Growing Up Boulder Director Mara Mintzer’s TED talk on how children can help design cities is fascinating, and an insight into the future. As to what is Growing Up Boulder:
Growing Up Boulder is a “child and youth-friendly city initiative” that is a program at the University of Colorado, Boulder’s Community Design and Engagement Center (CEDaR). It began in the spring of 2009 as a partnership between the University of Colorado, the City of Boulder, the Boulder Valley School District, former State Senator Dorothy Rupert, local non-profits and businesses, and children and youth from ages 0-18. Growing up Boulder (GUB) works with children to get their input into local government decision-making and city planning such as designing parks and public spaces.
Child- and youth-friendly cities are locales in which children’s rights are reflected in local policies, laws, programs and budgets. These cities work to realize children’s rights as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Our vision is to make Boulder an exemplary child- and youth-friendly city. We accomplish this through many diverse partnerships and supporters.
Growing Up Boulder’s goals:
1. Ensure meaningful opportunities for young people’s participation in Boulder decision-making.
2. Make Boulder a more inclusive place for children and youth of all income levels, ethnicities and abilities.
3. Give GUB partners a voice in setting the direction of GUB projects.
4. Disseminate lessons learned from GUB to the community (Boulder-at-large, youth, academics, GUB partners, other child-friendly city communities).