Leaders Like Us: Landscape of Physical Activity Leadership Programmes for underserved young women in England

Leaders Like Us: Landscape of Physical Activity Leadership Programmes for underserved young women in England | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Leaders Like Us: Landscape of Physical Activity Leadership Programmes for underserved young women in England Jamie Crowther, Sufyan Abid Dogra, Sally Barber, Nazaket Ali, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7482315/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 14 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity → Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background: Despite growing advocacy for youth-led and inclusive physical activity provision, there remains limited evidence on how to effectively support underserved young women aged (16 – 25) and those from minoritised genders into Physical Activity leadership roles. Methods: This paper aimed to map the landscape of Physical activity leaders’ programmes and understand how programmes (1) identify, recruit, and (2) support underserved groups of young women, examine (3) intended outcomes and gather (4) practitioner recommendations for future programme development. This was achieved through the implementation of two-phase sequential methodology involving (1), systematic mapping of 53 existing programmes, and (2) seven focus groups with 41 practitioners, Finding: Systematic mapping findings highlight that a limited numbers of programmes are specifically tailored to underserved women, and that most initiatives operate within school-based or sport-centric models, lacking flexibility, intersectional understanding, and community embeddedness. Analysis of qualitative systematic mapping data established an understanding of existing mechanisms for identifying and recruiting young females in Physical Activity leaders’ programmes and outlined support mechanisms, learning outcomes, and key recommendations. Thematic analysis of focus group data revealed key barriers and enablers to engaging underserved young women, including issues of visibility, relatability, and resource equity. Programmes that centred relational support, mentorship, and community relevance showed stronger engagement and perceived impact. Conclusion: Leadership programmes for underserved young women remain underdeveloped and inconsistently delivered. Strengthening community and contextual relevance, adopting inclusive recruitment practices, and shifting from instrumental to relational models of leadership are key for fostering equity. Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 14 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 18 Nov, 2025 Reviews received at journal 18 Nov, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 06 Nov, 2025 Reviews received at journal 22 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 08 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Sep, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 28 Sep, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 31 Aug, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 31 Aug, 2025 First submitted to journal 28 Aug, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7482315","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":526747346,"identity":"dd9314b4-6713-4c5f-9526-40109b313d17","order_by":0,"name":"Jamie 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young women in England","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"international-journal-of-behavioral-nutrition-and-physical-activity","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"ijbn","sideBox":"Learn more about [International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity](http://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/ijbn/default.aspx","title":"International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical 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young women, examine (3) intended outcomes and gather (4) practitioner recommendations for future programme development. This was achieved through the implementation of two-phase sequential methodology involving (1), systematic mapping of 53 existing programmes, and (2) seven focus groups with 41 practitioners,\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinding: \u003c/strong\u003eSystematic mapping findings highlight that a limited numbers of programmes are specifically tailored to underserved women, and that most initiatives operate within school-based or sport-centric models, lacking flexibility, intersectional understanding, and community embeddedness. Analysis of qualitative systematic mapping data established an understanding of existing mechanisms for identifying and recruiting young females in Physical Activity leaders’ programmes and outlined support mechanisms, learning outcomes, and key recommendations. Thematic analysis of focus group data revealed key barriers and enablers to engaging underserved young women, including issues of visibility, relatability, and resource equity. Programmes that centred relational support, mentorship, and community relevance showed stronger engagement and perceived impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion: \u003c/strong\u003eLeadership programmes for underserved young women remain underdeveloped and inconsistently delivered. Strengthening community and contextual relevance, adopting inclusive recruitment practices, and shifting from instrumental to relational models of leadership are key for fostering equity.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Leaders Like Us: Landscape of Physical Activity Leadership Programmes for underserved young women in England","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-10-09 17:26:42","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7482315/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-11-18T23:47:15+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-18T08:29:12+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"306192395125446855013279605005205120309","date":"2025-11-06T16:59:57+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-22T21:27:57+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"209063074540581563014956809144059436537","date":"2025-10-08T20:41:41+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"196845336124722709821252179796809034055","date":"2025-09-30T11:00:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-09-28T18:50:10+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-08-31T22:12:35+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-08-31T22:12:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity","date":"2025-08-28T16:45:58+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"international-journal-of-behavioral-nutrition-and-physical-activity","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"ijbn","sideBox":"Learn more about [International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity](http://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/ijbn/default.aspx","title":"International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity","twitterHandle":"@IJBNPA","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"047ea4ca-acb0-4164-bcb7-720b8ae1e50e","owner":[],"postedDate":"October 9th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-16T16:02:28+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7482315","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-026-01886-0","journal":{"identity":"international-journal-of-behavioral-nutrition-and-physical-activity","isVorOnly":false,"title":"International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity"},"publishedOn":"2026-03-14 15:58:28","publishedOnDateReadable":"March 14th, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-10-09 17:26:42","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s12966-026-01886-0","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-026-01886-0","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7482315","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7482315","identity":"rs-7482315","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}