Building safer cultures in sport across Liverpool City Region

Last month, partners from across the Liverpool City Region gathered at Liverpool County FA in Sefton for the Place Partners day, bringing together organisations committed to creating more inclusive, equitable opportunities for people to be active.

One of the key areas of focus was how sport and physical activity settings can play a stronger role in preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG). While sport has enormous potential to improve health and wellbeing, it is also a space where gender norms, power dynamics, and harmful behaviours can go unchallenged. Addressing these issues requires more than policies alone – it requires cultural change.

As part of the day, HEG introduced plans to develop a sustainable Active Bystander training model for the region through the “Are you onside?” programme. Originally commissioned by the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership, the programme equips coaches, staff, and volunteers working in community sport with the skills and confidence to recognise and challenge sexism, misogyny, and abusive behaviour before it escalates.

The training explores how everyday attitudes and behaviours can contribute to a wider culture that enables harm. Participants are introduced to practical bystander strategies that help them intervene safely, support those affected, and reinforce positive norms within their teams and organisations. The programme focuses on building confidence and creating shared responsibility so that harmful behaviour is no longer ignored or normalised.

The next phase of the programme will focus on building a train-the-trainer model across the Liverpool City Region. Place leads and system partners will be supported to deliver the training locally, helping embed the approach across clubs, organisations, networks and community programmes.

By connecting this work with the region’s commitment to the Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration, partners are working to turn principles around gender equity into practical action. Together, this collaborative effort aims to ensure that sport across the region is not only active and accessible, but safe, respectful, and inclusive for everyone.