Democracy and broad participation

One of the aims of all the projects described is broad participation. From left to right of the political spectrum there is agreement that holistically oriented projects must be based on local forces. However, what actually lies behind the objectives differs greatly. In all the countries studied, it has been found that the solutions can only be sustainable provided they are created in cooperation with the local population. It is also seen that projects that are able to involve the residents can draw on a large, hidden reserve of ideas, enthusiasm and voluntary workers. The money goes further and the solutions are more durable.

However, it is not easy to achieve effective resident participation. In the areas we have visited we have found that the big, heavy urban regeneration and refurbishment projects have problems with this aspect. That applies, for example, to the big demolition projects in Castlemilk and the EXPO project in Leipzig. In both cases, there are residents who feel that the projects have been forced on them. And it is true of both projects, that the main outlines were drawn before the local population was invited to the table.

Other projects have shown us that resident involvement has a good possibility of working when it is based on people's own housing situation. In Scotland, Ireland and the USA, a "housing-led" strategy is therefore being used. There, housing improvements are being deliberately used as a catalyst for both investment and resident participation.

However, it is easier to decentralise the decision-making when the projects are smaller and clearer. In the Netherlands, for example, usable models have been developed for implementing small, physical improvements in cooperation with the residents. The residents prioritise the projects themselves and the projects are implemented within a relatively limited budget. To illustrate the level, the projects are typically playgrounds, traffic control measures and park beautification. The idea in the Netherlands is that it takes time to get people involved and that one must start with small successes before one can move on to more complicated issues.

In some of the projects, an active effort has been made to involve groups that normally stay away. In Glasgow and Amsterdam, setting up focus groups - particularly for ethnic minorities - has proved a good idea. In Finglas, a lot of work has been done with schoolchildren, and in Nijmegen, groups that do not participate on their own initiative are offered meetings in their homes. It is impossible to generalise in this area. Each group has its own special meeting-places and cultural conventions. One must simply accept that it takes targeted, outreach action to reach all groups in the local area.

However, across the projects, our conclusions are clear:

1. Transparency in the decision-making process is very important.
2. Trust must be built up. One of many methods is to create small successes in the physical area. The establishment of playgrounds and traffic control measures are popular everywhere. If one starts there, one has a good basis for getting going on heavier and more complicated problems.
3. The residents must have quick and easy access to professional advice.
4. The residents must be made responsible for the projects.
5. If one wants to get hold of low-resource groups, e.g. foreign-language groups, one must establish special groups. The planning must be based on their experience.
6. The procedures for holding meetings are important. It must be fun to participate. The meetings must not be on foreign ground and the rules of play must be clear.
7. Plenty of time must be allowed. A project must not move at a faster pace than the average resident can keep up with.

Real delegation of fund management

In Nijmegen in the Netherlands, an independent residents' organisation called STOUW has been set up as an element of the regeneration activities. This residents' organisation is responsible for administration, coordination, advice and budgeting. STOUW receives approx. DKK 1 million a year from The Hague through the government programme for social regeneration. Of this budget, about DKK 300,000 is used for personnel, premises and communication, while about DKK 700,000 is allocated to the individual sub-projects. To develop and implement the projects, STOUW establishes project teams that have full responsibility for the individual project. Besides residents, various organisations participate in the project work. The project teams can draw on professional help because STOUW has appointed an employee for this purpose that works 20 hours a week.

STOUW distributes the budget between long-term and short-term measures, while reserving part of the budget for new ideas.

This form of organisation works well. The free funds act as a driving force and the residents have proved to be very responsible in their use of the funds.

Suggestions box

In Bijlmermeer outside Amsterdam, a suggestions box set up in the local shopping centre has proved a great success. The box was in place for 6 weeks, and 700 suggestions were received from 300 people (in an area with about 10,000 inhabitants). An impartial panel of judges was appointed, which chose the best ideas and awarded prizes for them. A suggestion about a sports centre won the first prize and is now being built.

Consumer panels and focus groups

In the Netherlands and Scotland we have seen successful examples of involvement of ethnic minorities.

In Bijlmermeer, Ghanese, Chinese and Surinamese residents have been involved in consumer panels. The panels are structured along ethnic lines. On the basis of discussions and use of foreign architects, they have developed new forms of housing based on the particular needs of the residents (e.g. the extended family or the possibility of segregating the sexes). In Govanhill, Pakistani families have been involved in planning new, large housing units with 8-10 rooms - and with the possibility of separating the sexes.

In both cases it has been found that the families that have participated in this process have built up trust in the system. As a result, they are now active and identify themselves with their local area.

Urban Technical Assistance Project

In New York, the University of Columbia has established an advisory office for residents' organisations and grassroots. The office is called the Urban Technical Assistance Project - abbreviated to UTAP. UTAP also has an office in Harlem to which groups of residents can go with their wishes and needs. UTAP receives support from the government and is able to offer advice and analyses of a technical nature. The offices provide residents with tools for participating in the development of a strategic plan for their residential areas. The project has the most modern technology at its disposal and 4-7 permanent employees plus 5-10 students and trainees. They include lawyers, architects, planners and restorers. They are able to offer professional analyses that provide the residents with a basis for negotiating with the local authority, which has neither the time nor the resources for such thorough analyses of individual areas. The project's main tools are of a technical nature. For example, UTAP has assisted residents with economic analyses, facade renovation plans and analyses of the urban structure.

UTAP is perceived as an independent body so the residents feel safe going to it. The project can be visited at the Web address: http://www.arch.columbia.edu/UTAP.

Involvement of schoolchildren

It pays to involve children in the development of the local area. They have a big dispersion effect because they pass their experiences on to their parents, make active use of their physical surrounds and often possess great creativity. In addition, they are often the future of the areas.

In Finglas, where 60% of the inhabitants are under the age of 25, cooperating with schools and other educational institutions has produced good results. The cooperation is part of the partnership and includes the following elements:

• The schools teach Finglas's cultural and natural history.
• The pupils participate in tree-planting projects.
• Local industry provides training. The oldest pupils form small firms and hold competitions.
• The pupils participate in the Tidy Town competition - a nationwide competition about keeping one's district clean.

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