Ambassadors of change: empowering girls from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas through sports and leadership initiatives—an intersectional perspective

Introduction: Youth sports in Sweden are socially stratified, reflecting broader societal inequalities. Socioeconomically vulnerable groups, particularly girls from immigrant backgrounds, face significant barriers to participating in sports. Challenges such as gender norms, socioeconomic constraints and culture limit their involvement. Leadership positions in sports remain predominantly occupied by men, further restricting opportunities for female empowerment and representation. Guided by intersectionality as the primary analytical lens and informed by empowerment theory, this qualitative study explores how adolescent girls from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas experience leadership development and community engagement through their roles as ambassadors in a Swedish sport development initiative designed to increase girls' participation and inclusion in sport. Methods: Using an abductive and interpretive research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten adolescent ambassadors. The findings identify three interconnected themes: experiencing gender, cultural, and structural barriers; growing into a leader; and empowering the next generation. Results: The findings demonstrate how girls' participation in sport is shaped by the intersection of gender, socioeconomic disadvantage, migration-related experiences, family expectations, and organizational practices. At the same time, the study shows how community-based leadership initiatives can foster self-confidence, agency, and relational forms of leadership, enabling girls to challenge restrictive norms, negotiate structural barriers, and create more inclusive pathways for others. Discussion: This study contributes to sport sociology and leadership research by extending intersectional understandings of youth sport beyond mere inclusion, demonstrating how adolescent girls from marginalized communities can act not only as recipients of inclusion initiatives but also as visible leaders and agents of community-based transformation. The findings offer important implications for sport organizations, policymakers, and community initiatives seeking to promote equitable participation, representation, and leadership in youth sport.