ABSTRACT
Community-built practices that involve youth in the design and construction of community places can have significant impacts on the individual youth, on the place itself, and on the social community as a whole. Community-built practices, as exemplified by members of the Community Built Association, have demonstrated that community members in general (and youth in particular) can be involved in building successful, safe, and high-quality public places. This review of literature about community-built projects demonstrates that involving youth in the creation and construction of public places can improve a youth’s connections to a place, increase their relationships to the broader community, and encourage a sense of self-worth and empowerment. The act of making a physical change in a public space plays an important role in developing this sense of empowerment. The fact that the youth contributed to a publicly visible, relatively permanent change in the environment contributes to their sense of pride. By building a place, youth shift their role from consumer to producer. Instead of being viewed as a user of space, they become an active creator.
