Children, Youth & Environments Center for Research and Design • University of Colorado

Continued on page 2

Child-Friendly istanbul by Yucel Severcan and Fahriye Sancar

Child Friendly Istanbul (CFI) is a participatory plan-

ning project supported by a grant from the European Union

(EU). This CYE initiative aims to learn more about children’s

use of public spaces, their suggestions for improving their

neighborhoods, and whether young people’s involvement

in city planning, design and development processes affects

their attachment to their neighborhood and city.

The year-long project is part of the “Istanbul 2010: Eu-

ropean Capital of Culture” program. Its long term goals are

to increase young people’s use of and preference for public

spaces, appreciation for their cities, and their motivation

to preserve and enhance their everyday environments. We

also hope to provide information to local governments for

drafting, planning and design guidelines based on children’s

needs and values.

Implementation of this CFI project is being done by the

Young Volunteers Association. As coordinators, we trained

the young affiliates (ages 17-27) of this organization in city

planning, data collection and analysis. They, in turn, helped

us engage more than 240 nine-to-eleven year old children

in project activities, ensuring the continuity of Child Friend-

ly City initiatives in Turkey. Participants were selected from

six public schools located in six disadvantaged neighbor-

hoods in four historical districts of Istanbul.

Children participated in structured activities, in-

cluding pre and post place attachment surveys, activity

diaries, participatory photography, GPS tracking, map-

ping, cultural field trips, focus groups, cultural heritage

design workshops, planning workshops as well as a de-

sign-build workshop. In addition to guiding the children

during these activities, the trained youth participated

in the surveying process, a place observation activity

and behavior mapping exercise, a cultural field trip to

London, and a collaborative planning workshop with

British youth.

We also organized two child-friendly city sympo-

siums, including the first Child-Friendly Istanbul Sym-

posium and various public presentations and exhibitions

to share the research findings with municipal planners

and the public and to establish partnerships between

NGOs and government organizations. Children and

youth participated in all events and raised their voices

to make Istanbul a place where children are guardians

of the city’s rich cultural heritage. For more information

on the project please visit:

www.childfriendlyistanbul.org/

Growing the Futurespring/summer 2011

Vol. 4, no. 1

News from the Children, Youth & Environm e n t s C e n t e r f o r R e s e a r c h a n d D e s i g n

A child draws a map of her neighborhood.

Children learn the history of public spaces of Istanbul through cultural trips.

2 Children, Youth & Environments Center for Research and Design • University of Colorado

\

Willem directing Battle of the Paradigms with unsuspecting Provost Mark Heckler in foreground.

From the direCtor

PhD students, we now also welcome Alessandro Rigolon and Nicole McDermid to CYE. Both just arrived to start the doctoral program. The next issue will provide more information on their in-terests and plans. We look forward as well to the arrival of Mirjana Petrik from the Czech Republic, who was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to spend the coming year at CYE. Alea Richmond is the new Community Engagement Assistant at CYE. Previously she was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ec-uador, where she was a Community Health Educa-tor and focused on environmental education and youth development. The Van Leer Foundation awarded CYE $20,000 to prepare and publish a special issue of Children, Youth and Environments, which will be guest edit-ed by Dr. Kevin Lalor, Head of the School of Social Sciences & Law at Dublin Institute of Technology. Under a new Agreement of Cooperation with UN HABITAT, CYE signed a $60,000 contract to evalu-ate the Youth Opportunities Fund and support a Global Help Desk for young people. Another re-cent highlight was publication of “Kids and Ani-mals” in collaboration with Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Foundation, made possible with support from board members Lynda Simmons and Leif Heimbold. Looking ahead, CYE is poised to continue and enhance its program of active engagement with children and youth, locally and around the world.

We enjoyed another busy spring and sum-mer. As always, project successes resulted from hard work, contagious enthusiasm and great ded-ication to improving young people’s lives. After Mary Fran Reed and Nader Afzalan joined as new

inseCts inspire exhibit at the Cu museum oF natural history by Mary Fran Reed, PhD Student

Bugs are crawling up the wall at the CU Museum of Natural History, and this is a good

thing. Under the direction of Mary Powell, the art teacher at University Hill Elementary

School in Boulder, CO, fourth-grade students created the colorful works for the exhibit,

Insects Inspire, now on display at the museum. Each young entomologist/artist spent

one week learning about real insects before sketching their imaginative designs. Interns

from CYE and elder-artists lent a hand in the classroom. The students then formed their

ideas in clay and glaze which were, in turn, fired by Ms. Powell. They also designed

the nature-inspired backgrounds for each insect and worked with their writing teachers

to develop artist statements in Spanish and English. The shapes of these colorful and

whimsical bugs range from dragonfly-like to semi-spherical. Charles Counter, the mu-

seum’s exhibit coordinator, supervised the installation. This fun exhibit will run through

the summer of 2011 and was funded in part by the CU-Boulder Outreach Committee. See

http://cumuseum.colorado.edu for museum visitor information.Students artwork displayed at CU Museum of Natural History

3Children, Youth & Environments Center for Research and Design • University of Colorado

Nader Afzalan’s areas

of interest include

using social media as

a tool to engage dif-

ferent voices in the

planning process,

youth empowerment,

community develop-

ment, and redevel-

opment projects. His

current research fo-

cuses on empowering

youth and children in

decision-making and visioning processes through on-

line tools and virtual settings.Nader holds Master’s

and Bachelor’s degrees in Urban Planning from the

University of Tehran. Prior to beginning his PhD stud-

ies at the university of Colorado, he was involved for

nine years in various community development, urban

revitalization and urban design projects in several

Iranian historical towns.

Tizai Mauto - PhD Student

Mary Fran Reed, an envi-

ronmental gerontologist,

conducts research that

combines elder design and

select intergenerational is-

sues. She holds an M.P.A.

and a post-professional

M.Arch.U.D from UC Denver.

A few of her accomplish-

ments: National Endowment

for the Arts management fellow, managing editor for

the APA journal, Urban Design & Preservation Quar-

terly, and founder of the VESTA Project. Mary Fran has

lectured on age-friendly design at the medical schools

of Columbia, Harvard, Yale, Duke, Northwestern, and

NYU. As a principal in the evidence-based design firm

DRMK/Sullivan+Partners in Oak Park, Illinois, she cur-

rently is the PI on a nationwide study of end-of-life

care environments. Mary Fran is a senior instructor at

DePaul University’s School of Public Service.

Rebecca Colbert is a

doctoral student and

licensed landscape ar-

chitect who specializes

in the development of

outdoor environments

for children. She served

as the Managing Editor

of the Children Youth

and Environments

Journal and oversaw

the youth assessment

component of the Growing Up Boulder initiative. Rebecca holds

a Bachelor’s in Landscape Architecture from the University of

California at Berkeley and a Master’s in Urban Design from the

University of Colorado. Prior to pursuing her doctoral studies, she

worked at the Berkeley, California design firm, MIG Inc., where

she oversaw development projects designed to serve the needs

of children, including public parks, children’s museums, school

grounds, children’s zoos and therapeutic play environments.

Rebecca Colbert - PhD Student

3

who’s who in Cye

Tizai Mauto’s research

interests include youth

participation in urban

planning and design,

livelihoods of urban

youth in informal ur-

ban economies in Sub-

Saharan Africa, and

urban agriculture and

sustainable urban de-

velopment in southern

Africa. Tizai has been

a teaching assistant for Urbanization in Developing

Countries, Environment and Behavior, and Introduc-

tion to Environmental Design. He has also worked

as a research assistant, analyzing youth voices for

Denver’s Child- and Youth-Friendly City Initiative as

well as the a Boulder youth nightlife survey. Tizai

graduated from the University of Zimbabwe with a

Bachelor of Science Honors degree in Rural and Ur-

ban Planning.

Nader Afzalan - PhD Student

Sarah Williams works with children at the Growing Up Boulder event.

Mary Fran Reed - PhD Student

4 Children, Youth & Environments Center for Research and Design • University of Colorado

new online book: Kids and animals by Louise Chawla, Professor

Cover picture for the first chapter titled S is for the Safety of Animals. It was drawn by an elementary school student, Darwin, in the US. Many of the other drawings are from all over the world.

CYE collaborated with Marc Bekoff, a CU Professor

Emeritus in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and an in-

ternationally known expert on animal behavior, to pro-

duce the book Kids and Animals: From the Hands and

Hearts of Children and Youth. Since the book went online

in January, it has received enthusiastic reviews in e-mag-

azines and blogs around the world. The book features the

drawings and writings of children in international chap-

ters of Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots clubs, along with

brief stories about the initiatives that different clubs are

taking to protect animals and their habitats and to pro-

mote peace. Following an introduction by Jane Goodall,

Marc Bekoff’s text for children describes how we share

with other animals their needs for safety, homes, shelter-

ing habitats, families and peace, as well as abilities to

express love, care and cooperation.

The book was created with the goal of inspiring other

children to draw and write about their hopes and dreams

for animals and to organize to protect them. On April 16,

the Boulder Bookstore held a special event to introduce

the book to children and their families, with art supplies

provided so that children could contribute their drawings

and ideas.

The book cover designed by Kendall Frost and Sydney Tanner.

A drawing in chapter three, where “L” is for Love.

The book was designed by two undergraduate CYE in-

terns, Sydney Tanner and Kendall Frost. Sydney and Kendall

began with a stack of children’s drawings and writings that

Marc had collected from Roots and Shoots chapters in the

United States and abroad, sorted them into themes for Marc

to develop in his text, and took the design from there. To find

a link to the book, go to the CYE Center homepage at www.

ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/ArchitecturePlanning/dis-

cover/centers/CYE.

street as a liVing museum

As part of the International Town & Gown (ITGA) Confer-

ence Design Charrette, and in partnership with Growing Up

Boulder, some 15 Boulder youth turned the University Hill

streets into a Living Museum on June 3, 2011. Three groups

of 4 to 6 youth each, accompanied by a CYE intern, explored

various parts the University Hill’s streets and alleys to exam-

ine their environment through a “frame” and a camera lens.

The youth were given cameras and pre-cut square cardboard

frames to use to frame objects or scenes they found interest-

ing, unique, intriguing, or disturbing, and snap a photo of it.

The pre-cut frames were painted white on one side and red

on the other. The youth were given instructions to use a red

by Samuel Assefa, Senior Urban Designer, City of Boulder

frame to indicate things they generally felt were negative

and the white frame for things they felt were positive.

The purpose of the exercise was to help the youth

make personal statements about their environment in

pictures, and share those findings with University Hill

residents, planners and policy makers. The pictures were

immediately printed and arranged along the wall of The

Sink restaurant on Pennsylvania Avenue as a public ex-

hibit, and for presentation to about 30 national and in-

ternational planners and educators. Youth participants

presented their work and engaged in a dialog about their

views of the environment at University Hill.

5Children, Youth & Environments Center for Research and Design • University of Colorado

Louise Chawla, professor and project coordinator

The book cover designed by Kendall Frost and Sydney Tanner.

A team of CYE professors and past and current doctoral students produced an an-

notated online bibliography for Oxford University Press on the subject of Children and

Environments. It includes sections on Home Environments, Neighborhoods, Natural

Environments, Schools, Gardens and School Ground Greening, Environments of Risk,

Child-Friendly Cities, Independent Mobility, and Children’s Participation. It provides

readers with key texts that lead them deeper into the extensive literature on each of

these topics.

online bibliography on Children and enVironments by Louise Chawla, Professor

Boulder youth take pictures through photo frames in the University Hill area.

6 Children, Youth & Environments Center for Research and Design • University of Colorado

growing up boulder update and youth input

for the City’s “en-

ergy future” project.

The City is ask-

ing the citizens of

Boulder to decide

how their energy

should be generated

and sold in the fu-

ture. Through GUB

and our partners,

we will ask Boul-

der’s young people

how we should an-

swer this question.

. Growing Up Boulder (GUB) has been

busy with many projects. We have fin-

ished analysis of a survey that asked

more than 600 Boulderites what they

think about the city as a place for chil-

dren, teens and families (see the next

newsletter for results!). As we build on

what we learned from the survey, we will ask Boulder’s chil-

dren and youth what rights they believe they should have.

By meeting with students from high-school clubs, organiza-

tions and boards around the city, we will begin work on a

children and youth bill of rights in Boulder. The goal is to

expand this work to younger children as we move forward.

.The City of Boulder is completing its comprehensive

plan with in-

put garnered

by GUB from

the city’s young

people. Mid-

dle- and high-

school students

shared their

recommendations

for Boulder’s future ur ban design by constructing 3-D

models of redevelopment areas and by highlighting their

likes and dislikes about the city, using aerial maps. GUB

plans to share the sections of the comprehensive plan that

changed thanks to youth ideas with the youth who contrib-

uted them and to celebrate their accomplishment together.

. GUB is also part of a team tasked with generating child

by Mara Mintzer, Research Affiliate

Boulder Child and YouthFriendly City Assessment by Rebecca Colbert, PhD Student

In Fall 2010, our research team began piloting the BCYFC

assessment at the Family Learning Center, a local non-profit

organization that provides programs and skills training for a

largely Hispanic population of low-income children and fami-

lies in Boulder. To date, we’ve conducted focus groups with

elementary-school children, middle-school youth and parents.

We plan to continue to work in partnership with this commu-

nity to reach additional age groups and to address partici-

pants’ concerns about neighborhood cohesiveness and safety.

A student, a city councilor and Willem engage in conversation.

Shawn Edmonds discusses planning ideas with students.

CYE intern Isra Chaker facilitates a planning activity.

Sarah Williams works with children at the Growing Up Boulder event.

Photos by Brett Wagner

7Children, Youth & Environments Center for Research and Design • University of Colorado

One of our exciting new projects launched this spring

includes the construction of a children’s community gar-

den at the Boulder Family Learning Center (FLC). Doc-

toral student and CYE Research Assistant Corrie Colvin

Williams, along with CYE intern Cody Thompson, have

been offering weekly gardening classes to interested FLC

children. Our activities over eight weeks included: sun-

dial making (and utter disbelief that accurate time could

be told by the sun!); a worm compost farm (a much loved

novelty); discussion of fruit and vegetable use and avail-

ability along the Front Range; indoor seed starts (encour-

aging belief in the promise of a seed); handmade garden

stepping stones; and ground preparation and seed plant-

ing.

The gardening classes were filled with discovery and

exploration of the FLC children’s local environment. Dur-

ing the stepping stone activity, children were encour-

aged to find natural treasures to include in their stepping

stones, spurring an afternoon of childhood at its best.

Discovery of an earthworm produced exclamations: “We

found a worm! We found a worm!” This enthusiastic dis-

covery continued with our ground preparation where the

children had an opportunity to dig, explore and unearth

what lies beneath the surface of their future garden.

Rocks, roots, and worms were among the many exciting

finds – a refreshing reminder of the joys that should exist

in childhood, the promise of the seasons, and the magic

and wonder housed in nature’s hidden treasures.

This garden project is part of a larger interdisciplinary

effort by University of Colorado’s programs in Education,

Mathematics, Dance, Writing and Rhetoric, and Environ-

mental Design, coordinated by CYE to establish a more

formal partnership with the FLC for years to come, a part-

nership whose goal is to ensure the well-being of the FLC

children, youth and their families and provide learning

opportunities for CU students.

Children’s Community garden at the Family learning Center by Corrie Colvin Williams, PhD Student

A child makes stepping stones for the garden.

Food Sustainability at Roaring Fork High, Carbondale, COby Illène Pevec, PhD Candidate

A group of children break ground on the new garden.

CYE Interns & FLC students work together to grow the garden.

CU Boulder enabled seven highschool students

in Agricultural Biology to get AmeriCorps credit for their class work

growing food for the school lunch. This February we had a suc-

cessful 80 minute participatory planning event with 25 students

to generate a Best Practices Management Plan for the green-

house and orchard. Five groups with adult facilitators developed

plans for the planting calendar, soil building and fertility, integrat-

ed pest management, safety and site maintenance, and climate

control in the greenhouse to facilitate managing the site for opti-

mum food production for the school lunch and science education.

If you want to contribute a story or if you have comments, please email us at cye-ce@colorado.edu.

CYE welcomes your tax-deductible donation. Please send your gift to:

University of Colorado Foundation:

Gift Processing

P.O. Box 17126

Denver, CO 80217

or download a simple gift form at http://www.cufund.org/giveonline/

Please, indicate that your gift is for the CYE Center and if you wish to target a particular project or use. We sincerely appreciate your support of CYE!

CYE Staff

Willem van VlietDirector and Professor

Louise ChawlaProfessor

Fahriye SancarProfessor

Alea RichmondCommunity Engagement Assistant

Mara MintzerResearch Affiliate

Donations