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Learning from Cities— The 2nd Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation
participation to participate the public determination. Materials were translated into different languages as often as possible and idea collection assemblies were held in accessible venues. Target included people who are traditionally underserved. ⑤ Many participants reported gaining specific skills including leadership, teamwork, social contact, communication and other professional fields. Many participants also expressed feelings of power of control ,that is their
□ Guangzhou Award delegation visit Boston Department of Youth Engagement & Employment
voices had truly been heard. Youth Lead the Change has been proven conducive to encouraging youth
in idea collection assemblies, project development and eventually voting.
engagement in public policy making processes and to bringing young people’s creativity into full play. 2. Challenge of the Initiative
Practice and Innovation 1. Revolutionary Innovation
One obstacle was how to improve
The innovation of this initiative
the community’s trust in the government.
is revolutionary, which has been
As the project began, some community
applied through policy, design and
members questioned whether they
implementation. Never before have
would truly have an opportunity to
young people at the age of 12 to 25 been
decide how funds would be spent. A
empowered to directly decide how a
steering committee of youth serving
portion of an entire city’s capital budget
organizations provided liaisons between
would be spent.
communities and created an avenue of trust between community members
2. Characteristics
and local government. As the project
In designing Youth Lead the Change,
progressed, members of the community
all materials had to be adapted for the
became more active as they participated
population with special consideration