Rigon, Andrea; Dabaj, Joana; Conti, Riccardo Luca; (2023) Belonging and agency: the transformatory power of participatory design with children affected by displacement. In: Thomas, Nigel Patrick and Percy-Smith, Barry and Twum-Danso Imoh, Afua, (eds.) Handbook of Children and Young People's Participation: Conversations for Transformational Change. Routledge: London, UK.

Text Rigon_transformatory power of participatory design_2022_07_15.pdf Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 22 October 2024. Download (11MB)

Abstract

Children make up about half of the refugee population worldwide. The majority settle in urban areas, generally in the poorest neighbourhoods living side-by-side with the most vulnerable host population. Children affected by displacement have little agency and freedom in their urban context. As displacement is an increasingly protracted experience, it is important that children re-establish their stability in their new setting. In contexts where children are deprived of opportunities for social learning, a supportive and safe built environment can make a substantial difference. Children’s places – that they themselves use, define and create – have a key role in their wellbeing. This chapter builds on a collective learning process to develop the DeCID handbook for codesigned built interventions with children affected by displacement. It draws attention to the potential for transformation for these children in terms of developing a sense of empowerment and argues for the benefits of mainstreaming this codesign approach.

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