environments look like.

Research Overview: This research project, commissioned by BUCS and undertaken by the Centre for Social Justice in Sport and Society at Leeds Beckett University, was designed to respond to the recognition that volunteers from diverse ethnic backgrounds are underrepresented within university football, and as participants in BUCS football leadership programmes. The project sought to understand how football clubs, universities, and BUCS can contribute to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in volunteering by producing insight to: • Understand who is engaged and not engaged in university football volunteering. • Gain insight into the football volunteer experience. • Identify the contextual conditions that enable or constrain volunteer engagement.

Working within the Centre for Social Justice in Sport and Society (CSJ) at Leeds Beckett University, UK, has provided opportunities for the authorship team to work with sports organisations on issues of equity, diversity and inclusion. What has become increasingly apparent is the need to conceive inclusion in ways that move beyond issues of access and participation, a policy or targeted programme. What emerges across our research projects is the significance of belonging to inclusion. Within this paper we offer insights into the embodiment of belonging through four processes – feeling seen, heard, valued and known which form our ‘Anchors of Belonging’ framework. We bring each anchor to life using examples from the CSJ’s research portfolio. We pose several reflective questions organisations might use as a guide to leverage the anchors and adopt a more proactive ­person-centred approach to create an inclusive environment for their workforce.