Honoring Voices, Inspiring Futures: Young People's Engagement in Open Space Planning

Abstract

Growing Up Boulder—a child- and youth-friendly city initiative in Boulder, Colorado, USA—engaged 95 children, ages 4–17, in a planning process with the City of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) department. The goal was to understand current uses of the North Trail Study Area and to identify strategies to improve visitor experiences for the 7,700-acre study area. This report describes specific methods of engagement, outcomes of the engagement, and reflections on the process. Youth perspectives led to concrete changes to the plan and to organizational shifts within OSMP, allowing for greater youth engagement in the future.