Research Participatory Planning

U.S. Participants: For a discounted copy of Placemaking with Children and Youth, go to this pageLinks to an external site. and use the discount code PEACE20. 

Out of U.S. Participants: For an ebook, we recommend using this google books linkLinks to an external site. which provides multiple options for purchase. 

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What is participatory planning with children and youth?

Participatory planning is an approach to designing communities which invites the participation of the people most affected by that planning–those who live and work in the communities–into the process.  When we apply the concept of participatory planning to children and youth, it means that the young people who live in a given community will contribute to how it is designed and how it functions.  Children partner with adult experts and community members to shape the outcomes of a place.  Young people can participate in many stages of planning a community; from initially coming up with a concept for a space, in refining that concept and becoming more specific with a place and in the final phases of actually building and implementing designs.  At its best, participatory planning is an empowering and enjoyable process which results in community spaces that work well for everyone.

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Activity: Identify Your Questions

Post in the discussion board below any questions you have about participatory planning. If you see other questions in other posts that you have ideas about or responses to, post those as well!