Workshop with Students and Youth Workers
Right from the start, we were pleased to find that most participants were already familiar with the concept of participation—and some had even taken part in participatory processes themselves. Following an introductory presentation, in which we outlined the principles of urban participation and introduced the work of the Participation Office, we divided participants into smaller groups to rotate through three different activities.
Our aim was to make participation as fun and engaging as possible for both young people and adults. One of the activities was our role-playing game Gap Site, in which everyone took on the role of a stakeholder deciding the future of a vacant urban lot. Through this, participants experienced firsthand how challenging it can be to reach a shared solution when different—and often conflicting—interests are at play.
Another activity involved drawing mental maps of the places participants live. They reflected on what is important to them in these areas, what could be improved, and whether they had ever actively contributed to enhancing their neighborhood.
The final activity took place outdoors and focused on participants’ perceptions of the urban environment. Using green and red cardboard frames, they photographed spaces where they felt comfortable and welcome, as well as places that felt unpleasant or uninviting. We were especially interested to see what caught the attention of young people in the area around IPR—positively (well-maintained greenery, the connection to the Emmaus Monastery, a café with outdoor seating) and negatively (barriers to movement, neglected buildings, graffiti).
We wrapped up the day with a playful evaluation session, because no well-executed participatory project is complete without proper reflection and feedback.
