Happy Cities | Youth engagement and education workshops

Photo of two students presenting an image of the public space they have designed. Other students sit in rows facing the screen to watch and listen to others share their ideas. — Students share their ideas for designing a new public space.

Sometimes, the most creative ideas come from the youngest community members.

At Happy Cities, we believe no age is too young to start shaping your city.

Our team has built up a vast range of experience working with kids and teenagers, from working with the Kids Korner after school program to paint stencils for a new greenway, to facilitating youth-led placemaking for safer streets.

In June 2022, we partnered with Insight Global Education to host a class of Grade 8 students for four days of learning focused on equitable urban planning and inclusive engagement. Over four morning sessions, the students participated in activities including an in-the-field assessment of Pandora Park and its users, and a design charette of a Port Moody public plaza—all through the lens of equitable access.

On the final day, the students put together everything they had learned to transform the Happy Cities office parking lot into a pop-up public plaza! We were impressed, to say the least.

We loved seeing the creativity of the teenagers, who shared awesome ideas including garden spaces, pedestrian skywalks, and more.

aerial view of the pop-up plaza the students created in our parking lot, showing bunting, plants, chalk and more. students play a game of cornhole — Applying what they had learned about inclusive planning and public spaces, a class of Grade 8 students worked together to create a pop-up plaza in the Happy Cities parking lot.

aerial view of the pop-up plaza in a parking lot, showing the happy cities tent and students playing games. chalk welcomes visitors to the site, while bunting and plants decorate the space. — Applying what they had learned about inclusive planning and public spaces, a class of Grade 8 students worked together to create a pop-up plaza in the Happy Cities parking lot.

close up photo of hands- a group of students work together to plan and draw out a new public space. — Grade 8 students work together to design a new public space, and transform the Happy Cities parking lot into an accessible pop-up plaza.

Photo of two students drawing lights on pieces of paper to indicate lighting for the public plaza. — Grade 8 students work together to design a new public space, and transform the Happy Cities parking lot into an accessible pop-up plaza.