Leeds City College tackles gender imbalance

The School of Health Science and Social Care at Leeds City College is striving to bridge the gender gap for enrolments on its courses, by promoting a male football team.

Formed in March, The Evergreen Boys was set up by the department in a bid to encourage more male students to explore health and social care courses.

Liam Oldfield, student support coordinator at Leeds City College, said: “Historically, we’ve seen a notable imbalance of males enrolled on health and social care courses. This is due to the deep-rooted stereotypes of males within these roles, which we’re committed to challenging.

“We want to reduce this stigma by further promoting our Health Science and Social Care male football team. We intend to continue to make a positive change by visiting schools with our students to speak to male learners who are considering their career options, showcasing the benefits of working in this sector.”

The seven-strong team recently achieved first place in the Quarry Hill Cup; a Luminate Education Group-wide tournament organised by the college’s Student Life team. Hosted at Powerleague Leeds Central, the event saw staff and student teams from across the group compete.

Health and Social Care student, Augustine Nnaemeka Martins, commented: “It’s incredibly important for us to have positive male role models within the sector, so we’re working together with tutors to overcome stereotypes and show that health and social care is an admirable career path for males.

“The football team has allowed male students to come together and break boundaries, showing that anyone can pursue a future in the healthcare sector. Winning the tournament has given us the confidence to continue promoting healthcare courses, with the hope to inspire our generation.”

During this academic year, the department has hit a record for the most male enrolments on health and social care courses.