Learn how green city spaces can help address child poverty

Image: Pixabay

The link between promoting green city spaces and the potential to help children in poverty is yet to be fully embraced. Yet many cities across the globe are already doing what they can to explore the possibilities.

And it’s this kind of work to create green areas in and around schools that will be among the innovative examples on show at the Child Poverty in Western Cities seminar which begins in Leeds this week.

Child professionals from around the world will be in the UK for the latest in the Child in the City World Conference series, examining and sharing the latest developments on child poverty in the cities and urban environments of the west.

Key speakers and parallel sessions will provide an in-depth context for debate, with a host of global good practice examples being highlighted. Parallel Session 1 at the seminar, entitled Child poverty and educational environments will include a presentation by Danielle Denk, from The Trust for Public Land, a US-based non-profit body which over the past 20 years has helped develop more than 250 green schoolyards in multiple urban communities across the country.

‘A safe place for learning’

There will be a case study of a green schoolyard from a neighbourhood once known as ‘the badlands’, followed by an overview of the lessons learned and best practices that emerged through this project. Danielle will then lead a review of how data will inform the growth of the programme and the importance of partners in achieving the vision of Green Schoolyards for all.

Joining her will be Korinna Lindinger from Centre of Sociology and Institute for Spatial Planning and Architecture at the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien). Much of her work has involved interdisciplinary research processes and research-based teaching projects focusing on children’s ‘agency’ in their educational ‘landscapes’.

There are six parallel sessions in total. Taking place on the opening day tomorrow (21 November) are: Child poverty and educational environments; Child poverty, urban segregation and marginalisation; Child poverty – lessons from two cities Dortmund and Madrid. The second day, Friday 22 November features the following: Child poverty and the children’s agency; Addressing child poverty in interdisciplinary ways; and Children’s poverty in Eastern and Western Cities.

Still time to register

You still have time to register for this important event at the Met Hotel in Leeds, and is a superb opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with your peers and, above all, learn from each other.

Book your place by visiting the dedicated website, where you can see details of speakers and the full programme. You can also email Marieke Bouman, Event Manager, at marieke.bouman@childinthecity.org 

Author: Simon Weedy

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