How to Build up a Child-Friendly Community?

On 5th Nov, 2021, the Children Participation in Community Renewal Workshop was organized in the Qingsong Community, Jianghan District of Wuhan, China. The workshop was organized by the UN-Habitat and Wuhan Land Use and Urban Spatial Planning Research Center (WLSP).  More than 20 students from Wansong Garden Road Primary School actively engaged in the workshop. They were led by the WLSP planners, to ‘re-build’ their ideal community using papers, pens and multiple pieces of cards.

At the beginning of the workshop, the planners took the children outside. Each child held a ‘field visit card’ which can be used to record the ‘shining spots’ and the ‘problem spots’ across the community. They were ready to ‘catch’ the potential issues, but also seek the approval of the community.

Next to a small public square, Yu Yixi, the student of Class 2, Grade 5 from Wansong Garden Road Primary School, kept swinging her head and carefully observed the surroundings and recorded her findings. After visiting 5 ‘check-in spots’ in half an hour, the card in her hand was full of her writing. She said excitedly, “I lived in this community for 5 years and never took a close look at this place previously, but today, led by these elder brothers and sisters, I can make suggestions for the transformation of this community, it’s brilliant!.”

After going back to the ‘Council Chamber’, the children actively shared what they had just seen and heard. A lot of green plants, the fresh air, a retail store along the road with small intervals, and other conveniences for life.

However, some very risky and unsafe issues were also stated by the children: some temporary construction sites without railings which children can easily enter; some narrow roads in the community for pedestrian and cars’ scrambling.

“Terrific! Everyone has observed very carefully. Next, you can use your imagination to create your own beautiful community in your design board.” After the planner summarized the rule, the children began to create.

‘Fun’ was the theme of the model built by Yu Weihao and his team. Weihao pointed to the cards on the table, with swings, seesaws, sandpits and trampolines jumping into sight. “I want to create an amusement park right here on my doorway!"

In another model, the space was designed as the outdoor after-school classroom surrounded by trees and gardens. “We can do our work and read the books here!”

The children introduced their models cheerfully. “In the future, some of the awesome ideas created by the children will be incorporated into the later renovation,” said Qi Xiaoxuan, the WLSP planner.

Mr. Zhang Zhenshan, UN-Habitat HPM for China gave welcoming remarks to this workshop virtually. He introduced the 5-year collaboration between UN-Habitat and WLSP, especially the development of Child-Friendly City and Community, and gave positive feedback for Jianghan District, Wuhan City for its exploration and experience in developing the Child-Friendly City and Community.

Ms. Kang Dezhi, the Deputy Director of the WLSP, indicated that children have unlimited imagination and creativity, and they are born to be ‘designers’. This workshop inspires the design and development of child-friendly communities from the perspective of children, from the needs of the children, making the city ‘warmer’.