'We Can All Make Our Own Choices’: Using a Feminist Participatory Action Research Approach to Explore and Mobilize the Experiences of Athletes in a Girls-Only Community Sport Program

Abstract

To belong is different from being included. Belonging involves feeling like you not only have a voice, but that your voice is being heard and appreciated. This study explored this idea in the realm of youth sport through partnering with a community-based organization that provides sport programming for girls from equity-deserving groups. Utilizing a feminist participatory action research (FPAR) approach and the qualitative method of photovoice, the lived experiences of 4 athletes participating in the organization’s recreational soccer program were captured. Aligning with the action component of FPAR and tenets of knowledge mobilization, their voices were amplified through various mobilization strategies to create actionable social impact and better ensure the participants felt heard by people who play a role in shaping their sporting experiences. Overall, the findings demonstrate the value of listening and learning from a diverse set of voices in the development, delivery, and evaluation of youth sport programming.