International Women's day is a day of celebration, the celebration of women, our achievements and the strides women have made for equal rights. The day that celebrates women however also brings to the forefront the challenges women and girls still face in society and the game we love. The successes of women in football are highlighted everywhere, from the Lionesses to the strides of coaches such as Emma Hayes and Carla Ward, and hosts & pundits such as Alex Scott, Karen Carney being regular fixtures on our screens. Women's involvement in the game is changing and becoming ever more influential. 2022 was the year for women’s football and women in football - the lionesses bring football home, the “let girls play” biggest ever football session, Emma Hayes’ Chelsea’s three in a row, the list of what women have achieved is astounding. What the pros have achieved is incredible however, over the last 18 months the impact youth female leaders have had on the game is incredible.

In January 2023, I took part in an event a Wembley stadium where myself and eight other young women working, volunteering and leading in the game, spoke to teenage girls about our journeys into the roles in the game. My biggest take away from the event was the idea of ‘if you can see it, you can be it’. Being part off an event where teenage girls could see what they could become in the game, the opportunities they could undertake made me eager to share the female youth leaders changing the game with the hope to inspire, but also to highlight there impact on the game.

Firstly, who am I? I’m Charlotte, The FANYC Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Lead. My exposure to youth leadership started around 18 months ago, when I participated on the BUCS x FA Women’s leadership program. The program focused on leadership and development, which exposed young women to different roles in the game. Here, I heard about FA National Youth Council. Like many I’ve been involved in the game for years, playing, coaching, and volunteering at my local clubs both at home and at university, but Youth Leadership opportunities such as FANYC is something I’d never really been exposed to before. The more I understood, the more I wanted to get involved and the role of EDI lead seemed perfect. FANYC provides both a voice to young people but also a place for youth leaders to create opportunities which benefit their communities. My passion for providing accessible opportunities for a diverse range of people, combined with the FANYC vision, mission, and goal, felt like something I could see myself being a part of. My role involves supporting the FANYC, and the youth leadership ecosystem to be both inclusive and accessible.

Below I’ve highlighted some of the Female youth leaders who I have met and inspired me over the last 18 months, and their experience in youth leadership.

Sian Hill 

FA Leadership Academy (FALA) Participant, Essex Youth Council Chair, RYN Member, Football Coach.

FA Leadership Academy Legacy Project: UCFB Wembley Female coaches club

“My experience at FALA was eye opening to see what you're really capable of and the different tasks that we did really test different parts of you, and your capabilities & resilience that you probably haven't tested that much before. FALA places you out of your comfort zone and helps you to develop as a person.

My FALA project is the creation and running of the female coaches club at UCFB, the Wembley campus. The coaches club provides a positive space for female coaches at UCFB, to learn and develop together exposing women to different opportunities in coaching. As part of the coaching club I organise master classes with coaches who are preferably UEFA B license or above working in professional environment and have a lot of experience. Another aspect of the coaches club is having guest speakers come in to talk about different routes into football. Alongside the learning opportunities, the club has had social events where we go to watch games, provide a space for us all to get to know each other and enjoy ourselves, put simply, creating a network of female coaches at UCFB, which are a community to support each other moving forward. As time goes on I hope the legacy of the project provides a positive experiences for female coaches, and increases the number of coaches in the group and in the game”

Hina Shafi

Current Roles: Regional Youth Network member, Inclusion Officer & Head of EDI of Northampton Town, FA Leadership Academy Alumni. Bedfordshire FA Inclusion Advisory Group.

FA Leadership Academy Project: Female Identity in football

Hina's project focuses on the role of identity in football, specifically targeting girls from her former secondary school. She collected data on their perceptions of football and how their identity impacted their participation in the game. With this information, Hina created an inclusive football project that provided a safe space for girls wearing headscarves and was welcoming to all abilities. The project aimed to encourage positive relationships with football and increase participation for girls who may have felt excluded previously. Hina worked with 15–16-year-olds and the project had positive effects on the social, psychological, and physical well-being of the girls involved. The project won a young leaders award for its impact in the local community.

Currently, Hina continues to work within the same secondary school, discussing sustainable opportunities in football as both a career and hobby with students and parents. Through her project and personal experiences, she identified a significant barrier for young women: parental influence. Many parents do not view sport as a sustainable career path for young women. Hina's project aims to change perceptions of what young women can achieve in football and expand their awareness of the opportunities available.

The project was awarded an FA Youth leader award at FALA graduation in July 2022.

Hina and Sian have demonstrated remarkable dedication to establishing safe spaces for a diverse group of women in their respective communities, and as a result, they have made a significant impact. Their tireless efforts and leadership have inspired others to join in the cause and make positive changes. By challenging the status quo and striving for a more equitable future for women in the game, they have proven that young female leaders can be powerful agents of change. Their stories serve as a testament to the fact that when young women are given the opportunity to lead and are supported in their efforts, they can create meaningful and far-reaching change. As more and more young women step up to leadership roles and bring their unique perspectives and experiences to the table, they are revolutionizing the game and laying the foundation for a more inclusive and just future.