Bridging gaps in youth engagement with participatory research: Meet ‘Co-Creating Our City'

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the blog articles belong solely to the author of the content, and do not necessarily reflect the European Commission's perspectives on the issue.

Submitted by Lea Gronenberg on

Bridging gaps in youth engagement with participatory research: Meet ‘Co-Creating Our City'

Three people are standing in front of a large blue pinboard and attaching colored notes to it. The people can be seen from behind or from the side. The notes contain various words and hashtags, such as “#youth,” “#Düsseldorf,” “#politics,” “#participation,” and “#cocreatecity.”
People of different ages are sitting at tables talking to each other. On the tables are worksheets with the heading “Co-Creating Our City.”
Co-Creating Our City brings together young people and local decision-makers through Citizen Science. Together, they study issues that matter to young residents, share knowledge and experiences, and develop actionable proposals for change. This collaborative approach empowers young people to take part in decision-making, builds trust between generations, and supports cities in becoming more inclusive and youth-friendly.

Bridging the Mismatch in Youth Participation

Many cities and municipalities recognise the importance of involving young people in community development and local governance. City leaders and local decision-makers benefit from insights gathered through structured dialogue with young people. Engaging youth voices ensures that city governance is inclusive and sustainable, benefiting not just young people but the entire community.

However, despite these intentions, young people and city decision-makers can miss out on opportunities to meaningfully exchange ideas ― especially young people who are underrepresented, at risk, or may not yet have engaged with existing offerings. In many cities, there is a mismatch between the offered opportunities for exchange and what young people seek as engagement to enact their ideas about vibrant communities. 

‘Co-creating our city’ projects directly address this mismatch by bringing young people and local decision-makers together as co-researchers.

Engaging Young People and City Representatives as Co-Researchers

Participatory research is a collaborative approach that engages those affected by an issue as equal partners throughout all stages of the research process. Unlike traditional research, where experts control design and analysis, participatory research shares decision-making with community members, who act as co-researchers. These co-researchers help define research questions, collect and analyse data, and apply findings to create real-world impact. Co-creation and Citizen Science are two complementary models within this approach: co-creation emphasizes joint design and implementation with shared control, while Citizen Science often focuses on active participation in specific research tasks such as data collection or analysis.

Rooted in inclusion and social justice, participatory research values lived experience alongside expert knowledge. By involving young people as co-researchers, for example, these methods promote civic engagement, democratic and scientific literacy, leadership skills, and a sense of belonging. Cities and communities benefit by gaining deeper understanding of young people’s needs, developing sustainable, inclusive policies, and building stronger relationships with young residents.

The research process in co-creation and Citizen Science typically involves five key steps: defining a shared research goal, selecting methods in collaboration with co-researchers, collecting and analysing data together, and disseminating findings in accessible ways to inform action. By actively engaging participants across these stages, these approaches democratize knowledge creation, strengthen trust, and turn those traditionally “researched on” into empowered collaborators, producing outcomes that are equitable, transparent, and aligned with community priorities.

Co-Creating Charlotte and Düsseldorf

In June 2024, the cities of Charlotte, North Carolina (United States) and Düsseldorf (Germany) launched year-long Co-Creating Our City pilot projects to address the mismatch between existing youth participation opportunities and what young people actually need to meaningfully engage with their cities. In both cities, young people aged 14–24 collaborated with city staff and local political representatives to jointly design and conduct research using a Citizen Science approach. Together, they explored how young people want to contribute to local decision-making, identified barriers to participation, and developed concrete recommendations to create more vibrant, youth-responsive communities. 

In Düsseldorf, 13 young co-researchers and four city representatives examined what needs to happen so that all young people can participate politically. Their mixed-methods research (ranging from committee observations to interviews and an online survey) highlighted structural barriers and opportunities for change. The group presented their findings to the city’s Youth Welfare Committee, where young people spoke directly to decision-makers, influencing how the city reflects on its youth engagement practices and shifting perceptions of young people as equal partners in governance. In Charlotte, 17 young people and city staff explored where young residents want to engage with local government and how access can be improved. Their findings (gathered through surveys, interviews, and focus groups) are now informing initiatives in the city’s newly established Office of Youth Opportunity, including youth-led city-wide communication initiatives and programmes designed with, not just for, young residents. Both pilots demonstrated how collaborative research can build trust, shift power, and translate young people’s voice into concrete civic impact.

Get a vivid impression of the pilot projects by viewing the video documentation “Co-Creating Our City: Researching and Strengthening Youth Participation”.

Next Level Youth Participation: The Co-Creating Our City Toolkit

The Co-Creating Our City toolkit supports cities, youth practitioners, community organizations, and researchers in running participatory projects that place young people at the heart of local decision-making. Drawing on the experiences from the pilot projects in Charlotte, NC, and Düsseldorf, Germany, it offers practical guidance, step-by-step instructions, and concrete resources to plan, implement, and strengthen your own Co-Creating Our City initiative.

The toolkit is structured into five modules:

  1. Making the Case for ‘Co-Creating Our City’ explains why these projects are essential, highlighting how they foster collaboration, strengthen youth participation, and create more inclusive communities.
  2. Setting Up Your Own Project provides guidance on goal-setting, planning, funding, and building strong teams and partnerships.
  3. Bringing Young People and City Leaders Together offers strategies to recruit and motivate co-researchers and design solutions that reflect young people’s perspectives.
  4. Doing Participatory Research guides users through participatory research methods, including ready-to-use materials and tips for overcoming challenges.
  5. Achieving Impact focuses on communicating findings to young people, communities, and city leaders, translating research into actionable policies and programs.

By providing both inspiration and practical tools, the Co-Creating Our City toolkit empowers local actors to bridge the gap between young people’s aspirations and city policies, strengthen democratic engagement, and create communities where young people are recognized as equal partners in shaping their urban environment. It transforms participatory research from a concept into actionable, impactful projects that benefit both young residents and their cities.

About the Author
Lea Gronenberg is Head of Communications and Research Fellow at d|part, a non-profit, independent and non-partisan think tank dedicated to strengthening democratic participation. Her work centres on turning research into public discussion, encouraging conversation between the public and those who make political decisions, and creating ways to encourage inclusive and participatory political involvement. As an experienced political educator, she has been committed to justice, participation and democracy on a voluntary and professional basis for more than a decade. She holds Master’s degree from the Institute of Political Science at Leibniz University Hannover.

Dr Christine Hübner is a founding partner at d|part. She guides the team in questions of study design and choice of research methods. In addition to her work at d|part, she is a Lecturer at Sheffield Methods Institute at the University of Sheffield, where she teaches research methods and researches young people’s political behaviour, perceptions of citizenship, and democratic renewal. She has published widely on young people’s political views, on the changing nature of civic and democratic engagement, and on questions of political legitimacy. She holds a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, UK, an MSc in Business Administration from Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and a BA in Social Sciences from Jacobs University Bremen, Germany.