ABSTRACT
Many innovative projects have given young people a voice in city planning and design, but it is rare to sustain young people’s participation for an extended period of time. This chapter describes the governing structure, mission, and guiding principles of Growing Up Boulder, a program in Boulder, Colorado, that has been including young people in city decision making for more than 10 years. The program works with a commitment that at least half of its projects will engage young people from low-income and ethnic populations or young people with disabilities. The chapter emphasizes lessons learned as program staff and allies have developed a variety of ways to ensure that local leaders will not just hear young people’s suggestions, but also incorporate feasible ideas into city plans, policies, and public spaces. It also describes different approaches to communicate to young people how their ideas have been applied, and to advocate for their recommendations during the long period that often intervenes between the original conceptualization of ideas to their embodiment in redeveloped spaces.
