Placemaking with Children and Youth - by Victoria Derr & Louise Chawla & Mara Mintzer (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An illustrated, essential guide to engaging children and youth in the process of urban design

From a history of children's rights to case studies discussing international initiatives that aim to create child-friendly cities, Placemaking with Children and Youth offers comprehensive guidance in how to engage children and youth in the planning and design of local environments. It explains the importance of children's active participation in their societies and presents ways to bring all generations together to plan cities with a high quality of life for people of all ages. Not only does it delineate best practices in establishing programs and partnerships, it also provides principles for working ethically with children, youth, and families, paying particular attention to the inclusion of marginalized populations.

Drawing on case studies from around the world--in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India, Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the United States--Placemaking with Children and Youth showcases children's global participation in community design and illustrates how a variety of methods can be combined in initiatives to achieve meaningful change. The book features more than 200 visuals and detailed, thoughtful guidelines for facilitating a multiplicity of participatory processes that include drawing, photography, interviews, surveys, discussion groups, role playing, mapping, murals, model making, city tours, and much more. Whether seeking information on individual methods and project planning, interpreting and analyzing results, or establishing and evaluating a sustained program, readers can find practical ideas and inspiration from six continents to connect learning to the realities of students' lives and to create better cities for all ages.

Review Quotes

"Placemaking with Children and Youth makes a valuable contribution to the growing body of literature that focuses on the practice of place-based education. Even novices to this approach will find simple and straightforward tools capable of opening up the world of local inquiry and action to both themselves and their students."-- "Gregory A. Smith, Professor Emeritus, Lewis & Clark College"

"From the forward-thinking mind-set of creating sustainable future cities, this practical guide outlines how to engage youth in local research and action for environmental planning and design. Including case studies on child-friendly city initiatives, this title shares best practices for working ethically with children, and proposes cross-generational engagement, with attention to equity."-- "Public Art Review"

"This wonderful book recognizes that sustainable development calls for highly participatory local communities, including children and youth, who can cooperatively plan for and flexibly respond to environmental change. Based on this engaged view of citizenship, it offers a comprehensive range of practical methods for everyone."--Roger Hart, Professor, Graduate Center of the City University of New York

"What an inspiring, fresh addition to the hallowed library of human habitat design! I am so grateful that this book has been written, with its guidance on how to engage kids, how to work in diverse urban environments, and its numerous case studies that can be replicated. Now, many more children can be assisted to grow into their full potential as community leaders and changemakers!"-- "Mark Lakeman, Founder, The City Repair Project"