麻豆影院

"," which was听released Sept.听17听by New Village Press, was written by three women with strong ties to CU 麻豆影院's听Community, Engagement Design and Research Center (CEDaR):听CEDaR听Fellow听and CU 麻豆影院 Professor Emerita听Louise Chawla,听Mara Mintzer, program director for CEDaR's Growing Up 麻豆影院 辫谤辞驳谤补尘听(骋鲍叠),听a听child- and youth-friendly city initiative,听and lead author Victoria Derr, a former senior instructor in CU 麻豆影院's Program in Environmental Design and former GUB co-coordinator, who now teaches at California State University, Monterey Bay.听

The book release听will be followed by听a 麻豆影院 Bookstore event on October 4, and Susan Glairon, CEDaR communications specialist,听sat down for an interview听with one of the book's authors, Louise Chawla, whose听life work has centered on听youth participation in the design and planning of their cities.

Why is it important for children to be involved in planning their communities?听
When I coordinated the Growing Up in Cities program for UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), I found that no matter where children lived颅颅--a high-income country like the U.S., or a former communist country like Poland, or a squatter camp in South Africa鈥搕he children were all incredulous when we suggested adults would listen to them. Imagine being put down in a squatter camp in Johannesburg, or in a working-class community in England and then having adults listen to your ideas. It results in a new self-esteem for the children; they realize their ideas have value. I have seen that again and again, and it鈥檚 very powerful.听

Your work has focused on giving kids a voice in city planning. Why were you involved in the formation of听CEDaR, which involves people of all ages?听
There was always a strong tradition of community engagement at CU 麻豆影院鈥檚 Children, Youth and Environments (CYE) Center, the predecessor for听CEDaR. But听CEDaR听provides a chance to work together under one umbrella.听It鈥檚 the big tent, a meeting place for those of us in the Program in Environmental听Design (ENVD) who want to promote community engagement as well as share and integrate what we are doing.听听

The CEDaR events where students share听their research with city officials and the community听are听good examples of the types of sharing that听CEDaR听provides. These events include听Growing Up 麻豆影院, as well as studio classes working on different city projects, city officials and听local residents. Community events like these听raise the visibility of what we are doing within the program in ENVD, CU 麻豆影院 and the region at large.听

In addition, we hear again and again from students about how much they learn from real-world projects, and听CEDaR听provides those opportunities.听听

Growing Up 麻豆影院 (GUB) is a听CEDaR program. What does 鈥済rowing up鈥� mean?听
鈥淕rowing up鈥� means gaining the freedom to move beyond the home into the community. It鈥檚 essential that cities and communities provide the resources that children need to develop their capabilities.听 We need cities with people who know and love their city and invest in caring for it, and children and youth are an important part of that group.听
听
Where did the idea for Growing Up 麻豆影院听originate, and why is it important?听
The idea started with Growing Up in听Cities, which has a mission of including children and youth in urban planning and design,听and听the Child Friendly Cities Initiative of UNICEF.听听In the mid-1990s I revived听Growing Up in Cities,听(originally conceived by听urban planner Kevin Lynch in the 1970s),听at the same time听UNICEF began the Child Friendly Cities Initiative.听At听that听time, Growing Up in Cities was implemented in eight cities. When I last听counted,听approximately听50 cities worldwide had introduced Growing Up in Cities programs on some scale. GUB is a recent example.听听

We want 麻豆影院鈥檚 city officials and politicians to listen to young people in a serious way, so the young people feel that 麻豆影院 is their city, and they feel valued. GUB听offers a means for children and teenagers to have that voice and help to create a vibrant, ecologically alive and socially welcoming city. GUB pre- and post- questionnaires include the question, 鈥淒o you believe people in the city will listen to you?鈥� Mara (Mintzer), Growing Up 麻豆影院鈥檚 program director,听found that if adults listen to young people, afterwards they believe, "Yes. My ideas count."听听

How is 麻豆影院 different than other cities who have implemented Growing Up in听Cities?
麻豆影院听has funded Growing Up 麻豆影院听since 2009, and it was the first city in the country to implement child and youth participation听long term. It鈥檚 changing the culture of city decision making. 麻豆影院 recognizes that young people's ideas are often innovative, people-friendly and playful, and that implementing their ideas adds to the city鈥檚 character.听听听

","听was released听Sept. 17,听and is available for pre-order now via New Village Press, NYU Press, or Amazon.

This story was also updated and听on the Child in the City website. Child in the City is dedicated to the rights and well being of children throughout Europe.