PN Youth Conference

The Planners Network 2007 Conference took place in New Orleans, Louisiana, from May 30 to June 2. This website is an archive of the conference website, and is for reference only.

YOUTH PLANNERS @ PN2007

PN is excited to welcome youth planners to the conference for the second year in a row - but this time, they brought some friends.

Three high schools from three different cities in three different parts of the country will meet for their very own mini-conference in New Orleans in conjunction with PN2007, as well as participate in conference workshops, sessions and in the Wednesday night welcome.

The students will be conducting a participatory workshop entitled "Youth Participation in Planning" at the conference on Saturday morning, June 2nd. More details to follow shortly.

►Emery Secondary School in Emeryville, CA, who currently participate in the Y-PLAN (Youth – Plan, Learn, Act, Now) program, directed by the Center for Cities & Schools at UC Berkeley. Y-PLAN is award-winning initiative where youth are engaged as genuine stakeholders and participants in local planning projects with the mentorship of UC Berkeley students in urban planning, design, education, and other related disciplines. High school students work side-by-side with UCB mentors for ten weeks, learning the fundamental of community development by engaging in real world, client-driven planning projects. As the capstone piece of their curriculum, the high school students present their plans to their clients, city leaders and other members of the community. UCB mentors and CC&S staff provide professional support and capacity building to both city planning practitioners (to ensure legitimate engagement of youth) and to teachers and school administrators (to ensure the integration of the community development project work into standards-based curriculum).

► Academy of Urban Planning (AUP), Brooklyn, NY. At AUP, a theme-based curriculum taps into students’ curiosity about their environment, teaches skills needed for modern careers, and puts them on a path aimed towards higher education – all while utilizing their natural d

esire to explore and create. Through unique partnerships with community organizations, planning agencies and institutions of higher learning, students are learning how to use urban planning knowledge and GIS skills to advocate for community improvements. The goals of theme integration are to create informed, active, young citizens who are able to think critically about how places grow and develop, and to inform how to use knowledge and skills to effect positive change in their communities now and in the future. This strategy respects the value of service learning, civic engagement, advocacy and action as tools that are essential components of a rich educational experience.

► Walker High School in New Orleans, LA, was one of 5 public high schools to remain open after Katrina. Walker students have been active in post-Katrina planning, and hosted the first Student Congress of the Unified New Orleans Plan.

Why bring youth to PN2007?

City planning practitioners often seek to include diverse constituents, particularly as a way to ensure equitable development across regions. They often overlook youth, however, as key users of space/place with a unique and important perspective on how cities function for its residents. Across the country, a number of programs seek to enhance youths’ civic participation, to fundamentally change city planning practice by integrating youth into public processes, and improve the educational system by integrating city planning and community development into school-based curricula.

PN2007 will bring together high school students, planning practitioners and educators from California, New York, and New Orleans, who are all working with youth in the fields of planning and education. Each group of 5 students and 2 practitioners/educators brings distinct experience and expertise in the field of planning, and will use the conference as an opportunity to create a collaborative learning environment. Students will share their projects with each other, highlighting the skills acquired and lessons learned about participating in planning practice. Likewise, practitioners and educators will share their stories of successes and challenges faced in the integration of youth in public planning processes.