Unitas Youth Zone's HERspace: 'a place that gives me freedom'

A month after the Edgware-based youth centre launched its weekly girls-only sessions, Leïla Davaud met the young women helping shape the programme

A young woman pouring milkshake into cups — Meena is a HERspace ambassador

“It’s just girls!” Two male teenagers stand by the entrance of Unitas Youth Zone, baffled. They turn around and step out of the building.

Thirty seconds later, they return and ask: “Why?” The receptionist explains: “Right now, it is HERspace. Girls-only. Come back at 5pm.”

The boys immediately ask if there is a “guy sesh” coming, which isn’t planned. “If girls can have their own session, we should have our ‘boys only’ afternoon too,” one says to the other as they exit the facilities, again. “It’s not fair otherwise.”

The exchange raises a question: what does fairness mean in this context?

For Connor Lynch, head of youth work at Unitas Youth Zone, HERspace wasn’t created to exclude boys. “It was created to address a clear pattern.”

Membership data shows that girls’ participation is twice as high in junior sessions (ages eight to twelve) as it is in senior sessions (13 to19). Unitas’ figures reflect a wider national trend. Government research has found that participation in youth activities declines during adolescence, with girls disproportionately more likely to stop attending clubs and organised activities.

Connor adds: “Conversations with girls and parents consistently highlighted the same issues: male-dominated environments, safety concerns, parental gatekeeping and a lack of spaces designed specifically for girls.”

“Girls don’t disengage because they don’t care, but because spaces no longer feel built for them. HERspace aims to create an environment where girls feel safe, seen and empowered.”

Rochelle Mills, programme manager and deputy safeguarding lead, has often faced parents worrying about their daughters’ safety. “Not because the sessions are mixed-gender, but because the regular youth club finishes at 9pm. If parents can’t collect them, the girls have to walk home in the dark. It’s a big ‘no’ from them.” she says.

In response, HERspace was scheduled on Saturday afternoons, aiming to reduce concerns about travelling home late at night. But timing wasn’t the only issue. The decision to create a girls-only space also came directly from conversations with the young women themselves.

At 14 years old, Meena has been offered one of the roles of HERspace ambassadors. “I agreed to do this because helping the adults to design these sessions is helping girls have a place where they can be just that: girls.”

She adds: “It’s not that I don’t want to hang out with boys, it’s just that at least during this time we don’t feel pressured and judged on our skills or interests. We don’t have to think about anything else but having a good time with our girl friends. It’s relaxing.”

Shinaia is also an ambassador and shares Meena’s point of view. “It is a place that gives me freedom. I come with my friends because I feel free to be ourselves. We’re not scared to try new things, to play sports. We feel braver because we know we won’t be criticized, only cheered on. ” She also comes to Unitas during mixed sessions. “I’m not anti-boy. It’s just nice every now and then to escape their stares and words.”

Rochelle Mills understands where the girls come from. “I’ve never been a shy person, I would always jump in with the boys and make space for myself. I like that these girls don’t have to double their efforts to do what they want to do, here. They can simply try something new, gain confidence and join the boys when they feel comfortable doing so.”

The girls weren’t simply invited to attend the programme, they helped shape it, contributing to its name, branding, activities and future direction. “We hoped for 50 participants per week,” shares Rochelle. “The launch saw 155 girls. We now average between 80 and 90 girls weekly. It’s far from the tiny 20% we used to have in mixed sessions. It illustrates there was a need for change.”

Connor Lynch hopes for one thing: “that the girls know we are incredibly proud of them.”

Last Saturday, HERspace looked like a real party. Girls could learn how to DJ, while entertaining their friends doing a “sip (milkshake) and paint” or bedazzling pocket mirrors. Others are cooking, to the great pleasure of the sporty lot playing volleyball, basketball or punching their way in the boxing area.

At first glance, HERspace isn’t much different from Unitas’ usual space. The same rooms are being used, similar activities are hosted. Looking more closely, though, the difference lies in “the girls’ knowledge that they are welcomed just the way they are”, points out Rochelle. “We can see it by how at ease they look. I wish I had this space when I was growing up.”

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