Room for initiatives for youth in Rotterdam neighbourhood Reyeroord

Together with the municipality, Emiel Rijshouwer, Els Leclercq, Jan Fransen and Jiska Engelbert, researchers from Vital Cities and Citizens at Erasmus University Rotterdam investigated what is actually going on in the neighbourhood. They explored how the municipality can create space within the institutional systems to ensure that initiatives from the neighbourhood can have a place. Within the study, one theme had priority: the lack of space for young people in Reyeroord. This involves both a physical space for activities, space to be allowed to be there and be heard, and representation within institutional systems.

Using several design methods, the research team explored with all stakeholders how to change this so that young people have a sustainable place in the neighbourhood.

Sharing results

The research results were recorded in a research report, an art project by pupils of the Veennoordschool with graffiti artist Ricardo van Zwol, a documentary by studio Roodenburch and a design intervention in collaboration with Pantopicon. Studio Roodenburch is working on a more extended version of the documentary. Still, you can view the first short version here. During the meeting, "Right to Reyeroord: designing new relationships between government and citizens", on 24 January at the Timmerhuis in Rotterdam, interim results and reflections on the research on the Rotterdam neighbourhood were presented.

Create space for young people

Rotterdam's Wijk aan Zet programme was set up to give citizens a more significant say in city-making processes. Of course, young people are also citizens and should be involved in their living environment. The partnership set up by the municipal Reyeroord + team with all parties involved with young people has been called Wijk aan Zet Jeugd. So far, contact between young people and the municipality has been minimal, and young people have yet to be explicitly present in the process during the previous process.

However, this was a conscious decision. Els Leclercq: "To ask young people for their ideas and input without being able to offer them anything could only lead to more frustration and distrust. Now that different parties seem more 'aligned' to create space for young people in Reyeroord, the continuation of Right to Reyeroord will attempt to occupy space together with young people. The aim is for young people to design, programme, govern and manage their own space."

Right to Reyeroord

The collaboration will hopefully be followed up if funding is available for it. Els Leclercq: "Although we as scientists have been able to make a positive impact in this past year, we are also always dependent on project-based funding for such research. Now that space has been created, we, together with our partners, now want to use this space. But how do you do that in a reciprocal, inclusive and sustainable way?"