Participation and planning: the benefits of engaging with young people

Thursday 26 August 2021

Grace Simmonds

Head of Learning & Engagement

Rae Whittow-Williams

Principal Project Officer, Regeneration and Economic Development
Greater London Authority

Ferzanah Ahmed

Policy and Projects Lead
London Borough of Redbridge

Brett Leahy

Head of Planning & Building Control and Interim Programme Director for HRA
London Borough of Redbridge

Alphie Burgess

Customer Success Team
VU.CITY

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Young people have too often been under-represented and overlooked in consultation processes, with more than two million residents under the age of 18, the built environment sector cannot afford to ignore the future generations of the city any longer. Part of the Mayor’s Good Growth by Design programme, ‘Making London Child Friendly’ guide promotes independent mobility and participation with young people as a key driver in creating an accessible city for everyone, recognising that young people are active citizens who use and negotiate the city, and should therefore have a level of responsibility and input into shaping it.

Engaging young people with the changes in their neighbourhoods through participation in planning and design is key to creating better places that work for everyone. Learning about their needs, experiences and insights of a place, should inform development and give young people agency in their city, as well as create opportunities to develop their own key life skills in the process.

This webinar explores the exemplar approaches and participatory projects that have been informed by young people and the city-wide benefits of involving children and young people in planning and design processes.