Creating spaces for making places: supporting young people's involvement in placemaking through digital technology

Lead Research Organisation: Newcastle University
Department Name: Sch of Engineering

Abstract

Aim
The aim of this research is to explore opportunities for the participatory design and appropriation of digital technology to support young people's involvement in local placemaking.

Objectives
The objectives of this research are to:
* Carry out an extensive review of relevant literature to identify opportunities and limitations presented by previous work, and by
* Sensitise myself to the state of play for youth engagement in placemaking by undertaking a minimum of 15 interviews with key informants in relevant organisations;
* Agree a research collaboration with at least one organisation to work with throughout my project;
* Conduct a short ethnographic study, round of interviews and/or focus groups within these organisation(s);
* Working through collaborating organisation(s), identify and agree on a placemaking issue or issues with a group/groups of young people to act upon;
* Engage groups of young people in an iterative, participatory process of digital technology design, appropriation and deployment;
* Analyse data and reflect on findings in order to make recommendations for design and future research.

Research questions
Whilst recognising that they will evolve along with the project, I propose the following research questions:
* What can be learned from organisations working with young people around issues of democracy and placemaking?
* What are the local placemaking issues relevant to young people in the contexts I will be working in?
* How can the design, appropriation and deployment of digital technology support young people's involvement in local placemaking issues?
* What promise do direct engagements with young people hold for the creation of intergenerational placemaking processes?

Publications

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