We live in a time where the influence of citizens is taking a larger role in the spatial
planning. The Swedish laws, such as PBL, deals with matters of citizen participation
which advocates that the youth should be included in the consultation circuit, but there is
no directive given.
The report's purpose is to demonstrate methods for how to get the young people's
influence included in the spatial planning, with a main focus on the ages between 13 and
21. On the base of literature and two case studies, the goal is to illustrate how to integrate
young people through a meeting place in Jonkoping, Sweden.
The report is structured along with an analysis based on the literature, two case studies
from previous projects and discussions/interviews with young people from four selected
areas in Jonkoping.
The case studies from Malmo and Gothenburg show how the cooperation between
different participants can be organized during the planning and how to give the users a
greater involvement.
Based on literature and case studies, we carried out a field analysis of the four most
segregated areas of Jonkoping; Osterangen, Oxnehaga, Ekhagen and Raslatt. Young
people in these areas were interviewed, as a basis for a proposal for a new all-activity
center at the expended location of Kungsang School.
During this project, the following three issues were investigated:
In what need are young people of a meeting place in Jonkoping?
Our research has proved that there is no greater connection between the young people in
Jönköping, because the young people appear generally in their own neighborhoods.
Therefore, segregation patterns are created and there is a need for a common meeting
place, a place in the municipality of Jönköping would be of great value to promote
integration between young people.
What can an all-activity house contribute to in Jonkoping?
An all-activity house which is available for everyone would contribute to what young
people are missing, by being a meeting place for everyone in the municipality of
Jonkoping.
Based on literature studies we believe that an all-activity house will break the segregation
pattern and reduce the distinction between "us" and "them", which will result in a more
integrated environment. By involving young people from the beginning until the end of
the projects, their influence will increase and it will give a wider understanding of their
neighborhoods and needs. This should be done through meetings and open dialogues
between users and planners. To assessment the degree of influence, Arnstein’s step
model can be used. An all-activity house with a wide range of activities benefits the
participants’ health by making them active and enabling conditions for movement.
School activities are not sufficient for young people to fully develop competencies, such
as sport accomplishments, playing instruments and artistic abilities. To have an activity
benefiting a person's health, the requirements is to gradually develop the person's abilities
based on active learning, engage in various types of exercises and have clear goals. The
school's activities do not have this kind of structure and it is therefore important that
young people have the opportunity outside of school and in the very neighborhood.
How can you precede the work of involving the youth in the spatial planning?
In real practice, the young people’s influence is not included during the whole planning
stage, only in the very beginning. This is considered as manipulation. To fulfill the co-
degree of influence, it requires that young people are involved and enthused through the
implementing-, planning- and management stage. The best way to capture young people's
thoughts, ideas and experiences is to use methods such as recreational centers, mental-
maps, walking trips or internet communication.