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Education and information

The information activities are one of the pivots of the projects described. If one wants to have the residents as active participants, it is vital to keep them regularly informed about the project's objectives, methods and results. At the same time, it has proved invaluable to have local information offices where questions and uncertainties can be cleared up.

This action has been neglected in some projects, which has led to distrust and rumour-mongering, which slow things down.

If one chooses to work with partnerships, it is also essential that all the parties are informed, even when nothing new has happened. That creates the basic trust that is essential for success of the projects.

All available information channels are used. In most of the projects, newsletters and similar are issued. Exhibitions and public meetings are arranged, local area plays are put on, videos are distributed, and information is provided on the Internet or in local newspapers.

When one wants to reach a broad target group it is advisable to draw up a real information strategy using a broad section of the above-mentioned information channels.

Training of the participating parties is another useful tool but must never be a requirement. Everyone must be able to participate without special qualifications, but training can be an option that is used if the residents express a wish for it.

Many people move into new areas and become uncertain of their own knowledge and competence. They may therefore have a need for courses and seminars that build up their knowledge and understanding of the processes in which they are participating. We have seen many good examples of educational activities that are precisely based on the residents' needs and that have a mobilising effect.

The most important rule in this area is to be open to local wishes. It is also important that there is readiness in the project to launch the activities as and when called for.

Deventer

Training in maintaining playgrounds

A playground maintained by the residents

In Deventer, trade-style courses are offered in playground maintenance. This means that the residents themselves can carry out minor repairs and that they gain a feeling of personally owning the communal facilities.

Marxloh

Outreach work and mobile information office

The project in Marxloh is based on massive information activities. The residents are intended to participate in all the different planning processes. A lot of effort is therefore made to reach them where they are. Two of the Marxloh project's initiatives are:

An Infomobil, which is a mobile information office providing information about all project activities and taking note of the residents' wishes concerning the development of the area.

A Spielmobil, which is a vehicle equipped with toys and play equipment. This is used to get children and young people involved in the work.

Güstrow

Prolific information

Folder for the yearly environment days in Güstrow

The project in Güstrow is based on environmentally managed, holistically oriented urban regeneration. In this connection it has proved difficult to get the residents to interest themselves in environmental issues. The local authority has therefore prepared extensive information material targeted particularly at children. The material includes children's calendars, stickers, a video film and slides. In addition, product exhibitions have been held and teachers are provided with supplementary training.

In addition, the local authority is trying to make the environmentally managed strategy visible to as many inhabitants as possible. An example of an initiative with this aim is Güstrower Umwelttage, which takes place once a year. Here, different issues are presented in a user friendly way. Events include cycle tours in the town's traffic, family days in the town's nature and environment park and an environment market that includes information about sustainable urban regeneration and new construction.

Neighbor Works

Training local leaders

Programme for training local leaders

Knowledge is power says the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NRC). The organisation offers courses to local leaders. The individual courses last 2-3 days and are arranged in cooperation with the local residents. The courses therefore vary greatly but have some common components. First and foremost, the participants receive instruction in subjects that are otherwise reserved for professionals. For example, they can be taken through the terms used in building technology. With such courses under their belts, the participants are no longer mystified and unwilling to speak at board meetings and similar.
Other permanent components are:

Development of personal leadership potential
Oral presentation
Conducting meetings
Identification of new leaders and methods of making room for them
Involvement and recruitment of active residents
Bridge-building between ethnic groups
Conflict resolution
Image creation
Media care
Budgeting and accounts.

Govanhill

Education programme for Pakistani residents

The organisers; in Govanhill want to involve the ethnic minorities in the area's residents' organisations. Therefore, in cooperation with Scottish Homes, they have developed a special education programme for this target group. The Govanhill project is a pilot project that was launched in 1996.

The aims of the education programme are:

To increase the participants' understanding of resident democracy and the structure of Govanhill Housing Association
Increased personal self-assurance for the participants
More information to the ethnic minorities through the participants.

The programme has proved a success. Today, 20% of the board members are representatives of the ethnic minorities.

Pilsen

Use of the Internet

In Pilsen in Chicago, active use is made of information technology. A network of 50 voluntary organisations has been built up in the local area. Active residents are offered training in the use of the Internet and intranets so that they can exchange ideas and information. This is producing a strong network between the organisations.

Chicago

Training in preservation of historical sources and oral traditions

In Chicago's deprived areas historians are teaching grassroots and residents' organisations how to create archive systems and preserve their documents for posterity. The project is called: Don't Throw it Away. In addition, teaching is provided in communication and storage of oral story-telling in the areas.

Güstrow -Leipzig

EXPO 2000

Information activities are a significant element of EXPO 2000

On the basis of EXPO 2000, Güstrow and Leipzig have undertaken to present their projects in an easily accessible form. When they were registered as EXPO projects, a so-called presentation concept had already been developed in which it was specified how the projects were to be presented to the public and residents.

The concept is based on target groups at three different levels - local, regional and national. In addition, many different communication channels are used, e.g. television, radio, Internet, exhibitions and leaflets.

Preparing a coordinated presentation concept has provided a good overview of the information and visualisation options - altogether good working material for the local authorities and their partners.

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