Final Residential for Cohort 6 of the FA Women’s Leadership Programme
In collaboration with the FA Refereeing team, we designed a real-world task centred around one of the team's most current challenges. Teams were challenged to develop a proposal to recruit and retain more women and girls in refereeing—particularly from historically underrepresented groups.
The task was led by Joanna Stimpson, FA National Refereeing Manager (Growth and Experience), with the support of colleagues Marc Birkett (National Referee Manager – Grassroots and Workforce Development), Iqra Malik (Referee and Our Whistle Working Group), Sophie Wood (FA Referee Developer) and Marianne Sherwood (FA Referee Developer).
Participants worked to develop ideas that could make a tangible impact. The task not only tested their leadership and collaboration skills, but also gave them a chance to shape inclusive solutions that the game needs. This experience gives participants the chance to understand current FA strategy in key areas, an insight into available data and utilising this to make decisions, assembling project timelines and budgets, as well as considering who they could collaborate with to bring their projects to life.
Throughout the programme, our cohort have taken part in residentials where they have experienced this kind of applied learning as well as network development, all designed to build confidence, capability, and clarity around their next steps within football. We’re proud to say that many are now moving into, or actively pursuing paid roles within football, fulfilling the programme’s core purpose: to create pathways to employment and leadership in the game.
A huge thanks goes to all the collaborators that have supported us throughout this year —thank you for championing this work, sharing your expertise, and helping to create opportunities that last well beyond this programme.
If you have any questions about the FA Women’s Leadership Programme, please contact us via [email protected].
