ERIC Number: EJ689934
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004-May
Pages: 12
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0907-5682
EISSN: N/A
'Our Town.' Children as Advocates for Change in the City
Gallagher, Claire B.
Childhood: A Global Journal of Child Research, v11 n2 p251-262 May 2004
In the 'Our Town' project, 20 urban children designed and built an intervention in their neighborhood. The process involved extensive collaboration with the community at large and resulted in a park. This construction was developed in direct contrast to a more typical adult conception of a playground. Children's concerns in their design included issues of intergenerational interaction, safety, comfort and visual delight. The success of the project speaks to the depth of knowledge, and lack of political agenda, which may permit children to be designers and advocates for change in their neighborhoods. This article seeks to identify and address questions regarding the inclusion of children as effective and appropriate resources for input in design and advocacy for change in their built environment.
Descriptors: Urban Youth, Design, Neighborhoods, Neighborhood Improvement, Community Development, Intergenerational Programs, Children, Advocacy, Playgrounds, Urban Planning, Urban Renewal
Sage Publications, 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243 (Toll Free); Fax: 800-583-2665 (Toll Free).
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A