ILLUSTRATIVE GUIDE - MADE TO PLAY LA NEIGHBORHOODS PARENT ENGAGEMENT REPORT

THE MORE WE KNOW, THE FURTHER THEY’LL GO

For more strategies

Access the full report at https://playequityfund.org/nike-la/

This guide is designed to offer summarized parent engagement strategies and offer just a few actionable strategies from the full report. We recommend readers explore the full range of strategies available in the full report and choose ideal strategies for their program and their communities.

KEY FINDINGS

Engaging Parents Is Critical in Recruiting & Retaining Girls in Sport

The gender equity gap in sports participation and retention, especially for girls of color, is well documented and it impacts communities across the United States. Various factors that in have been studied in the youth sports literature, including girls’ attitudes towards sports, the social in of peers and families, the role of coaches, and the importance of access to high-quality sports programs.

This guide focuses on the unique and critical role that parents and/or caregivers play in improving girls’ experiences and retention in sports. Existing research has not focused on parent engagement, despite its potential to be a powerful tool in supporting the successful recruitment, participation, and retention of girls of color in sports.

About The Report 1 2

The full report integrates the following:

1. Peer-reviewed articles from wide-ranging literature about various contexts surrounding girls in sports, sports-based positive youth development, and parental involvement and engagement (both sports and non-sports related).

2. Focus groups with community-based sports program perspectives and parent/caregiver perspectives from 13 community organizations that are a part of the Made to Play LA Neighborhoods initiative in Watts and Boyle Heights.

SYNTHESIZE SUMMARIZE STRATEGIZE

Synthesize existing research on successful parent engagement strategies and best practices, focusing on girls of color from historically marginalized communities.

Summarize other important physical and social factors that impact girls’ participation and retention in sports, and how parents/ caregivers can influence these factors.

Offer actionable and culturally-informed strategies to help sport-based youth development practitioners engage families for the ultimate bene sports.

7 KEY PARENT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES

The following key parent engagement strategies have been identified across published literature, existing models and contexts (sports, education, expanded learning, early education, etc.), and bolstered by the community perspectives obtained from focus group discussions in Watts and Boyle Heights.

BUILD TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS AND FOSTER OPEN COMMUNICATION

A trusting relationship between families and sports programs is central to effective and ongoing engagement and positive outcomes for participating youth.

SUPPORT FAMILIES TANGIBLY THROUGH COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Families often experience high levels of stress related to their child’s sports participation stemming from the financial, logistical, and emotional support required. This is especially true for historically marginalized communities.

EMPOWER FAMILIES TO ENGAGE IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

Parent engagement must move to a familycentered approach giving parents the opportunity to inform decisions in an empowering and inclusive environment.

4 KEY FACTORS INFLUENCING GIRLS IN SPORTS K

UNDERSTANDING PHYSICAL & SOCIAL INFLUENCES ON POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN SPORTS

Surrounding each girls sports participant are a number of important internal and external factors that impact how they learn, develop, and navigate their world. Four key physical and social factors impact girls’ decisions to play and remain engaged in playing sports: Girls Themselves, Parents/Caregivers & Peers, the Sports Settings & Experiences, and the broader Community &

GIRLS THEMSELVES

Girls Themselves are at the framework because their own internal beliefs, perceptions, attitudes, and strengths drive their development.

4 KEY FACTORS INFLUENCING GIRLS IN SPORTS CONT.

In the context of promoting sports participation, girls are also nested within three uenced by girls:

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As the visual model suggests, these contexts surround a girl and influence whether she joins a sports program, her experiences participating in a program, and her continued participation in sports over time. The following pages continue to expand upon each of these factors, with particular attention to how parent physical and social factors.

THE GIRLS THEMSELVES

Girls themselves and their internal beliefs, attributes, values and interest are most influential to their interest in joining and participating in sports programs. These characteristics are internal to their lives, rather than influences that are present in their environments.

What We Learned How Parents Influence Girls

Parents hold traditional gender stereotypes which negatively influence girls’ participation.

HOW TO ENGAGE PARENTS

HOW TO ENGAGE PARENTS

SPORTS SETTING + EXPERIENCES

HOW TO ENGAGE PARENTS

COACHES ARE CRUCIAL

02 01 03

BALANCE FUN + SKILL

What We Learned

Over-index on providing affordable, healthy and safe environment for girls. Engage and train coaches to balance a fun environment with sport skill

THEMSELVES 01 02 03

Experiences that girls have in sports programs & how those programs operate, including relationships and interactions with coaches, the quality of sports opportunities, and formal program policies/procedures, are related to their recruitment & ongoing participation in the program. 04

ENSURE HEALTH + SAFETY PROVIDE LOGISTICAL SUPPORT

Engage parents in processes to enact new policies and update existing ones. Make parents aware of policies and address any concerns they might have. Take complaints and reports of abuse seriously and ensure swift and fair action is taken.

Individualize parent outreach and engagement strategies to solicit their input on what tangible supports are needed. Further foster parent-to-parent interactions and resource sharing.

How Parents uence Girls

fit from culturally sensitive support for sports involvement, including logistical support.

What We Learned

Community buy-in for sports programs allows for sustainable opportunities. Female role models are critical for girls’ perception of sports.

How Parents Influence Girls

Parental involvement in sports programs can be bolstered by accommodating their work schedules and ensuring the language and culture are appropriate.

COMMUNITY + CULTURE HOW

TO ENGAGE PARENTS

ENGAGE CULTURAL BROKERS FOR COMMUNITY SUPPORT + BUY-IN

Identify cultural brokers who understand the languages and experiences of families, and the intricate details of the youth sports programs in which they are trying to involve the parent.

INCREASE EXPOSURE TO FEMALE ROLE MODELS

Encourage and empower parents to provide opportunities for youth to see female athletes and coaches performing at higher

CREATE A FEEDBACK LOOP

Individualize parent outreach and engagement strategies to solicit their ideas about how to best engage and what supports they need while accommodating parental work schedules, language and cultural needs.

BRINGING ALL

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

STRATEGIES FOR RECRUITMENT + RETENTION FOR GIRLS IN SPORTS

4 KEY FACTORS INFLUENCING GIRLS IN SPORTS

01

GIRLS THEMSELVES

THE CRITICAL ROLE OF PARENT ENGAGEMENT

THE CRITICAL ROLE OF PARENT ENGAGEMENT

WHAT WE LEARNED

Girls’ perception of sports influence their decision making. Girls internalize gender norms especially in sports.

Body image is a barrier to sport, but also an enabler. Building skills in sports helps grow their self-confidence. Get tips to offer support to girls who may need a sports bra

HOW PARENTS INFLUENCE GIRLS EXPERIENCES

Parents hold traditional gender stereotypes which negatively uences girls’ participation.

HOW I WILL ENGAGE PARENTS

Educate parents on the benefits of sports participation to overall health and wellness, and tools and strategies for setting sport c goals for their daughters. Promote recreational and competitive sports opportunities to motivate parents and girls.

PARENTS / CAREGIVERS + PEERS

SPORTS SETTING + EXPERIENCES

02 03 04

COMMUNITY + CULTURE

Peers shape girls’ sport perception and experience. Sports create a social connection avenue for girls.

A balance of parental support and expectations for participation is a crucial predictor of continued engagement.

Help parents emphasize socialization, team building and healthy competition for their daughters.

Consider a good balance of parent and peer engagement.

Over-index on providing an affordable, healthy and safe environment for girls.

Engage and train coaches to balance a fun environment and sport skill development.

Parents benefit from culturally sensitive support for sports involvement, including logistical support.

Learn more about coaching girls

Community buy-in for sports programs allows for sustainable opportunities.

Female role models are critical for girls’ perception of sports.

KEY PARENT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES 1 2 3 DON’T FORGET: 7

Build trusting relationships & foster open communication.

Support families tangibly through community connection.

Parental involvement in sports programs can be bolstered through accommodating their work schedules, and ensuring the language and culture are appropriate.

Involve families in program structures & decision making.

Build coaches and staff capacity for parent engagement.

Individualize parent outreach and foster parent-to-parent resource sharing.

Educate parents on tools and strategies to debunk gender stereotypes. Encourage parents to provide opportunities for youth to see female athletes performing at higher levels.

Resource strategiesprogramfor

Offer meaningful parent education to strengthen parent-child relationships.

Empower parents to support their child’s learning & development.

Create & leverage opportunities for parent socialization.

5 6 4 7

Build organizational culture & capacity for engagement with families & communities.

Innovative tool for coaches to keep girls in sport

THE

HOW