“I loved the Young Leaders course; it was fun and enjoyable, and I want to do it again! It helped me realize the opportunities I have available to me through refereeing or coaching and that I can be a good leader.”

Barton has a poor health profile and is one of the most deprived areas in Oxfordshire. According to the 2021 census, 24 percent of young people are living in poverty and 31 percent of school pupils are eligible for free school meals¹. Many families are unable to engage in healthy activities due to financial constraints and the availability of activities.

Barton United offers inclusive football sessions for local young people who are struggling to access sport and physical activity, including sessions specifically targeting girls.

Access Sport has provided hands-on support for the club by:

• Enabling ten girls to attend Oxford United’s Community Summer Camp
• Upskilling eight young people via our Young Leaders Course
• Funding five girls to complete their refereeing qualification.

Alex, a Barton United player who was supported to complete her refereeing qualification said:

“I did my first game last weekend for an U9 girls’ team, although anxious to start with I loved it, and the extra bit of money is always good. I can’t wait to do more games and build my confidence up.”

One girl said:

“I loved the Young Leaders course; it was fun and enjoyable, and I want to do it again! It helped me realize the opportunities I have available to me through refereeing or coaching and that I can be a good leader.”

Another girl said:

“I really enjoyed the referee course, I do wish there were more girls taking part and we were lucky that we got to do the course together, which helped me feel less nervous about attending as it was mostly boys/men.”

Barton United is now a leader in female football in Oxfordshire, with 50 percent of the club being female. They have achieved notable success with teams such as the U13

County Champions and are actively developing new teams for younger age groups. They are also committed to keeping teenage girls engaged with football into adulthood.

Slowly but surely, we are supporting Barton United to eliminate the barriers that prevent girls in Barton from pursuing their footballing dreams.


References:

¹ Oxfordshire Insight 2021, Barton Community Profile