In Brief

The Challenge

Children and young people face limited opportunities to participate in data-driven public decision making within their local communities. Despite the mandate to ensure their rights to be heard, and to participate in relevant matters, public authorities often lack the necessary knowledge and skills to facilitate civic engagement with younger people.  

The Government is emphasising the expansion of digital services in the public sector, opening up an opportunity to integrate public participation into emerging digital strategies. However, guidance on how public sector bodies can fulfil these commitments or use existing tools and methods to support their efforts is missing. Digital technologies like serious games have proven effective in engaging youth in considering their cities and neighbourhoods, but there is still a gap in enabling young people to actively participate in such processes. 

The Solution

The online platform CRAFT-MY-STREET will enable stakeholders in government and education to develop digital competences to use geospatial data to replicate real world environments within Minecraft. The environments created can be used for public and educational engagement in climate change and sustainability involving young people. Our team will address real-world issues in policy, planning and environmental education and provide a space for young people to share their lived experience in their cities, which will contribute to giving youth an active role in decision-making in their local communities. 

The Team 

  • Team Lead: Dr Chiara Cocco, University College Dublin  
  • Team Co-Lead: Dr Gabriela Martinez Sainz, University College Dublin

Societal Impact Champion  

  • Cathy Baxter, An Taisce