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Consultation has concluded
Young people use public
spaces just as much as anyone else, if not more.
And yet, too often young people, or young
adults between the ages of 12 to 25, are not included in the process of
Placemaking and end up “loitering” in other spaces.
Some communities frown upon loitering, which can create a negative image
for young people and just contributes to the stigma surrounding them,
especially those who are at risk. By being actively engaged in youth-friendly
spaces, young people can feel like they have investment in their community and
they can develop a strong sense of ownership in these places (Project for
Public Spaces, http://www.pps.org/blog/young-people-and-placemaking-engaging-youth-to-create-community-places/).
Young people have as
much right as any other demographic to use and enjoy public space in
ways that suit their needs. However, most public space is designed to cater for
the needs of children and adults.
Spaces for young people
can range from:
cost-friendly
options like attractive street furniture with welcoming design of the space
around it,
‘legal walls’ (to allow young people to
express themselves freely through public art),
to more
expensive investments in specialised facilities like playgrounds that cater for
the play needs of teenagers, BMX tracks, skate parks, parkour facilities, or
youth centres.
Then, there are also
many personal interests that transcend the various age groups.
Facilities and planning for the needs of such
particular communities of interest may also attract young people who share that
interest; examples of these include sporting facilities, music rehearsal rooms
and arts hubs.
In order to successfully
provide spaces for young people it is vital to include them in the process as
full members of the community
An example where this
has happened successfully in our Council area is the skate park at Gumeracha,
where Council worked with a large group of young skaters throughout the
process, resulting in the original user group taking a great sense of ownership
over the facility, which to date has only attracted very modest levels of
graffiti-vandalism.
What social and recreational activities for young people do you want to see in the district? Use the mapping tool below to show us where you want to hang out, or tell us your ideas about great activities for the district.
Young people use public
spaces just as much as anyone else, if not more.
And yet, too often young people, or young
adults between the ages of 12 to 25, are not included in the process of
Placemaking and end up “loitering” in other spaces.
Some communities frown upon loitering, which can create a negative image
for young people and just contributes to the stigma surrounding them,
especially those who are at risk. By being actively engaged in youth-friendly
spaces, young people can feel like they have investment in their community and
they can develop a strong sense of ownership in these places (Project for
Public Spaces, http://www.pps.org/blog/young-people-and-placemaking-engaging-youth-to-create-community-places/).
Young people have as
much right as any other demographic to use and enjoy public space in
ways that suit their needs. However, most public space is designed to cater for
the needs of children and adults.
Spaces for young people
can range from:
cost-friendly
options like attractive street furniture with welcoming design of the space
around it,
‘legal walls’ (to allow young people to
express themselves freely through public art),
to more
expensive investments in specialised facilities like playgrounds that cater for
the play needs of teenagers, BMX tracks, skate parks, parkour facilities, or
youth centres.
Then, there are also
many personal interests that transcend the various age groups.
Facilities and planning for the needs of such
particular communities of interest may also attract young people who share that
interest; examples of these include sporting facilities, music rehearsal rooms
and arts hubs.
In order to successfully
provide spaces for young people it is vital to include them in the process as
full members of the community
An example where this
has happened successfully in our Council area is the skate park at Gumeracha,
where Council worked with a large group of young skaters throughout the
process, resulting in the original user group taking a great sense of ownership
over the facility, which to date has only attracted very modest levels of
graffiti-vandalism.
What social and recreational activities for young people do you want to see in the district? Use the mapping tool below to show us where you want to hang out, or tell us your ideas about great activities for the district.
