Germany: Child participation in urban planning in Regensburg

Challenge

Children and young people are often not heard on decisions related to the planning of cities and communities, even when an unsustainable built environment constrains children’s access to services, poses a risk to their health, and furthers existing inequalities. 

Solution

Regensburg has taken an ambitious approach to engaging children and young people in urban planning. The city’s unique ‘Spielleitplanung’ approach to planning invites children and young people to be active partners in urban planning processes, and has already been used to improve the old city center, and the Kasernenviertel neighborhood with many underprivileged children living in conditions characterized by overcrowded housing, little recreational greenery, few places for play and noisy streets. The city has made it mandatory to consult children and young people whenever the local government plans public spaces for the youngest inhabitants.

Regensburg has two city-level child participation bodies: their child advisors aged 8 to 14, and their Youth Advisory Council (YAC) with children aged 14 to 18. The YAC can apply to the city council and offer proposals and recommendations to the council on all matters concerning children and young people, and has its own budget for its own projects. Twice a year, Regensburg hosts ‘District Youth Participation’ events in different districts of the city, where children in the area are invited to meet and address issues with the mayor and the heads of the city. 

One concrete result of Regensburg’s approach to participatory urban planning is Brixenpark, a park that was built in close consultation with the youth of the city. The development process involved children of all ages from a variety of different socio-cultural backgrounds, who helped urban planners to establish what the children of Regensburg wanted in their new park. Elementary school children designed the large dragon sculpture which is in the middle of the park, while teenagers with mental and physical disabilities helped to design the park in a way that made it accessible for all children. Children’s participation was ensured to be meaningful through direct consultations between the groups of children and the park planners. The park is designed to be climate-friendly and sustainable, featuring plenty of green features such as trees, fields, and environmental education facilities. The park also includes parts where the children can build themselves. The only way to access and travel around the park is by bike or by foot and the area is completely pedestrianised. UNICEF recognized the city for its efforts on child participation by awarding the development process at the 2021 Cities Inspire Awards.

Impact

Regensburg has invested in meaningful, multidisciplinary child and youth participation, where children are involved at all levels of government and are in constant, meaningful interaction with politicians, planners, and city officials. This has resulted in real impact on their daily lives. An example of action taken following young people’s recommendations is the fact that all the city’s youth centres have been made barrier-free and accessible to persons with mobility restrictions.