Children’s councils and the design of public spaces. A methodological proposal

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. Children participation in local and community life, as a specific application of the article 12 of the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child, has been influencing the decision-making processes in many local governments. The creation of spaces which enable the inclusion of the interest and specific needs of the children citizen collective, requires a systematization in order to turn them into a more inclusive and participatory project. Therefore, they have to incorporate certain principles which provide efficiency and authenticity throughout the undertaking and its results. This article, on the one hand, offers a theoretical frame which guides the children’s participation practices in the design of public spaces process through councils of citizenship participation of the municipal government. On the other hand, the core contribution of the article is a methodological proposal for the children’s participation in the design of public spaces. METHOD. The methodological proposal that we present is the result of years of experience facilitating children councils and different participatory research projects at a community level which study in depth this specific type of government body. RESULTS. The methodological recommendations are based on ideological and procedural principles which are realized throughout six practices which diverse one another regarding the citizens collective involved and the ways and levels of participation that are performed. DISCUSSION. The methodology that we present opens a pathway towards an architecture and an urbanism not only inclusive with children, but also participatory, being this second dimension of larger relevance in the procedure.