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CityTalent: Keeping Young Professionals(and their kids)in Cities
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 2
For the rst time in 50 years, central cities across America are attracting
talented young people. But what happens when they begin to have children?
Unortunately, as many as hal o them leave or the suburbs once theirchildren reach school age. Why should urban leaders be concerned?
It contributes to middle class ight
It erodes the base o the population that supports
mainstream institutions - banks, libraries,
museums - places that serve everyone
It reduces the diversity and vibrancy o the city
It pulls entrepreneurship rom urban centers
It undermines city parent advocacy
Kids in Cities will help urban leaders understand, support and scale the
behaviors o pioneering urban amilies. Researchers rom the II Institute
o Design studied parent concerns o saety, space and schools developing
concepts to counter them through density, public space and using the city as
a classroom.
In September 2007 CEOs or Cities will develop and test these strategies by
launching a Learning Network o our cities.
Tis research was generously sponsored by Forest City Enterprises.
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 3
Over the past 50 years in America, a strong belie has
emerged that the only appropriate place to raise children
is the suburbs. Children, conventional wisdom goes, requirebackyards, cul de sacs, nearby woods, the opportunity to
bike to school and the saety generally thought to be oered
by the suburbs. In addition, the poor perception o urban
schools has pushed parents into suburbs seeking better
education options and security or their children.
But suburbs are increasingly less likely to oer the benets
they once promised. Te woods are disappearing to
development, children are driven to school in the amily
minivan and news reports o children snatched rom the
streets spread ear. At the same time, cities are becoming
more vibrant and livable. Yet young parents continue to avorthe suburbs when it comes to raising a amily.
Most urban leaders believe that cities devoid o children will
be much less desirable places to live with much less secure
utures (to say nothing o the tax loss rom p eople in their
peak earning years choosing to live elsewhere). Tey want to
nd ways to encourage amilies with children to choose their
cities as places to live.
Tis project will address key dimensions o the problem
cities ace when trying to attract or retaining amilies. Te
problem will be examined rom both the perspectives o
amilies and city governments. aking views rom both sides
will create mutually benecial solutions leading to healthier,
more vibrant cities and communities.
Project Defnition
Our objective is to provide urban leaders with insights into
the reasons why amilies abandon cities or the suburbs.
Tese insights will lead to actionable strategies aimed at
retaining existing citizens as well as attracting new ones.
Introduction
Key Questions:
Where are the greatest leverage points or urban leaders to encourage this trend o amilies with children
remaining in and coming back to the city?
What actions can cities take that will have the greatest
impact on making them a superior choice or amilies
with children?
Are there market segments more likely to choose city
living and thereore be higher priority targets?
And are there key marketing messages urban leaders
should employ to appeal to high priority targets?
Fig 1.1 - Design Planning Process
Understanding the ecosystem1.
Research and analysis o the business,
users, and technological context o the
problem.
Reraming the problem2.
Restructuring the problem to get to
the root cause, and not just address
the symptoms.
Developing proprietary insights3.
Using ethnographic research
techniques to generate unique, usableinsights about stakeholders.
Generating valuable concepts4.
Creating concepts with both economic
and user value.
Design Plan5.
Te creation o high impact strategies
or new products, services, and
business models.
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 4
Understanding theProblem
Developing aStrategy
Next Steps
ConceptsAround Saety,Space, andSchools
Contents
An analysis o the current
situation, the values o
attracting children to
cities, and regions most
likely to aect change.
A new perspective on the
target market produces
an understanding o the
problems they ace and
suggests strategies or city
improvement.
Te paper contains the ollowing ve sections designed to
take the reader rom an understanding o the problem, the
target market and the problems they ace, through to thedevelopment o strategies and ultimately concepts. Te nal
sections details how city leaders can use the inormation
presented in this paper to develop a plan or their own city.
A set o strategies and
concepts designed to
support city amilies in
their day-to-day lives.
A plan to help city
leaders apply these
strategies to their own
planning eorts.
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 6
As cities become increasingly attractiveto young proessionals, they continue tolose young amilies
U.S. cities are experiencing an exodus o proessionals with
children to the surrounding suburbs. As a result, otherwise
healthy cities are becoming childless zones. Recognizing
this as a important problem that cities must ace, CEOs
or Cities, a non-prot organization working to ensure
the vitality and prosperity o Americas cities, challenged
the Research and Demonstration team at the II Institute
o Design to diagnose the situation and arrive at a set o
recommendations or urban leaders to us to alleviate or
reverse this negative trend. Te Kids in Cities project is the
response to that challenge.
Tis projects aim is to bring children to Americans major
metropolitan cities. Within are a set o concepts to help city
leaders retain young, upper-income proessions once they
have children, and to attract new amilies rom the suburbs.
Loss o amilies continues
American cities, rom Seattle to Nashville, have experienced
a substantial inux o young proessionals relocating rom
the suburbs over that past two decades. What is driving
them, in part, is the substantial social and economic
improvements that cities have made.
Te other, perhaps more substantial reason, has been the
shi in liestyle preerence that has taken place among many
proessionals. A growing number o todays proessionals
crave urban experiences and want to live in places that have
things like diversity, authenticity and vibrancyall things
that the suburbs ail to oer. Tey are settling in places
where they have access to a rich history with a variety o
original restaurants.
Introduction
Te return o proessionals has been a tremendously positive
or cities because these people are the sort who p ower growthand innovation. Tey are creative; they work long, hard
hours; and they are will to take entrepreneurial risks that
help a citys economy expand. In the ast-paced industries
such as technology and design, they are also the ones who
have the most up-to-date skills and training. Cities, thus,
have a real incentive to attract and retain this group.
However, it is with retention that cities struggle. As
proessionals grow older and have children, they oen
abandon their beloved cities or the perceived or real benets
o the surrounding suburbs, such as better schools and more
space. Te exodus o parents rom cities is well illustrated bylooking at San Francisco. Tis city has been a virtual Mecca
or young proessionals looking or an exciting place to work
and play or decades. oday, however, the demand to live
in San Francisco has brought the median house price up to
around $700,000, and it has the lowest percentage o people
under 18 years old o any major city in the nation, 14.5%,
compared with 25.7% nationwide.
Besides the economic impact o losing highly educated
amilies in the prime o their careers, an array o compelling
arguments can be made or retaining these amilies. One is
that children provide additional diversity and vibrancy to
cities, which in turn makes them more attractive places or
all people. Another is that educated parents play a vital role
in helping the city develop strong, tight-knit communities.
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2. Developing Strategy
A new perspective on the target market produces an
understanding o the problems they ace and suggests
strategies or city improvement.
In this section
2.1 | Framing the Problem
2.2 | Strategy: Te Swing Vote
2.3 | Understanding Pioneers
2.4 | Pain points & Workarounds
2.5 | Pioneer Values
2.6 | Pioneer Denitions
2.7 | Understanding the Swing Vote
2.8 | Problems o Perceptions
2.9 | Summary
3.0 | Solution Hierarchy
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Parent Segmentation Map
Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 9
Framing the Problem
UrbanPioneers
Suburban
Loyalists
Discontent
Suburbanites
entativeUrbanites
urban
suburban
high
satisaction
low
satisaction
How to attract and retain amilies with economic
options
For the Kids in Cities study, extensive secondary and
primary research was conducted on the topic o kids
in cities. Te research involved identiying statistics,
trends, and pre-cursors relating to parenting and
amily lie. wenty one-on-one ethnographic
interviews with a cross-section o parents rom ve
states and 10 one-on-one interviews with experts
related to the topic were conducted.
Parent SegmentationBased on research conducted, amilies with
economic options can be segmented into our
groups. Urban Pioneers are die-hard city lovers.
Suburban Loyalists are parents whose needs are
met by the suburbs. entative Urbanites are parents
in the city who very much enjoy the city, but they
may have recently had children and are now being
tempted by suburbs perceived space, schools, and
saety. Discontent Suburbanites are parents who
believed the suburbs would provide the American
Dream but are nding that they are disappointed
with their quality o lie.
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Workarounds and Pain points
Developing ideas or improving the city andmaking it more acceptable or the Swing Vote
Ad hoc solutions the Pioneer creates to mitigate problems and shortcomings
o cities are reerred to by designers as workarounds. Trough careul
observation o these, designers can ormalize solutions so they appeal to the
masses. Pain points are simply areas o pain that cannot be avoided with
the current conguration or design. Te table on the right displays a raction
o the workarounds and pain points uncovered during research. Within are
some opportunities or improving cities. It can be seen here that most o a
pioneers pain points and workarounds can be grouped around the headings
o saety, space and schools.
Saety
Saety is a concern or parents regardless o whether they live in the city or
the suburbs. City parents have learned to rely on the density o neighbors to
help them police their children. Many also invest more time teaching their
children rules or interacting with people and traveling in the city.
Space
Pain points and workarounds in this category mainly revolved around the
price per square oot or housing. What bothered Pioneers most is the
tight space or childrens bedrooms and the impracticality o sharing rooms.
Pioneers have ound a way around this by spending more time outside and by
devising clever storage and playroom congurations.
Schools
It was ound to be a serious problem or Pioneers to educate their children
in the city. For one, the cost o private school requires a signicant portion
o their income. And i their children are going to attend public school,
problems arise around the enrollment process and in using inormation such
as web sites.
Pain point Workaround Opportunity
SPACE
Families in the city have a lack o
open private space
Families use multi-purpose general
areas
Look or solutions that provide
a middle ground between living
rooms and parks.
Most city apartments dont have
the room or children to play
inside all day.
City parents take their children out
o the house to engage in activities.
Children are active and parents are
involved in the city
City apartments are less able
to accommodate large group
meetings and parties.
Utilize public spaces such as parks,
schools and bars/restaurants.
Cities could work to help provide
parents with access to public space
or meetings and get togethers.
Limited spaces in homes cause
clutter and claustrophobia
Parents use kitchen or ofce as a
place or children to play
House could be built with an
innovative layout to accommodate
kids in a small space.
Parking can be difcult or
expensive
Use public transportation/park
extra car in o site area/Zip car
ransportation that is more amily
riendly
SAFEY
Te city has a higher crime rate
than the suburbs.
Rely on neighborhood network to
help watch children
Cities should help create
and strengthen ties within
neighborhoods
Parks are not sae enough or
children to go to alone
Hire nanny or establish
relationship with other parents to
trade o watching children
Create system to provide
supervision or children at park.
SCHOOLS
Parents must actively search andseek out educational options or
children
Parents spend more time searchingthe internet and talking with SMEs.
Necessary inormation could becollected and a system devised to
present its most user-centric way.
It is difcult or parents to nd and
comprehend inormation about
school options.
Parents rely on word-o-mouth.
Contact riends in positions o
power. Create ad hoc data bases
Inormation about schools
could be made easier to nd and
understand.
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 13
Pioneer Values
Pioneers choose the city or the diverseand vibrant experiences it oers them
and their children
ypically, Pioneers have a very dierent set o values than
the Swing Vote, and thereore, it is o little importance
to understand the values o Pioneer or insights into the
Swing Vote. However, a brie overview o Pioneer values is
included here to bridge the gap between Pioneers and the
Swing Vote because both were ound to have similar values,
with the important dierence being how they prioritized
those values. For Pioneers, diversity, density and vibrance
were emphasized. For members o the Swing Vote, space,
saety, and schools trumped all other values.
Diversity
Pioneers place tremendous value on exposing their children
to diverse situations and cultures. Pioneer parents repeatedly
mentioned that these experiences were more important than
a large home because they help make their children more
well-rounded than they would be i they lived in the suburbs.
Additionally, city parents value the many cultural venues a
city provides such as museums, theatres, and libraries, and
oen leverage these as ways to requently take learning out o
the classroom and make it more enjoyable.
Density
Parents also elt that their children beneted rom the
inherent adjacencies that a citys density provides. Te
rerain theres so much to do was heard oen, reerring to
the variety o options or kid-riendly activities and events
ound within a city, many within walking distance.
Adjacencies made it easier or Pioneers to connect their
children with riends and to develop community. Te large
amount o public parks and buildings make it easier to nd
mutually convenient locations to meet with other parents
and also act as social gathering places.
Vibrancy
In addition to exposing their children to varied cultures,
many parents elt that living in the city provided their
children with a heightened sense o awareness that added
to their saety and better acclimated them to the world at an
earlier age than their suburban counterparts.
Pioneers on...
Diversity
When we nally moved to the suburbs, my childrens teachers
came up to me and told me how much more well-rounded my
children were than the other children. I believe its because we
lived in the city or so many years. - Rachel
Going on the subway is like a ree class in cultural education.
I I wanted everybody to be the same, I wouldve stayed in
Ireland. - Anne
Convenience
My son is never sitting around the house, theres just so muchto do. I were not going to one o the museums to see the latest
exhibit, then its the aquarium or planetarium or something
else. At the least, well bring him to a riends house and just go
to the nearest park. It keeps me busy, but its time spent with
him so I enjoy it. - JC
Saety
Te rst time they see a homeless guy on the train or bus, it
might rattle them a bit. But they quickly learn that it is part
o lie and the appropriate way to deal with it. I guess I could
try to shelter them rom that by moving to the suburbs, but
sooner or later theyre going to have to be exposed to it. Ithink the sooner they learn about it and the more aware they
are, the better. - JC
Everybody in our neighborhood knows [my kids]. Te store
owners, people on the street. I have no problem sending them
out on their own because I know there is always somebody
watching them. - Nancy
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 15
Understanding the Swing Vote
For the Swing Vote, the suburbs still oer the saety,space, and schooling that they desire...
Te Swing Vote might be the proessional couple that moved to the city
immediately aer law school and have now decided to have children. Upon
discussing raising their children in the city, they tell themselves that it is
inevitable that they must move to the suburbs once their rst child in born.
Moreover, the Swing Vote may also be the young couple who met at a
marketing rm uptown, got married, and had children three years ago. Now
their child has become school age, and they are contemplating a move to the
suburbs. In some cases, the Swing Vote may also be the suburban couple
who really loves the city and would like to raise their children there, but are
not ready to make that leap o aith that a move to the city would require.
Te Swing Vote represent the target market.
Comparing Swing Vote with Pioneers
Te major dierence between the Swing Vote and Pioneers is a strong
sense o practicality. For this reason, they are also oen reerred to as
pragmatists. While Pioneers are visionaries who believe the possible
benets o raising their children in the city are worth the gamble, the Swing
Vote are more comortable with the sure bet. Teir more conservative
values lead them to be more concerned with hard benets such as crime
rates and test scores over so benets such as diversity, density, and
vibrancy. It should be mentioned, however, that the Swing Vote is not an
entirely conservative bunch. Remember, most o them lived in the city beorethe child issue arose in the lives.
...value measurable improvement
My husband and I moved to Evanston or the schools.
We considered the city, but ultimately settled on Evanston
because it has excellent schools.
Ahn, Chicago suburb, 1 child
...value long-term investments
We moved rom the city...we wanted more space...the kids
toys clutters the kitchen. We knew we could get a house with
more space in the suburbs.
Rachel, Philadelphia suburb, 3 children
...tend to communicate with others like themselves
When my child approached school age, I moved to the
suburbs...My riends and amily played a large part in h elping
me make my decision.
Margaret, Chicago suburb, 2 children
Te Swing Vote...
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 16
Problems o Perception
...while the city is still defcient in thesesame areas.
While the assertion that the suburbs oer better schools,
more space and a saer environment than cities is taken as
act by most suburbanites, research shows that this is not
always the case.
Sprawl and declining average population per household
have reduced the eeling o community the suburbs
once provided, as well as contributed to the rise o cul-
de-sac kids and an increase in the amount o time
suburbanites spend in their cars. Te best city schools are
oen perorming as good or better than their suburban
counterparts, and urban housing continues to appreciate at a
greater rate than the constantly expanding suburban stock.
Additionally, the Pioneers continue to raise their children in
the city with success and resolve. So why does the deault
choice or the Swing Vote continues to be the suburbs?
Content vs. Communication
Problems oen all into one o two categories: content
problems in which the solution does not exist and needs to
be created, or communication problems where the solution
does exist but is not being communicated properly.
In the case o the child-riendly city, there is a large gap
between a citys tness or raising children and the degree to
which the Swing Vote accept them as a viable solution. Tis
points to a problem o communication primarily the poor
perception o cities most American parents continue to hold.
Te problem is not completely one o communication as
weve already shown there continues to be much room or
improvement in the city but there are considerable gains
to be made as well by changing the majoritys perception o
the city.
Technical vs. Hearts and Minds
Many city leaders have recognized their citys shaky
reputation and have taken steps to change the minds o their
potential citizens. However, their approach o concentrating
on improving and publicizing test scores and lowering crime
statistics do not resonate strongly with a public that has been
deeply aected by the American Dream o suburban living.
Teir technical approach, with its concentration on numbers
and optimization, serves only to impress other mayors and
civic leaders, and does little to change the perceptions o
those outside the city. In order to change the hearts andminds o those tied to the suburbs, cities must understand
their opinions and preerences and work to help them
understand the benets o the city at an emotional level.
A Communication Challenge
Changing perceptions is never easy, and it is made even
more difcult when the perceptions are long-standing and
entrenched in the national consciousness. Additionally, the
Swing vote do not generally respond well to advertising and
marketing attempts.
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 19
Parents, more than any other group, are social beings who
want to settle down in a place that is comortable and
secure. Tey want to know rst and oremost that they
are going to be physically sae. But beyond this, they also
desire an environment that appears to be sae. For this, they
need to receive signals that the town or neighborhood in
which they are living in is ree rom danger that may harm
their children. Sometimes these signals must be explicitly
communicated. Sometime they must take more subtle,
implicit orms.
Indeed, saety is a well-trodden area o city concern. Te
media help create the perception that the suburbs are much
saer than the city. Tey oen point out the dangers o the
city and warn they must do more to control violent crime.Regardless o whether these reports are accurate, the results
o our research revealed that most parents and their extended
amily still perceive that cities as dangerous places to raise
children. Although they criticize the suburbs on many other
points, most parents still believe that the suburbs are much
saer.
Tis section provides an array o ideas to assist city leaders
in improving both the actual and perceived saety o the
city. Some ideas help older children to navigate the city
saely without their parents. Other ideas consist o services
or technology that the city can provide to track and monitorchildren as they move about the city. Still others provide a
visible reminder to parents that the city is addressing their
concerns and providing or the saety o their children.
Quotes rom research:
we were rightened at rst o public transport, didnt want
that or her kids. - Jocelyn
she didnt grow up in city, so she worries about crime,
random shootings, doesnt happen in our neighborhood, but
you never know. Big city is more about crime.
Insight:
Communicating the saety o places in the city relative to one
another presents a realistic opportunity or cities to change
perceptions and communicate progress.
Issues addressed in this section:Lack o knowledge o what parts o the city are sae
Sae navigation o the city
Creation o sae communities
ServicesMessaging
Saety
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 21
Concepts
Figure 1: Pre-Paid Pass
Public transportation services can be leveraged to establish anetwork o sae options or children to travel rom place to place or
get home in an emergency. A simple card system could allow kids to
carry a prepaid, universal access pass that would allow them to ride
buses, trains, and taxis.
Figure 2: Emergency Call Boxes
Figure 2.1: Kid 911
As cities increasingly opt or public cameras as a way to deter crime,
they could also add call boxes designed or children.
Figure 3: Designated Sae Car on rain or Buses
Child only areas could be designated on trains and buses near the
driver and monitored by cameras. Tis system would give parents
peace o mind, and g ive kids a eeling o saety.
User Benefts
Proactive measures or parents to take active role
Easy way or kids to get h elp or get home
1
2.1
32
ServicesMessaging
Saety
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Concepts
Figure 1: Car Free Zones
Converting city streets to pedestrian only zones during o-peak
trafc times oers the opportunity to transorm areas normally
devoted to vehicle trafc into amily centric spaces. Perhaps during
evenings and weekends, restaurants and caes could expand thei r
sidewalk seating areas to include stroller space, or even play areas.
Figure 2: Public Spaces as Common Space
Figure 2.1: Happy Hour or Families
Figure 2.2: Family Rest Stops
o help amilies as they travel about the city, cities may want to
consider boosting the quantity and quality o their public spaces. By
expanding traditional public building services such as bathrooms
and stroller lockers into places that allow amilies to relax, cities havean opportunity to transorm themselves into places where amilies
can take part in recreational activities and not be bothered by the
irritating inconveniences that are so abundant when the needs o
children are not addressed.
User Benefts
Opens up under utilized resources o the city
Personies the city as a place that supports the amily initiative
Creates an incentive or amilies to come rom the suburbs
Supports tighter network o amilies within neighborhoods
Puts in context the things that attract people: dense vertical
housing, ashionable restaurants and shops, and mass transit that
makes having a car unnecessary
1
2
2.2
2.1
Ease
Navigation
Shared
Space
Private
Space
Space
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 25
Ease
Navigation
Shared
Space
Private
Space
SpaceKids Source is a publication o inormation, local shop discounts, games,and puzzles that are specically or children. It could provide amilies
with inormation relating to activities and events being held in the city.
Tey could also provide discounts at local shops, caes, and museums inthe city, or they could contain inormation relating to learning about the
history o a city or clues relating to K-Games, a concept described later in
this section.
Lastly, kids in the city and the interesting activities they are involved with
could be highlighted within a section o Kid Source.
An analogy in existence today...
imeout Magazine now has imeout New York Kids, a publication and
website specically ocused on amily-riendly activities.
Concept Description
Figure 18 -TimeOut Kids
Free amily
pass to Chicago
More Coupons Inside!
At the Museum oScience and Industry
Kids Events
Dont miss Chicago Kids CompanysSnow White and the Seven Dwars
KidSource Chicago
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 26
Ease
Navigation
Shared
Space
Private
Space
Space
PlayHere!
SkateHere!
Chewgum
!
RideHere!
HaveFun!
Grafti is a campaign with an appealing visual language ocused on
branding the city as kid-riendly. Children are oen told what they
are not allowed to do, whether its by their parents or a stranger. Tis
campaign is designed to break this convention by specically tellingchildren that they should play in areas specically provided or them. It
also can provide visual cues o sae areas or spaces where children will eel
a higher sense o security such as the walk to and rom school.
Examples include signs that show kid-riendly p aths rom home to school.
Tey might also indicate places or children to play such as:
Play Here!
Chew gum here!
Skate here!
Other orms o media will help amilies see the
city as kid-riendly. Tis could include: signs,
posters, and billboards in airports, subways, bus
stops, and neighborhood parks highlighting kid-
riendly events and activities.
Concept Description
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Concepts
Figure 1: Saety, Space & Education Icons
A system o icons that provides clear navigational cues, even rom a
childs perspective, would he lp parents and children as they explore
the city and its abundant activities.
Figure 2: Map & rip Planner
Icons might be coupled with an interactive activity planning
unction that could be presented on the Internet or at a kiosk.
An essential eature o this system would be a child-centric map
designed to help kids plan trips and navigate unamiliar parts o the
city.
User Benefts
Simplies the trip planning process
Makes city benets visible
Creates a common, easy to read navigation language
2
1
Ease
Navigation
Shared
Space
Private
Space
Space
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 29
As members o a meritocracy, proessional parents place
an extremely high value on all maniestations o education.
Tey continuously seek educational experiences or their
children, whether its in the classroom, at the aquarium,or along the street. Teir philosophy, whether expressed
consciously or unconsciously, is that even leisure time and
playtime should have an educational component. And
naturally, or them, schools are viewed as the primary orm
o education, and as such it is one o their primary concerns.
Tis section builds o these insights. It explores a variety
o creative ways in which cities can inuse education into
activities that children are involved in whether it is by un
activities like going to the park or more mundane activities
like strolling by a construction site. Strategies are providedor enhancing the learning o children by exposing them to
diversity and establishing a connection between them and
the history, culture, and society particular to where they live.
School Inormation
Te act that schools are a central part o a childs lie cannot
be ignored. Children wake up early in the morning and
spend their entire day in schools, where they are exposed to
a variety o impressions and inuences. Tese are the places
where a childs mind and sense o sel are developed through
learning and interaction with others. Although the concepts
in this section do not directly address many o the mostpressing problems related to inner city schools, they do speak
to some o the problems parents experience with the school
enrollment process.
o make this process easier, this section encourages cities
to provide better tools and processes by demonstrating a set
o ways this can be done. It is envisioned here that a set o
improved tools would allow parents to access inormation
about all their school options, both public and private, in
one place. For instance, they might access a web site and
enter their particular inormation and their preerences and
receive their options. An even better process might involve
augmented services such as a guidance councilor to provideparents with advice and options or educating their children
in the city.
City-wide Ino
In some explorations, the actual real estate o the city is used
as a channel or delivering an assortment o educational
messages. In others, the empty space around kid-riendly
attractions such as playgrounds and buses, are transormed
into a medium or improving learning, and thereby capturing
an otherwise lost opportunity. Still others oer suggestions
to upli unpleasant areas like construction sites by turningthem into educational opportunities. Te goal in each case
is to create an educational environment or children by
leveraging the citys assets.
Also visited in this section are ways in which cities can
acilitate education through exposure. Many parents
interviewed expressed their love o the city as a way to
expose their children to things and people that have
educational value. Tey believe that by experiencing the
diversity o the city, their children will be better prepared or
lies challenges and will be in a better position to succeed in
an increasingly competitive world.
Quotes rom research:subway is a cultural lesson in itsel.
I wanted them (my kids) to grow up (in the city), and this
is the way I think o cities. Teyre a combination o a lot o
people rom diverse backgrounds, socio economic groups,
in addition to diversity o races, and nationalities and
religions
Insights:
Cities can augment eorts to improve school systems
by leveraging city assets toward making t he city itsel an
educational experience.
Issues addressed in this section:
Difculty in nding inormation about and choosing
schools
Perception that cities are bad or kids education
City-wide
Learning
School
Inormation
Leveraging
City Assets
Schools
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 31
City ScoutsConnecting Students with Community Outreach
Log out
Volunteers Sports and Exercise Clubs
Student Conservation AssociationConservation Leadership Corps
As a member o a Conservation Leadership Corps
you will:
Volunteeronweekendsthroughoutthe
school year in the city where you live.
Buildtrails,restoreriverandlakefront
environments, and conserve habitats.
... more
Junior Earth eam
An environmental apprenticeship program in
neighborhood parks or teens. eens provide
environmentally-based activities to children at vecity parks in ethically diverse neighborhoods
... more
Gardening Opportunity
Help improve the outdoor environment o our
residential areas by planting and maintaining
gardens. Gardening Opportunity has many
opportunities or creative minds. Buttery gardens
are a particular avorite among our residents.
... more
City Scout o the Month
Audrey Smith is not a tenth grader who lets
things slip by. She attends Freeman High
School in downtown Chicago and noticed
that cars were speeding by her school.
Many o the children walk home and these
cars can pose a potential saety danger. She
started volunteering in the student board
then gathered a group o parents, students,
and aculty who supported her view to the
school board. Tey then approved her plan
to post school crossing signs and assign
saety crossing patrols.
Search environment Schedule DistanceSort by Cost
City Scouts is a public-private initiative that brings together city
government, local businesses, universities, non-prot organizations,
and amilies. Its a network o organizations that provide children with
opportunities to help out in their community, participate in local orneighborhood level government, and work with and learn rom local
business proessionals. It is broader in scope that the Signature Strength
Network in that it is not ocused exclusively on the signature strengths o
the city.
Cities are learning that it is vitally important to involve young people
in the development and betterment o their communities. Allowing
young people to co-create the world in which they live in results in a
compelling reason or young people to stay, because they eel vested
in their communities. Students participating in City Scouts could be
awarded scholarships or grants to local schools and universities or their
accomplishments.
Illustration
City Scouts is also a web platorm that links amilies with organizations
that are part o the City Scouts Network. Families can search or learning
opportunities based on a particular interest or by the type o experience
whether it is a mentor, an internship, non-prot work, or neighborhood
government involvement.
An analogy in existence today...
VolunteerMatch is a network o non-prots that people can search and
volunteer or based on their interest.
Concept Description
Figure 14 - VolunteerMatch logo
www.volunteermatch.org
City-wide
Learning
School
Inormation
Leveraging
City Assets
Schools
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 32
City-wide
Learning
School
Inormation
Leveraging
City Assets
SchoolsSignature Strengths are key characteristics o cities that dierentiate onecity rom any other. Te Signature Strength Volunteer Program is a
volunteer network o experts that help city children learn more about
these unique strengths.
By bringing experts and children together, children can learn in a much
more engaging manner. Also this may open a childs world beyond what
they typically learn in school and give them a sense o many possibilities
within their own city.
Illustration
Te city o Chicago is renowned or its architecture. For children
interested in architecture or simply interested in learning more about it
beyond what schools oer, the Signature Strength Volunteer Program is an
opportunity to gain rst hand experience with experts in the eld.
Te Signature Strength Volunteer Program proposes that Chicago
architects periodically visit schools or hold classes at their rms to teach
dierent topics related to the architecture such as 3-D modeling and
sketching. ours o the city could be given by architects to give children
rst-hand knowledge rom experts in the eld.
Concept Description
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 33
City-wide
Learning
School
Inormation
Leveraging
City Assets
Schools
Small garden plot
Oldcompost
Newcompost
Shredder Grass clippings
Lunchletovers Soil
Wildlieattractingshrubs
Bird hedge
Solitarywasp nestsites
Lawn
Pond
Native prairie wildfowermeadow
Te Signature Strength Network is an initiative that ully enables
students to develop their skills and provide deep learning experiences
in areas that cities dene as their signature strengths. Te network is
composed o local businesses, non-prot organizations, and educationalinstitutions unied around the signature strengths o a city. It is a more
holistic approach to providing deep learning experiences or children. Te
Signature Strength Volunteer Program, mentioned previously, could be
one component o this more systemic network.
Illustration
Because Chicago has a signature strength in architecture, children in
Chicago could work side by side with architects and developers to create
rooop or community gardens. Children can learn about sustainability
rom local architects by working on the projects themselves.
Concept Description
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 34
1Student needs are entered into Guru.
2A pool o students are narrowed down by student needs.
3Parents and students can contact potential tutors to nd the best match.
Schedule
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
X X X X X X
X X X
X X
X X X X X X
Subject Geometry
Location 1723 N Halsted, Chicago, IL 60614
Student Learning Style ake QuizAn abstract learner, she learns by intuition andimagination while organizing inormation by chunks in arandom method versus sequential.
x
Timothy Schug5th Year UndergraduateI have to say that ate brought meto IIT. As a child, I always wanted tohave a career... more
Alexis Kramer, Ph.D. CandidateAlexis Kramer is one o the 14 Ph.D.candidates rom the Institute oPsychology to appear in the 2006Whos Who ... more
Shravani Pasupneti4th Year UndergraduateShravani Pasupneti, a ourth-yearbiomedical engineering studentrom suburban... more
Syed Asi Kazimi
4th Year UndergraduateWhen Syed Asi Kazimi came to theU.S. rom Pakistan in 2001, hethought his visit was... more
Christina Barrett3rd Year UndergraduateChristina Barrett, a computerscience major rom suburbanWestmont could not have... more
Guru is a tutoring network in which local university students, particularly
candidates or Masters in Education as part o their coursework, are
connected to the Guru Network, a platorm that matches young students
in need o help with tutors or Gurus. Tese university student Guruscan serve as tutors or help teach classes in schools and other learning
environments.
Tis is especially helpul or parents who try to nd ways to supplement
their childrens education. Its a win-win solution that benets children
and parents as well as helps university students nd compelling ways
to help in the community while applying what they learn in school.
Furthermore, this kind o program provides university students with a
deeper connection to the local community, thereby resulting in young
talent seeking to stay in the city.
Illustration
Students rom local universities sign up to be tutors on the Guru Network
which might have a web platorm or city amilies. Parents can search
or tutors via geographic location, neighborhood, and subject specialty.
utors can provide email contact inormation, biographies, video proles
and schedules o availability, so parents can contact and decide who might
best t their childrens needs and schedules.
An analogy in existence today...
Collegia is an organization that connects colleges and communities. Its
ounders have a decade o experience working with regional stakeholders
(government, civic, corporate, and academic), helping them leveragetheir higher-education clusters to improve the economic well-being and
vibrancy o their respective regions.
Concept Description
Figure 13 - Collegia logo
www.collegia.com
City-wide
Learning
School
Inormation
Leveraging
City Assets
Schools
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 35
City-wide
Learning
School
Inormation
Leveraging
City Assets
Schools
Log out
StudySupport
Extracurricular
SchoolChoice
Settings
Schedule DistanceSort byFamily ConnectorFamily Centered Information for the City of Chicago
Experience
ResumeBuilding
Search Creative Writing
Option 1Student Playwriting Group Option 2American Literature Tutor Option 3Online Student Writing Forum
Map & Directions
43
Schedule
Description
The program teams students with proessional
actors in an eight-week playwriting ater school
class, culminating in a live perormance o the
students script by the actors. The eight week
program is a careully structured process where
students meet both individually and in groups.
The 2 hour daily exercises utilized the tools,
expertise and guidance o the Drama Group
coaches, while sparking the creativity andemotional depth o each student. The scripts
are exclusively written by the students, with
the coaches encouraging the creative process
through refection and revision.
Recommended
Family Connector recommends The Drama Club
or your child who is very social and outgoing.
The location is also near her school and home and
meets at a time that she is ree.
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
X X X X X X
X X X
X X
X X X X X X
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 36
Concepts
Figure 1: History Markers
Figure 1.1: Natural World Markers
Figure 1.2: Cultural Playground
Figure 1.3: Historical Lens
Tere is an opportunity or cities to use under-utilized space
to create learning experiences or children and their parents in
everyday places. Cities could bring history to lie by illustrating
relevant events and signicant people in the past. Tey could also
display what the city looked like in the distant past. Cities might also
use visual real estate to e ducate children about the natural world.
User Beneft
Provides learning experiences in unexpected places
Augments classroom learning
1.1
1
1.2
1.3
City-wide
Learning
School
Inormation
Leveraging
City Assets
Schools
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6. Next Steps
A plan to help city leaders apply these strategies to theirown planning eorts.
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Kids in Cities : Concept Paper | 38
Next Steps
Te aim o this paper is to provide a general description o
the problems city parents ace and a suite o strategies or
reducing their discomort.
Obviously, not all o the problems apply to every city. Each
city must tailor the program as they see t. How a particular
city approaches this problem depends on the specic needs
o its citizens and the tools and resources the city has to
address them. It is up to each city to identiy which o these
problems most directly apply to them and which ones they
are most equipped to solve.
O course, in an ideal situation a city would have the
resources to implement all o the suggested strategies,
but this is seldom the case. Fortunately, it is also seldom
necessary. Cities and the amilies living within them could
1. Diagnose situation
Beore a city can begin any
improvement initiative, it
needs to have a thorough
understanding o its capabilities
and needs.
realize great benets rom the successul implementation o
just one or a ew strategies.
What is most important is that the problems a city addressesand solutions they implement are not randomly chosen. In
order to have a signicant and l asting eect, cities should
choose the specic problem areas where they can have the
greatest eect and provide their citizens the greatest benets.
DiagnoseSituation
DeneInitiatives
Development &Launch
ConceptGeneration
2. Defne initiatives
Te projects strategic initiatives
must be clearly communicated
in order to be successul.
5. Development & Launch
Chosen solutions are optimized
and released according to their
development schedule.
3. Concept Generation
Perormed by internal planners
or a design consultancy,
concepts are generated around
the intended outcome.
ConceptEvaluation
4. Concept Evaluation
Concepts are then evaluated or
their need, solvency and t with
larger intent.
Te Process
Tis paper provides cities with
several recommended initiatives
and underlying concepts to help
with step 2 & 3.