URBACT Young Citizens Project

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URBACT Young Citizens Project

• Michael Elsy Karen Lightfoot

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URBACT Young Citizens Project

• What is it?
• How was it managed?
• How was it developed and delivered?
• What were the outcomes?

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What was it?

• Partnership between nine European Cities
• Exploration of youth participation by young
  people through focus groups and youth exchanges
• Collaboration between professionals
• Supported by a thematic expert
• Publication of youth participation toolkit

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How was it managed?

• Overall management and co-ordination by lead city
  - Bristol
• Local co-ordination and administration by Urban
  II Team
• Local delivery and link to wider network
• Aims and objectives
• Budget and administration
• Communication
• Organisation of practical arrangements for
  steering group, focus groups, exchange, and local
  launch event
• Development work with young people
• Sunderland City Council
• Easington District Council

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How was it development and delivered?

• Steering Group
• Focus Groups
• Youth Exchange
• Worker Seminars
• Local Launch Event

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Steering Group

• Two young people from Sunderland
• Two young people from Easington
• Representatives from Urban II
• Staff representatives
• Focus of the group was to assist and lead local
  delivery

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Focus Groups

• Focus Group 1
• Icebreakers and introductions
• Setting baseline knowledge
• Focus Group 2
• Exploring own groups method of youth
  participation
• Speed-dating style questions with politicians
• Focus Group 3
• Exploring the other groups method of youth
  participation
• Presentation of initial findings
• Focus Group 4
• Observing each others work
• Presentation of key findings and recommendations

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Youth Exchange

• Hosted group from Lithuania
• Attended a Housing Group meeting
• Attended School Council Meeting
• Visited Seaham Youth Centre
• Visited Dawdon Community Centre
• Presentation by Sunderlands Young Persons
  Inspection Team
• Visited the Hive Allotment Project
• Visited Young Asian Voices
• Visited Sunderland Music Workshops
• Visited Museum and Winter Gardens
• Took part in the Keyfund Event at the Robin Todd
  Centre
• Shopping, bowling and a group meal

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Youth Exchange

• Visited Mazeikia in Lithunia
• Context
• Culture, lifestyle and national identify
• Facilities
• Economy and consumerism
• Transport
• Youth Participation
• School Council
• Formal Structures
• Levels of young peoples participation
• Extreme cold

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Worker Seminars

• Brussels (Programme launch)
• Evosmos
• Hetton and Murton (Urban II Partnership)
• Bristol (Closing conference and launch of
  toolkit)
• Engagement in URBCAT Cross-cutting Seminars
• Copenhagen (Theme young people)
• Malmo, Valencia Sicacusa (Theme Citizens
  Participation)
• Liverpool (URBACT AGM)

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Local Launch Event

• Presentation of process and outcomes
• Young people
• Staff
• Summary of URBACT Young Citizens Project toolkit
• Questions and answers from audience
• Distribution of toolkit

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What were the outcomes?

• In terms of the project
• Collaboration across nine European cities
• Development and distribution of the toolkit
• Contribution to wider cross cutting themes of
  URBACT
• In terms of Sunderland
• An added resource to help improve our work
• Higher profile for our work
• In terms of young people
• Greater skills and understanding in youth
  participation process
• Knowledge and awareness of another culture
• New friendships

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And finally

• Summary
• What is it?
• How was it managed?
• How was it developed and delivered?
• What were the outcomes?
• Comments from some of the young people
• Any questions?