Involving Youth in Local Planning Efforts

The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow. It is important to involve them in the planning process as early as possible. If they learn now that they are an integral part of the community, that their voice matters and will be heard, they are more likely to participate in their community as adults. They will have grown up as active community members and will carry those experiences with them throughout their lives.

On Friday, September 11, 1998, 35 sixth graders from Akira Toki Middle School participated in a half-day planning charette as part of the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Planning Association's Fall Conference. The planning charette was a mobile workshop, "Kids Rule!" The workshop was created by Connie Bodeen - Marathon County University of Wisconsin-Extension and Susan Fox - Wisconsin Department of Transportation, with the help of Jo Olson, a sixth grade teacher at Toki Middle School. The goal of the workshop was to teach planning professionals how to involve youth in local planning efforts and to teach youth about city planning and that they can make a difference in their community. The students were asked to share their opinions and ideas about how the City of Madison could improve the Downtown Madison/State Street neighborhood area.

In small groups of eight to ten, planners and students began the afternoon by taking a walking tour of the study area - a seven-block area surrounding State Street near the capitol building. The students conducted an environmental scan, recording their observations in writing and with Polaroid cameras. Following the walking tour, the students discussed the study area by reviewing their notes and pictures.

Next they began the Downtown Planning Game. The game allowed the students to communicate their ideas for improving the Downtown Madison/State Street area in a tactile and interactive manner. Each group was given a game board: a 30" x 38" map of the study area with streets and major landmarks and buildings identified. Additionally, the groups were given a number of game pieces (small colored foam core board) representing a variety of elements that might be found in a downtown neighborhood. The elements included: school, apartment building, park, playground, house, museum, medical clinic, church, library, grocery store, parking lot, community center, theater, retail store, office building, industry, and homeless shelter. The students were also supplied with markers and glue. They were instructed to use as many of the game pieces as necessary. They could also flip the pieces over and make new categories if the ones provided did not meet their needs. They were not limited by existing structures or roads. Students were encouraged to use any means necessary to convey their ideas - colors, game pieces, words, or pictures.

At the end of an hour, the students were asked to summarize their best ideas, referred to as "Big and Cool Ideas." Their Big and Cool Ideas were then presented to their peers as well as representatives from the City of Madison's Department of Planning and Development and JJR Incorporated (a consulting firm hired to work on a plan for the State Street area). Below is a summary of the students' Big and Cool Ideas preceded by a list of things they liked most and least about the area (identified from their walking tour).

The following is a list of the words and phrases the students used to describe the things they liked and disliked about the Downtown Madison/State Street area:

The students had many ideas for improving the Downtown Madison/State Street neighborhood. However, each group was asked to limit their presentations to their three best Big and Cool Ideas. Below is what the groups reported:

Representatives from the City of Madison and JJR were interested in the students' ideas and asked them questions during their presentations. When asked if they would return to the Downtown Madison/State Street area in the future and why, almost all of the students responded positively, citing reasons such as: "It is a cool place to hang out" and "Because I possibly made a difference in the future of the area."