Young people in Kraków encounter barriers preventing them from participating in civil society and in deciding what activities will be offered in the local community centres. The structure and provision of such centres do not often match true interests of the youth. The existing research shows that community centres often focus on activities for young children or adults and senior citizens while neglecting teenage youth. According to the Omnibus study conducted by the Jagiellonian Club in Kraków and the Małopolska Region in 2010, only 10 per cent of the population feel they can significantly or fairly significantly control developments in their community. A high proportion (58%) of respondents feel they have little control and 32 per cent feel completely not in control of the developments in their community. This may change if young people become involved in the local participatory budget process.
The aim of the project was to get young people involved in the process of developing and implementing the participatory budget and deciding on the provision of community centres.
110 young people received training and developed skills necessary to engage in community and art projects in public space outside the mainstream provision of city institutions. The participants launched a campaign to encourage participation in selecting projects participatory budgeting.
Three thematic workshops were held for 110 participants: Social Marketing College, Neighbourhood Design Workshop and Go and Do the Culture! A website was launched and Android smartphone app was developed featuring Criminal Mysteries of Nowa Huta, a city game. A report on the youth needs analysis conducted in selected Kraków neighbourhoods was published.
Project beneficiaries include local youth (15+) in Kraków.
The Partner - Municipality of Krakow - facilitated interactions with district boards and sponsored project advertising on public bus on-board display terminals.