Written by Nova Iskra

What exactly does this tool offer, and how can it engage youth in urban planning?

The tool will provide the main users, who are between the ages of 13 and 18, the chance to actively investigate and learn about their area and take part in the building of a green and sustainable city. We concentrate on the issues of climate change, its effects on our communities, and potential solutions for adaptation and mitigation. For our project, we have chosen the Blue-Green-Gray infrastructure idea aimed at finding answers to the pressing issue of the effects of climate change on our surroundings. The young can readily comprehend and absorb the concept of Blue-Green-Gray infrastructure, and it is also easily customizable to be utilized in any neighborhood. In addition to the process of naturally gaining new knowledge, the application allows its user to actively engage in planning and decision-making by establishing contacts with relevant city stakeholders or a concrete municipality.
Its goals include fostering young people’s relationships with the environment, assisting them in returning home after completing their education, and providing for them while keeping in mind the need of leading sustainable lives.

Features of Interactive Online Tool:

• Engaging and Learning:

Interactive Online Tool’s main functionality centers around an interactive content system. It provides definitions, examples, and concise learning texts, helping youth understand the structure of sustainable cities, their components, and life in public spaces. As a bonus, it incorporates a rewarding system to encourage youth participation. This gamified element aims to boost engagement not only with the tool but also with the concept of active involvement in urban planning. These features are not tied to specific locations or movement tracking but enhance user interaction.

• Mobility Analysis:

Interactive Online Tool’s mobility functionality focuses on analyzing data that will be entered by users. Users can input details like the distance between school and home, preferred routes, transportation modes, and place classifications along their routes. Youth can provide comments in various formats, including text, photos, and audio messages.

•  User Accounts and Privacy:

Users can log in at any time to edit their entries and decide which information to share with organizations involved in projects or urban planning. Routes and transportation details can be entered even without movement tracking enabled. However, creating personal or group accounts is essential for achieving the main goal. Exported information ensures anonymity for young users, protecting their privacy.

• Collaboration:

Interactive Online Tool fosters collaboration among groups and individuals. Users can see others’ activities (evaluations, ratings, comments) and engage in discussions via text, photos, and voice messages.

These interactions spark further engagement and enhance youth participation in urban planning.

By combining engagement, mobility analysis, privacy features, and collaboration, Interactive Online Tool empowers youth to actively shape their urban environments.

Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities to get involved with the MyHood project!