Susanna Osinga, Irene Fierloos, Betsie Loeffen, Milene Guerreiro Goncalves, Mieke van der Bijl-Brouwer
Youth participation is increasingly important in Dutch municipalities, for example, in Rotterdam. Despite the growing number of tools, podcasts, and events promoting engagement, it remains challenging to involve young voices in policy-making. Can we approach this differently?
In this project, we used the Frame Innovation method, a design approach that redefines problems to uncover innovative solutions. By "reframing" issues, unique insights can emerge that might otherwise have been overlooked. The goal was to reframe the problem to reveal new perspectives and solutions.
How can we bridge the gap between municipalities and youngsters?
Various design activities were undertaken to understand stakeholders and their values; around 70 officials and 60 young people were involved. These activities included interviews with Rotterdam officials, a creative session at the Timmerhuis, an interactive afternoon at the library in Rotterdam Blaak, and a co-creation session with an existing municipal advisory group.
It became clear that not all stakeholders have the same needs and not every official views participation similarly. Some data-driven sceptics don’t yet see its importance, while overwhelmed advocates value youth participation but struggle within the municipal system. Among the youth, there’s also a range—from uncertain doubters to distant indifferent.
Four main themes were identified, reflecting these varied perspectives: Open Hearts Open Minds (emphasising genuine interactions and empathy), Navigating the Unknown (addressing uncertainties in participation), Driven by Responsibility (focusing on the sense of duty), and What You Do Matters (highlighting the importance of feeling impactful).
New perspectives, or "frames," were created based on these themes. For example, viewing participation as 'navigating the unknown' frames it as a journey. Some officials and youth are seasoned travellers, while others need guidance. A "participation travel agency" within the municipality could assist and equip both, making the process less overwhelming.
These proposed frames offer fresh insights for addressing challenges. Instead of just creating participation tools, we should focus on empowering stakeholders so they feel recognized, in control, and ready to engage. While the frames provide a new perspective, they are not a solution, they still need to be integrated into practice, serving as a starting point for a new design cycle with a renewed focus.
