Facilitating children and young people’s participation in urban planning processes

The ‘Spielleitplanung’ project in Regensburg, Germany, is an urban planning and development project that facilitates children and young people’s participation in urban planning processes. It was used to improve the Kasernenviertel neighbourhood with many underprivileged children living in conditions characterized by overcrowded housing, little recreational greenery, few places for play and noisy streets.

The main goal was to improve the existing neighbourhood, and to build new parts of the area in a child-friendly way.  A team of professionals and supporters from different departments (e.g. urban and traffic planning, social work, youth and family services, landscape architecture) conducted neighbourhood strolls with nine groups of children, documenting observations on a map with photos and statements from the children. In addition, students (up to 17 years old) from the neighbourhood completed a questionnaire in which they wrote down and marked on a map the meeting points they frequented, their school routes and their wishes for improvement. Based on this data, a group of young people developed suggestions for improving the neighbourhood that were presented and approved by the city council. The task team meets regularly to make sure the measures are implemented. 

The project has resulted in the child-friendly renewal of a neighbourhood with over 20,000 inhabitants and the building of a new area with around 1,400 affordable apartments for low-income families. Based on the inputs from the children and young people, a big park with inclusive playgrounds for handicapped children has been created. Several sidewalks have been made wheelchair accessible and so-called ‘student pilots’ have been recruited to escort students as they cross the street on their way to school.