Toolkit for participatory mapping and co-design in youth-led urban design processes

TOOLKIT

FOR PARTICIPATORY MAPPING AND CO-DESIGN in youth-led urban design processes

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INTRODUCTION This toolkit is made in collaboration between Dreamtown and Youth Dream Center Sierra Leone (YDC-SL) It has grown out of a workshop held in January 2022. The workshop was a pilot for testing tools for youth-led mapping- and design processes and took place in Bonga Town, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The toolkit will help you to facilitate workshops for youth-led mapping- and design processes. It gives an overview of the steps of the process and inspiration for tools and exercises to use. It is important to note that the toolkit is dynamic, and it will continue to grow; more tools will be added, the existing ones will be refined as we gain more knowledge about the process.

We were lucky to have funding to implement the idea for an urban space intervention that came out of the aforementioned workshop. A big shoutout to the cool, visionary and creative youth from Bonga Town who participated with their ideas and engagement. Also, thanks to our co-facilitators, YDC-SL, and to CISU for funding the project.

Workshop in Bonga Town, January 2022.

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THE PROCESS Following is a an overview of the steps of a youth-led urban design project. Overall, the process is divided in three steps; preparation, workshop and realisation and follow-up. The process is scaleable, meaning that it can last 1 week, 1 year, or as long as fits the project.

Preparation 1. Define scope of intervention

2. Identify participants

Workshop 3. Public space 4. Community scale scale

5. Ensure collaboration and stakeholder support

Realisation and follow-up 6. Bring to life

7. Follow-up Sustain

Points for consideration 1. Which scale is the intervention? How many people should we include?

2. From which criteria do we select the participants? Should they be trained or new to the process? Should they be a part of a group already?

3. What kind of community are we situated in? What should we pay attention to? What are the potentials in the community? The issues?

4. Which space(s) will the intervention be situated in? What functions are there? Who uses the space(s)? What are the potentials? The issues?

5. Does the group agree on the outcome? Was everyone heard and included? Has the larger community been engaged? Do the stakeholders support the project? How do we ensure sustainability?

6. What is the budget for the intervention? Who does what? Is it necessary to establish a committee? To arrange meetings for ensuring that things get done?

7. Did we get done what we planned for? What did we learn? What worked? What will we do differently next time? What is the next step? How do we sustain our implementation?

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THE TOOLS The tools can overall be divided in two categories; divergent (opening up) or convergent (closing down). The design process contains both divergent and convertent phases, and both are equally important. In the divergent phase, a lot of ideas are thrown up in the air; as many as possible. During the convertent phase, the ideas and concepts are narrowed in.

List of tools Divergent

Both

Convergent

Opening up

Opening up and closing down

Closing down

1 Draw your community

5

6 Cost-impact start

Challenges/solutions

7 Role-play

2 Draw your home

8 Community interviews

3 Public space mapping

9 ‘Sustainability - budget engagement - support’

4 Collage of dreams

It is the role of the facilitater to guide the workshop through the phases. The designprocess can be illustrated as seen in the double-diamond model below. The tools in this toolkit are marked on the model.

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Deliver

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Di

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Start

Develop

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Define

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Discover

Problem definition 4

3

9 8 6

5 A lot of problems

A lot of solutions

3

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Solution delivered

1

DRAW A MAP OF YOUR COMMUNITY

Time 1h

Groupwork 2-5 ppl.

Description

Step-by-step

The participants have to make a handdrawn map of their community.

1. Divide in groups 2. Hand out papers and markers for each group 3. Introduce the exercise: each group has to make a hand-draw a map of their community. Emphasise that is not supposed to be a geographically correct map, but a map of how they picture their community. Include as much as possible; roads, infrastructure, houses, landmarks, districts, vegetation, services, their homes, etc. (40 mins) 4. Each group presents their map. Allow 5 mins pr. group, depending on the number of groups.

5. Give room for comments, questions and discussion.

Objectives - Establish a common understanding of the community the project is situated in.

- Prepare the mind for thinking and communicating spatial matters.

- Start a reflection about what stories about their community that are important to tell.

Materials A1 paper or larger markers of different colours

4 The tools

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DRAW YOUR HOME

Time 20-30mins

Individual work

Description

Step-by-step

Each participant has to communicate where/how they live.

1. Hand out paper and pens for each person.

2. Introduce the exercise: each person has to make a presentation of their home. It can be a drawing, a poem, a dance, a role-play, collage, or another medium you find interesting. (20 mins) 3. Each person presents their home.

Depending on the size of the group, allow 2mins pr. person. If the group is larger than 20, consider dividing the participants in groups and make presentations within the groups.

4. Bonus exercise: If the participants can read maps/use google maps, plot each participant’s home on a shared map to get an overview of where people live in the community.

Objectives - Prepare the minds of the participants on thinking how to communicate spatial matters visually.

- Introduce participants to each other.

Bonus objective: If possible to plot on a map, it can give a picture of where in the community the participants live.

Materials A4 or A3 paper, markers or pens. (other materials for creative expression?)

5 The tools

3

PUBLIC SPACE MAPPING

Time 1,5 h

Groupwork 2-5 ppl.

Description

Step-by-step

The participants have to map public spaces in their community.

1. Prepare questions for themes to be covered in the community - the themes could be ‘safe space’, ‘green space’ or ‘creative space’. The questions could be: Go to a ‘green space’. Why did you choose this space? Who uses this space?

What does it feel like to be in this space?

What do you see? Is it used throughout day? For inspiration, see picture below.

2. Divide in groups. Each group gets a theme to map.

3. Each group has to walk out to to find a space in the community within their theme. In the chosen space they have to make an analysis based on the questions you prepared. (1h) 4. Each group presents their findings. 5 mins pr. group. Mark spaces on map.

5. Give room for questions/comments.

Objectives - Train participants in describing qualities and issues around a public space.

- Challenge participants in analysing how spatial aspects affect their experience of a place.

- Make the participants ‘rediscover’ places they use in their daily lives.

Materials Exercise description.

Paper, pens, camera/phone.

6 The tools

4

COLLAGE OF DREAMS

Time 45-60mins

Individual work or groupwork 2-5 ppl.

Description

Step-by-step

The participants have to make a collage showing their dream space for youth.

Before starting this exercise, it is a good idea to have a framework for the collages; a defined space or an issue to address.

1. Hand out paper, glue, scissors and magazines to the participants. If you do not have enough for each participant to have their own, let the groups share.

2. Introduce the exercise: the participants have to make a collage/mixed media visualisation of their dream space in their community. They can work in groups of 2-5 ppl. or individually. They can cut out from magazines, draw, paint, write or something else they like. (45 mins) 3. Each group/individual presents what their collage represents.

4. Hang up the artworks on a wall so it is visible for the rest of the workshop.

Objectives - Facilitate a process where dreams and utopias can flow.

- Provide a creative and non-academic approach to dreaming about change.

- Stimulate creativity and imagination.

- Challenge boundaries for what can be done.

Materials Magazines or other image-material.

Scissors, glue, thick paper of A3 or larger.

7 The tools

5

CHALLENGE-SOLUTIONS

Time 1h

Groupwork 2-5 ppl.

Description

Step-by-step

The participants have to write all the challenges they find in their community.

They pick one, and work on a solution to the challenge.

1. Individually, the participants write the challenges they find in their community on post-its. 1 challenge, 1 post-it. (7 mins) 2. They present their challenges in groups of 2-5 ppl. (5 mins) 3. In plenum, each group reads their challenges out loud. The facilitater writes the challenges on a flipchart. (10 mins) 4. Now each group chooses one or more challenges from the flipchart - either their own or one of the other groups’ - that they find interesting. They have to come up with ideas for solving the challenges.

Emphasise that it should be a challenge/ solution that is realistic within the budget.

On a big paper, the groups write/draw the challenge/solutions pairs so it can be communicated to the rest of the groups.

(20 mins) 5. Each group presents their challenge(s)/ solution(s). (5 mins/group)

Objectives - Establish a common understanding of the challenges the group finds.

- Train the participants in moving from challenge to solution.

- Start a reflection on how the youth can make an impact themselves, rather than waiting for someone else to act.

Materials Post-its, pens, flipchart paper A1 or larger

8 The tools

6

COST-IMPACT CHART

Time 45-60mins

Groupwork 2-5 ppl.

Description

Step-by-step

The participants have to place their ideas on a chart according to cost and impact.

By the end of this exercise the groups have to select one idea to keep working with.

To be able to do this exercise, it is necessary to have a pool of ideas to work with. It be a continuation of exercise 4.1, but it can also be ideas from other idea-generation exercises.

1. A flipchart with a cost-impact diagram is handed out to each group.

2. The group has to place the ideas according to the chart - the vertical bar defining low to high cost, the horizontal bar defining low to high impact. The best ideas are in the bottom-right corner - low cost high impact. (30 m) 3. Each group presents their ideas on the chart. (5m pr. group) 4. Allow time for comments.

5. Each group selects one idea to continue working with.

Objectives - Train the participants in taking budget and impact in to account simultaneously.

- Stimulate a critical reflection about a seemingly good idea.

- Select one idea to continue working with.

Materials Post-its, markers or pens, flipchart.

Cost High

Impact Low

High

The best idea Low 9 The tools

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CHALLENGE-SOLUTIONS - ROLE PLAY

Time 40mins-1h

Groupwork 2-5 ppl.

Description

Step-by-step

Based on the exercise 5, the participants have to make a role play.

- Facilitate a process where the participants have to use actions to show how a solution to a challenge could take place, to create a more embodied approach to community issues compared to thinking and talking about the solutions.

1. The exercise is a continuation of 4.1.

Therefore, firstly, do exercise 4.1.

2. Based on the challenge/solution pairs from 4.1, each group has to select the one they find most interesting.

3. Each group prepares a role-play where they show both the challenge and how they suggest to solve it. Each group member has to play a role. (30 mins) 4. Each group performs their role-play.

Allow 5-10 mins pr. group, depending on the number of groups.

Materials

Again, emphasize that the solution has to be realistic within the project scope and budget of the project.

Objectives

Space to move.

10 The tools

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COMMUNITY INTERVIEWS

Time 1,5 h

Groupwork 2-5 ppl.

Description

Step-by-step

The participants have to make interviews with community members about their project idea.

The basis for this exercise is that the groups have chosen 1 idea to work with.

I can be a continuation of exercise 6.

1. With one idea selected, each group has to go to a space in the community where they imagine this idea could be realised.

2. Photograph the space.

3. Talk to 3-5 ppl. in the community about the idea. Ask for input, opinions, critical views. You can write a questionnaire but it can also be informal interviews. Write down the answers. (1h - going to the space and make interviews) 4. Present the feedback to the group.

Show pictures and, if possible, map out where the space is. (5 mins pr. group) 5. Allow space for comments.

Objectives - Training in communicating ideas to the larger community, answering questions and mobilising support.

- Training in thinking about what spaces hold potential for the realisation of their project idea.

Materials Paper, pens, camera/phone.

11 The tools

9

SUSTAINABILITY - BUDGET - ENGAGEMENT - SUPPORT

Time 1,5h

Groupwork 2-5 ppl.

Description

Step-by-step

The participants have to qualify an idea based on sustainability, budget, community engagement and stakeholder support.

It can be one idea for each group or a common idea for all the groups.

Prior to this process, the large group has to agree upon one idea to continue working with. An idea could be to take a vote for the best idea.

1. Divide in groups of 2-5 people.

2. Each group has to work on a theme; sustainability, budget, community engagement and stakeholder support. It can also be other aspects that you find important for qualifying the ideas . This could fx be ‘how to merge the main idea with some of the other ideas that were discarded earlier in the process? (45mins) 3. The groups presents their work.

(5mins/group) 4. Allow a enough time for comments and discussions. This is an important part of the workshop.

Objectives - Ensure that participants have considered important aspects of a project idea.

- Spot challenges as early in the process as possible.

- Make the whole group work together on solving challenges about the project idea.

- Have a concrete implementation plan.

Materials Flipchart, markers/pens.

12 The tools