Umap Adult Facilitator Guide

8/2/2019 Umap Adult Facilitator Guide

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Umap

Adult Facilitator Guide______________________________________________________________________Prepared By:

Dr. Pamela WridtUniversity of Colorado Denver

Department of Planning and DesignChildren, Youth and Environments Center for Research & Design

[email protected](303) 556-3472


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Pamela Wridt - No materials can be published without written consent.

Umap Adult Facilitator Guide______________________________________________________________________

Welcome to the Umap team! This guidebook is an educational resource for adultpractitioners, teachers, agency and public officials, parents and community leaders who

want to explore the power of community mapping with young people. Learn how tomake maps, what supplies you will need to do a Umap Project and the principles guidinga successful process that will lead to action and social change.

Table of Contents

1. Umap Goals

2. Umap Guiding Principles

3. Building Positive Adult-Youth Partnerships

4. Stakeholder Identification and Coalition Building

5. Establishing Project Goals, Strategies and Outcomes

6. Making maps

7. Supporting Methods

8. Developing an Action Plan

9. Supplies

10. Technical Information


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Umap Goals______________________________________________________________________

Use maps and the mapping process to foster youth voice in community- and city-level decision-making processes and policies

Engage young people and other residents in a dialogue about their perceptions ofneighborhood assets and issues in their communities

Enhance spaces and programs identified by residents as making an impact in youngpeoples lives in their communities

Target place-specific interventions based on resident perceptions

Determine historical and spatial trends in resident perceptions of their community

Evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention or project over time

Leverage outside political, social, financial and other types of support to supportresident-identified needs

Train residents in the value of mapping as a tool for analyzing spatial informationabout a community

Create maps that represent resident perceptions about their community andcompare them with city data about the community to determine spatial correlations,mismatches or misrepresentations, e.g., comparing resident perceptions of crimewith reported crime from the police department to determine if changes in serviceprovision need to be made


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Umap Guiding Principles______________________________________________________________________

Youth participation/civic engagement When given the opportunity and appropriatetools, young people are capable of participating in community- and city-level decision-

making processes.U

map projects promote and enable youth civic engagement toensure the needs and desires of young people are valued and respected by theprograms and places that nurture their development. Umap projects can be conductedwith children as young as 8 years old and are engaging to older youth and adults aswell. Young people consider the activities shared on this website fun, which is an oftenoverlooked, but crucial component to fostering their civic engagement.

Adult-youth partnerships Young people accomplish their goals with the support of,and in partnership with caring adults. All of the projects shared on the Umap website aregrounded in adult-youth partnerships. Parents, schoolteachers, civic leaders and othersupportive adults are instrumental in making Umap a success. It is important for adultsto recognize their role as champions for young peoples participation, to developrelationships based on trust and mutual respect, and to sometimes rethink the way youthare viewed in society. Young people need to recognize the value of working with adultsto achieve their goals and ideas for making their community a better place.

Community-based solutions Umap projects are designed to engage young peopleand other residents in developing their own solutions to problems in their community inorder to ensure these solutions are culturally relevant and grounded in their everydaylives. Research shows that when residents are engaged in creating solutions toproblems or promoting strengths of their communities, the likelihood of the success of aproject or intervention is greater.

Strategic coalitions Umap projects are most successful when coalitions are formedbetween universities, communities, city agencies and a range of other key stakeholders.Sometimes Umap projects are designed to improve a particular program for youth withina community, but more frequently projects are focused on addressing a specific issuethat affects young people in a neighborhood or city. In order to be successful in takingaction around the results of the mapping process, Umap projects rely upon coalitions ofthose who have the power to create change. Universities can often provide technicalassistance needed to make a Umap project successful, especially if sophisticatedmapping software is used. Communities can support a Umap project by rallying aroundyoung peoples ideas, and city agencies typically have the power to reallocateresources, change programs, or to create new spaces for young people. Understandingthe political landscape of a community or city and knowing who to bring to the table arekey to affecting the desired change from the Umap process.

Privacy & ethics Umap projects are based on perceptions young people and otherresidents have about a particular community or issue. Perceptions are formed throughpersonal experiences, cultural values and beliefs, family lifestyles and personalpreferences. When young people are asked to map their perceptions, they will oftenreveal personal information about themselves, their families and communities. TheUmap process must take into consideration the potentially sensitive nature of informationbeing shared and take steps to protect young peoples privacy. For example, sometimesit is a good idea to employ a mapping process by working with boys and girls separately,


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especially if dealing with issues of safety. In other cases, it is more important to put verydiverse groups of young people together to get at issues of difference in a community.The maps created from the Umap process are designed to be a composite portrait of anissue (a map showing all the places identified by youth) and to protect individualidentities. However, before conducting a Umap project, it is important to consider theethics behind what information is being mapped and how that information will be used or

shared.

Social action & neighborhood change The main goal for doing a Umap project is topromote social action and neighborhood change based on young peoples perspectives,desires and needs. Change can be at the individual, community, agency/program,environmental and/or city level depending upon the focus of the Umap project. Changeis often difficult to achieve if there is a paradigm shift or public financing required;change takes time. There are a number of useful models for approaching change, suchas community mobilizing, assets based community development and rationale planning,among others. Which model(s) are appropriate for yourUmap project will depend uponthe resources and stakeholders you can bring to the table, but it is important to makechange a goal from the start, even if that change is incremental and at a small scale.

Flexibility The Umap process is designed to be flexible in the sense that it can beused by a wide range of stakeholders for a diversity of issues. While the focus of thiswebsite is on working with young people, adults are equally capable and intrigued bymapping as a way to express their opinions. Anything can be mapped because all of ouractions occur in place. Umap highlights the role of place in social relations in this way.You will find a variety of different topics addressed in this website, including perceptionsabout safety, childrens routes to school, parent restrictions on childrens mobility,access to healthy foods, social networks and personal preferences for places. TheUmap process is also designed to be flexible in the level of sophistication and amount oftime you want to spend on a project. On this website you will find useful informationabout how to conduct a Umap process as part of a one-time workshop, or as a lengthy

curriculum within a school or youth serving organization. In addition, you will findsuggestions for how to conduct a low-budget, paper-based mapping process, as well asa more sophisticated process that relies upon advanced spatial/mapping software andtechnical expertise.

Research and best practices All of the information contained on this website isbased on research and best practices in the fields of youth participation in planning andcommunity development, community mapping, civic engagement, public health, youthdevelopment, community mobilizing, and geographic education. Each sample projectprovides a summary of research related to its topic and resources for furtherinvestigation. These research summaries will be useful for practitioners and youth toargue for change, as well as for academics interested in conducting new research in

these fields.


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Building Adult-Youth Partnerships______________________________________________________________________Umap projects are successful because they are based on adult-youth partnerships.Adult-youth partnerships are grounded in positive youth development principles,including viewing youth as resources, empowering young people to be leaders and to

make informed decisions, and connecting youth with the communities they live in toimprove the quality of life for all residents. Umap projects are also grounded in civicengagement and geography education best practices, including making presentations atpublic meetings to City Council and making maps to analyze spatial information.

Young people have fresh ideas; adults have the resources to help them carry out thoseideas. Communication between groups is key. Adults and youth may have to overcometheir preconceived notions of the other. Adults may underestimate the contribution youthcan make to a Umap project. Youth may need help in being comfortable working withadults. Youth and adults need time to get comfortable with each other.

Adults are more experienced and are typically more comfortable participating inmeetings. Therefore, as the facilitator, it is your responsibility to ensure that all voicesare heard. Youth need time to get familiar with the process and content of a formalmeeting, and may need help. Small groups are excellent ways to ensure that youth feelcomfortable expressing their opinions. Building relationships takes time and it shouldnot be overlooked within the Umap process as a trivial matter. Below are somequestions you may want to consider when building relationships and creating afoundation for positive adult-youth partnerships in a Umap project.

Have you created a welcoming environment? Have you said hello to everyone as they enter the room? Have you made an effort to learn everyones name? Are you providing food and music in your meeting? Are you holding meetings in locations that young people can access easily via public

transportation? Are meetings at times that consider young peoples busy school schedules? What can I do to make young people feel comfortable sharing ideas with their peers

and with adults? How often am I soliciting feedback from young people? Am I prepared to facilitate a session with both adults and youth?


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Stakeholder identification & coalition building________________________________________________Umap relies upon a network of different stakeholders to ensure change can happenbased on youth voice shared in the mapping results. Stakeholders are any adults oryouth who have a stake in achieving the goals of a Umap Project, and in particular,

who may have the power to get youth ideas implemented in a neighborhood or city.Depending upon the overall goals of the project and the way in which young people areinvolved, a range of different community groups and public officials can be approached.The most common stakeholders in a Umap project are listed below with a briefdescription of why they typically choose to participate, and their main roles in theprocess.

Summary of Most Common Stakeholders Interested in Umap Projects

PotentialStakeholders Motivation for Participation Primary Roles

City agenciesand youthservingorganizations

Opportunity to engage youngpeople in research, dialogue andevaluation of the servicesdesigned to serve them

Improve youth services, programsand places based on youth voice

Competitive edge on grantapplications due to integration ofyouth voice

Ability to analyze how youthperceptions about services andcommunities may differ frominformation typically used todetermine budget allocations andservice provisions

Opportunity to partner with youngpeople, parents, communityresidents and public officials toimprove services

Facilitate training andimplementation of mappingprocess, including helping youthto develop ideas for mappingtopics and taking action on theresults of their mapping

Providing mapping supplies andother resources to implement aUmap project

Adult leadership and support tobuild coalitions and implementyouth ideas

Lobbying other city agencies,foundations and individuals toprovide additional support for

youth programs, services andspaces

Young people,youthcommissionsand youthadvisoryboards

Opportunity to express their ownopinions and desires for theircommunity and city

Respect from community residentsand city officials for youth voice

Making relationships with otheryoung people and supportiveadults

Participation in fun, educational

and empowering activities Playing a leadership role in the

community and city Ability to change their communities

and the city to be better places foreveryone, but especially for youngpeople

Identifying topics to be mapped Establishing goals of project Helping to get other young

people involved Sharing local knowledge on

maps and through othercreative methods

Helping to analyze informationon maps

Developing creative ways toshare maps with communitymembers and public officials

Determining action to be takenfrom mapping process

Taking action on specific ideasgenerated from the mappingprocess

Evaluating impact of action


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Schoolteachers Opportunity to engage youngpeople in civic educationprocesses

Ability to integrate Umap into anexisting service-learningcurriculum in geography, social

studies, health or a related field Showcase the school as a leader

in youth civic engagement Enhance student performance,

especially in geography or arelated field of study

Desire to give young people anopportunity to affect change intheir communities

Opportunity to partner withparents, community residents andpublic officials

Facilitate training andimplementation of mappingprocess, including helping youthto develop ideas for mappingtopics and taking action on theresults of their mapping



Public health

practitioners

Opportunity to engage young

people in health research andinterventions

Value of youth voice in designinghealth interventions that servethem

Improve quality of servicesprovided to youth for their healthydevelopment

Opportunity to partner withparents, community residents andpublic officials to designinterventions

Facilitate training and

implementation of mappingprocess, including helping youthto develop ideas for mappingtopics and taking action on theresults of their mapping



Parents Opportunity for their son/daughter

to participate in civic processes Youth development and personal

growth Competitive edge for their

son/daughter in collegeadmissions

Pride in knowing theirson/daughter is trying to maketheir community and city a betterplace

Desire to partner with theirson/daughter to affect change

Provide encouragement and

support for their son/daughter inUmap project

Bring young people to meetingsand help with transportation

Volunteer in the Umap processto help youth voices be valued,listened to, and acted upon

Rallying community support foryouth desires, needs and ideasfor change

Academics Opportunity to engage young

people in research on the planningand design of their communitiesand city

Documentation and evaluation ofUmap process for others to use

Ability to publish research on youthcivic engagement and relatedtopics

Opportunity to partner with young

Facilitate training and

implementation of mappingprocess, including helping youthto develop ideas for mappingtopics and taking action on theresults of their mapping

Providing technical support formapping process, including theuse of specialized software toanalyze spatial information on


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people, parents, communityresidents and public officials toaffect change

Desire to integrate Umap processwith undergraduate and graduatecurriculums within the university to

provide service-learningopportunities for college students

maps Providing mapping supplies and

other resources to implement aUmap project

Adult leadership and support tobuild coalitions and implement

youth ideas Lobbying other city agencies,

foundations and individuals toprovide additional support foryouth programs, services andspaces


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Establishing project goals, strategies and outcomes________________________________________________Umap projects can be implemented in a variety of ways, including one-time workshops,weeklong retreats, or as part of a larger curriculum for a school, youth group orcommunity agency. It is important that young people help establish the goals of the

Umap project with adults. The Umap process may require discussions and activitiesother than mapping to arrive at a group decision of what to map and how to affectchange (see supporting methods). It also important to determine a strategy forimplementing a Umap project and to consider resources needed to be successful. Thefollowing chart presents two scenarios for a Umap project in terms of the type of youthinput that is sought, sample goals and strategies, and potential outcomes.

Type ofcommunity

and/or youthinput

Project Goals Strategy PotentialOutcomes

Advisory youngpeople orcommunityresidents areapproached bysomeone for theiropinions about aprogram, serviceor place in thecommunity or city

Obtain arepresentativesample of youth orcommunity residentinput on a focusedissue affecting theircommunity or city

1-2 hour longworkshops with alarge number ofdifferent youthgroups orcommunityresidents, such asa youth conference

1-3 compositemaps that can beshared withcommunityresidents or publicofficials to affectchange

Comprehensive young people and

adults decidethemselves towork together toinvestigate a rangeof issues affectingchildren and youthin their communityor city

Obtain arepresentative

sample of youthand communityresident input on arange of issuesaffecting theircommunity or city

Lengthy, ongoingworkshops with a

small group ofyouth or communityresidents, such asa class or youthcouncil

5-10 compositemaps and other

supporting data(such asphotographs andessays) that canbe shared withcommunityresidents or publicofficials to affectchange


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Making Maps________________________________________________Mapping is the central method used on Umap projects to understand young peoplesperceptions of their community or city. This section describes the steps in producingmaps, including how to create map outputs on a computer and how to analyze the

information or stories on the maps with children and youth.

Currently the Umap mapping process is based on a two phases: 1) gathering informationwith children and youth on paper maps using stickers and markers, and 2) compilinginformation on the paper maps into a computer-based map visual or output. In the nearfuture, groups conducting Umap projects will have the opportunity to purchase the use ofan online, web mapping tool UMAPPER which allows young people to map theirperceptions directly onto the computer, eliminating the paper mapping phase altogether.

It is beneficial to work with a professional geographer or planner who can use asophisticated mapping software called Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to helptransfer student paper maps into the computer. Consult your local university and

planning department to locate these individuals.

Step 1: Determine the area to be mappedTypically Umap projects focus on particular neighborhoods or areas surrounding aschool or community based organization. For older youth who have greater mobility andaccess to the city, larger geographic areas may be targeted for a Umap project. It isimportant to consider both the topic you are trying to map (such as where children playand hang out), as well as the age group you are working with (younger children or olderyouth) when determining the map scale.

For projects focused on neighborhoods, it is a good idea to have a map scale of 1 inch =.05 miles, or 1 inch on the map represents .05 miles in real space. This scale allows

young people to clearly see the rooftop of homes, streets, alleys, trees, and majorlandmarks. On a 36x 48 print of an aerial photograph, this translates to a geographicterritory of 2 square miles. Test out the ability of young people to use whatever map youselect first to determine if they are able to find their home and other recognizablefeatures.


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A sample aerial photograph at a scale legible to young people (from Google Earth):

Step 2: Determine the topic(s) to be mappedUmap projects can focus on a specific issue affecting young people in a community orcity (such as safety), or can be more comprehensive in nature (such as understanding

the role of a community in promoting childrens physical activity). Umap topics should bedeveloped in consultation with young people themselves if possible. Three basicsymbols or features can be used to map topics: 1) points, 2) lines and 3) areas. Pointsshow location; lines indicate movement; and areas indicate territories or regions. Whenconducting a Umap project, you should consider if what you want to map falls under aspecific location or point, if you want to map movement or travel routes indicated bylines, or if you want to map areas, such as perceived neighborhood boundaries.


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A sample of mapping topics from a Umap project focused on childrens physical activityand healthy development are listed below.

Map topics Elements to be mapped

Map 1: Getting oriented(home, school, routes toschool, neighborhoodboundaries)

Childs home (point), school, their routes to schoolusing different methods of transportation (lines),area the child considers to be their neighborhood(areas)

Map 2: Places to play andhang out

Childs home (point), all the places he/she goes inthe neighborhood to play and hang out (point),routes to these places using different methods oftransportation (lines)

Map 3: Friends and familywe know in theneighborhood

Childs home (point), the homes of friends andfamily they visit in the neighborhood (point), routesto these places using different methods oftransportation (lines)

Map 4: Places to get food Childs home (point), all the places he/she goes toget food in the neighborhood (including grocerystores, corner stores, street vendors, etc.) (point),routes to these places using different methods oftransportation (line)

Map 5: Dangerous places Childs home (point), all the places that aredangerous in the neighborhood (points or areas)

Step 3: Map preparationAerial photographs (photos of the Earth taken from a plane or a satellite) are the besttypes of maps to use with young people because they allow young people to visualize

their community as if they were flying over it like a bird. Basic street maps are moredifficult for young people to use because they cannot see building shapes or otherfeatures like trees. Research shows that children as young as 5 are able to recognizefeatures on an aerial photograph (such as a house or street). Aerial photographs can beobtained from a variety of sources (see Supplies on the Umap website), and should belabeled with major landmarks (such as schools and parks) and streets to help withorientation. Large, poster-size maps of aerial photographs are the most engaging foryoung people to use in groups of 4 or 5 (see Supplies on the Umap website forsuggestions on print size). Make sure you print enough maps so you can have one pergroup of 4 or 5 young people.

Young people make their maps using stickers and markers. Because poster-sized maps

are expensive to produce, it is a good idea to purchase Acetate or Mylar (a clear sheetof plastic, such as an overhead projector sheet) to cover maps. Young people then writeand place stickers on the acetate rather than the map itself, allowing you to use the mapon more than one occasion (see Supplies on the Umap website for information where toobtain acetate).

1. Each map should have its own sheet of acetate2. Secure acetate to map using Velcro or tape3. Mark each corner of the map for alignment in the event that the acetate slips


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4. Place the first name of each young person on the map in the boundary somewhereso you know who the map represents

Step 4: Develop a map legend and coding systemOnce the maps are printed and prepared, you are now ready to begin mapping usingstickers and markers. I typically use different colored dot stickers to represent various

map topics (such as green dot stickers to indicate where young people play and red dotstickers to indicate bad places). I have found different colored Sharpie markers to bebest suited for drawing lines and labeling features on a map (see Supplies on the Umapwebsite for suggestions). Provide young people with clear instructions on what they aremapping so they use the correct colored markers and dot stickers. Create a map legendto indicate what different colors and symbols represent. An example is below:

Sample Map Legend

Routes to School (lines drawn on map from home to school):Red marker = routes to school by automobileBlue marker = routes to school by walking

Silver marker = routes to school by bicycle, skating, skateboardBlack marker = routes to school by public transportation (e.g. bus, subway)

Perceived neighborhood boundaries (areas drawn on map):Red marker = perceived neighborhood boundary for girlBlue marker = perceived neighborhood boundary for boy

Places (dot stickers):Green dot stickers = Places to play and hang outRed dot stickers = Friends and family we knowYellow dot stickers = Places we get foodOrange dot stickers = Dangerous places

Blue dot sticker = Home

Step 5: Getting orientedIt is important to begin any Umap mapping process by ensuring that young people areoriented to the map (they understand which direction is north and can locate majorfeatures on the map). Working in groups of 4 or 5 enables young people to help eachother locate items on the map, but adults should also familiarize themselves with thearea being mapped to help young people locate places if they have trouble. Suggestedsteps include:

1. Split young people into groups of four or five, with one adult facilitator per group2. Ask them to look at the aerial photograph and describe what they see

a. Young people will be able to recognize that it is a picture of theirneighborhood and will point out various aspects of the photograph (homes,roads, etc.)

b. Prompt young people to find roads, alleys, homes, sidewalks, cars, parks,roads, the school, their home, etc.

3. Explain, in general terms, how the photograph was takena. Airplane flying at 250m 1,000 feet, using special camera taking pictures,

now we use satellites to take photos in some cases


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b. Young people typically relate to the photograph by stating its like a birds eyeview of their neighborhood a bird flying over their house

4. Explain the purpose of the mapping exercise to learn about places important tothem in their neighborhood to make changes and impact policy in the community orcity

5. Ask each young person to find their home and other features they might recognize

like a school or park

Step 6: Mapping, labeling & data collectionOnce students are oriented and they understand the map legend, you can then proceedto make maps with stickers and markers. Explain how the maps will be created andlabeled with young people before breaking them into groups. It is also a good idea tohave an adult or youth facilitator working with each group to ensure that young peopleare mapping accurately and labeling features accordingly.

At this point you need to decide how sophisticated the maps young people create will bein terms of the type of information/data you collect about each map point. In its simplestform, young people can place dots on maps to represent something and label it with

markers using one or two words. This allows you to create a map output (a compositemap of all the points mapped by each group) on a computer using basic wordprocessing or desktop publishing software by map theme (in this example, places youngpeople play or hang out).

If you are interested in learning more about who mapped this point, such as whether aboy or girl mapped this point, you can slightly alter the process outlined above byassigning each young person a random map ID number, for which you can keep a log

about demographic information for each map ID. In this example, #3 could refer to a girlname Sasha. You can collect other information about Sasha other than her gender,such as her racial/cultural background, age, and length of residence in a community.You can also use different colored sticker to represent gender for one theme (green = aboys play places, orange = a girls favorite places). This allows you to create a mapoutput about places young people play or hang out by gender group or by otherdemographic categories using basic word processing or desktop publishing software bymap theme.

Below is a sample map of favorite places in which green stickers are boys favoriteplaces and orange stickers are girls favorite places. This is a neighborhood map fromthe NYC Metropolitan Transit Authority that is about 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide; it hasmajor landmarks and streets identified and labeled.

Friends house

Friends house3


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If you have access to Geographic Information Software (GIS) to create map outputs, youcan collect a wide range of information about young people and each point mapped bythem. For example, you can document demographic data as mentioned in the previousexample, but you can also collect information about the point, such as method oftransportation used to get to a location (walking, automobile), how often a young persongoes to a particular place, with whom, during which season, or why they like a place orconsider it bad. This information can be documented in a detailed paper log by studentsand then entered into tables/databases in GIS so you can play around with informationabout each point to determine the most interesting map output.

Sample of map data: Sample of log data:

StudentMap ID

Place TravelCompanion

Trans.Method

TypeofPlay

3 Friendshouse

Mother Car Playtag

3Friends house


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Below is a sample of student log data about food map.

Map 3: Places we get food Map all the places you buy food in the neighborhood orwhere you go to eat. Write down the name of the place you mapped, how you get there,who you usually go with, and what you usually buy or get at the store, restaurant orplace.

Student MapID

Place Transportation Food TravelCompanions

3 7-11 Car Gum Friends

3 Bens cornerstore

Walk Candy By myself

5 Church Car Spaghetti Family

7 Pizza Hut Car Pepperonipizza

Family

7 McDonalds Car Happy meal Family

7 Wal-Mart Car Groceries Family

Step 7: Asking questions about maps, taking notesThe mapping process generates a lot of dialogue about the places being mapped. If youhave adult or youth facilitators assigned to each group, you can use facilitators todocument the conversation around what is being mapped so you can use thisinformation to explain young peoples perspectives. For example, why are all the girlsgoing to City Park, but no boys mentioned going there? Focus your questions onlearning about opportunities and constraints to young peoples use and experience ofparticular places around the topic(s) of yourUmap project.

Suggested probeso Repeat what a young person saysso you go to the library with your

friends? Do you also go there with your family? Why or why not?

o No one mapped Green Park as a place they play. Why do you think thatis?

o Interestingokay, can you tell me more about that place?

Step 8: Creating map outputsA map output is a composite map to show all the places mapped by young people onone visual. If you do not have access to GIS software, you can create simple mapsusing basic word processing or desktop publishing software (see Technical Informationon Umap website for more information). Simple copy and paste an aerial photograph orstreet map into a Word document or Photoshop document to create the base for yourmap. Use different drawing tools and select different symbols or colors to create yourmap (for example, an x symbol to represent traffic or a % to represent a hazardous

street crossing. Transfer student paper maps into the computer by coping informationonto one map on the computer.

Sample basic map output created with Microsoft Publisher:


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You need access to GIS software to make more sophisticated maps. The process fortransferring data from paper maps into this software program is more complex. GISsoftware relies upon databases to create its maps. A database is a set of columnsrepresenting a particular variable (such as gender, or method of transportation), and aset of rows containing the actual data (female, automobile). Each row of data in a GISdatabase must have a geographic coordinate (latitude, longitude, street address) inorder for a feature to be mapped. The process of transferring student data into a GISenvironment is call digitizing. It is highly recommended you work with a professionalgeographer or planner who understands how databases are constructed in GIS.

Without going into great detail about the steps in digitizing, first, enter all information instudent logs using Microsoft Excel or a similar database software program. Second,

create a similar database in Excel containing all information about student demographicsaccording to their map ID. Third, using the editor tool in Arc Map, digitize using points,lines and polygons, and create new feature classes in the database, such as a Point ID,student mapping ID and place name. The creation of a Point ID, or a unique number foreach point mapped by students, enables the joining of spatial data from student papermaps with non-spatial data collected in student logs so you can manipulate informationin different ways.

Below is a sample map output using GIS software. Note: This map shows the places


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children get food by the transportation variable from the student logs. The map alsoshows the location of student homes. GIS allows you to calculate distance from home toplaces walked versus places traveled to by car, among other more sophisticated datamanipulation techniques.

Each map output should contain the following elements:

1. A map title (describing what the map represents)2. A map legend (to indicate what symbols and colors on the map represent)3. A scale (to indicate the size of the geographic territory being examined)4. Data sources (to indicate where the information was obtained and when)5. A north arrow (for orientation purposes)

Step 9: Spatial analysisIn order to move towards taking action around the map outputs, it is important to share

composite maps back with young people so they can see the results. Many youngpeople and adults will benefit in a training on how to analyze information from a spatialperspective. Spatial analysis is a term that refers to the way in which information isdistributed, concentrated and clustered, and how those patterns relate to other featuresof the built or social environment.

At this phase of the Umap project it is important to have basic map reading skills, and tounderstand the role of cartography in shaping the way individuals read and interpret the


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stories being told on maps.

Consult the Umap website to obtain a PowerPoint presentation that provides a basicunderstanding of maps, map reading and interpretation, and spatial analysis.


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Supporting methods________________________________________________Umap projects can incorporate a range of other methods or techniques to help youngpeople document their communities from their perspective and to support the

identification of map topics. The following methods have been field-tested and are easily

incorporated into a school curriculum or youth workshop. Please visit the UmapResources page to download templates for some of these methods.

Photography Give young people disposable cameras or use digital cameras to enableyoung people to visually document their favorite places or places that need to be

improved. Ask young people to keep logs of the pictures they take, e.g., who is in the

picture, what place the picture shows and why they took specific pictures. Photos canbe developed onto CD-ROMS and used to create map layouts, posters, guidebooks andatlases.

Diaries Ask young people to keep diaries of their daily activities and travel behaviors,

to write essays about their community, to log how much television they watch or how

much time the spend playing outside. Diaries are useful for getting information typicallycollect on surveys and allow you to make statistical summaries about young peoplesbehaviors using programs like Microsoft Excel. Summaries can be made into visuals

like pie charts or bar graphs.

Mental maps Ask young people to draw an image or map of their community using ablank sheet of paper and markers. I typically use mental maps in the beginning of a

Umap project to get to know young people, build relationships, and to understand some

of the most important issues facing them in their communities.

Neighborhood walks Ask young people to take you on a tour of favorite places orplaces that need improving in their community. Ask them to tell you stories about

programs or people important to them in the neighborhood. Examine where youngpeople take you and why these places are meaningful in their lives. Neighborhood

walks are a great way to build relationships with young people in a way that considersthem as experts of their community.


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Developing an action plan_______________________________________________Upon completion of a Umap project, you may have a range of different map outputs,community guidebooks, photo exhibitions or other information. It is important to use all

the information generated from a Umap project to help young people arrive at an action

plan to affect change in their community or city. Once young people determine a list ofpriorities of topics they would like to address in their community, there is a range ofdifferent ways of conveying that information to decision-makers. An action plan should

contain a list of young peoples priorities for change, a strategy or series of strategies forsharing this information with decision-makers, a timeline for the action plan, and parties

responsible for specific tasks.

The most common methods for sharing Umap project results with decision-makers arelisted below. Adults must help young people champion their efforts to affect change by

helping them determine who should be targeted (a city planner or community activist),and getting young people to the table of those groups.

Presentations Young people can create PowerPoint presentations with their maps,photographs and other supporting information. Presentations can target public officials,other young people in the community, parents, schoolteachers or the mayor of a city.

Neighborhood guidebooks or atlases Young people can create guidebooks for theircommunities that showcase theirUmap project results. Atlases and guidebooks areuseful for other young people to learn about a place, for community members that want

to support the recommendations of youth to affect change, and for parents to see what

their children are doing in the community.

Public meetings Young people can share maps with neighborhood civic associationsor via a more formal city council meeting. The goal of public meetings is to share

information with decision-makers in a way that becomes official record. Young peopleshould be trained on how to present at city council meetings, which typically only allow 3

minutes of commentary about a topic. It may be more appropriate to share informationin a sub-committee meeting of city council where young people would be given more

time to share their ideas.

Youth councils/commissions Young people can share their findings with a mayorsyouth commission, youth councils and advisory boards. In this way, if a youth

commission or council is asked to provide youth input on an issue, they can Umap datato support their justification or stance on a particular issue.

Media releases Young people can share their maps with local newspapers and other

media outlets. The goal of a media release is to share Umap projects with a largeraudience to affect change.


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Supplies

________________________________________________

MAPPING SUPPLIES

Item: Paper Maps

Description: Paper maps are used to conduct mapping exercises with children andyouth. Any maps can be used for a Umap project, such as street, subway, and parcelmaps found in your local city Planning Department. However, the most legible andreadable maps for children and youth are aerial photographs, labeled with streets andmajor landmarks (such as schools, churches, and parks). Research shows that childrenas young as 5 years old are able to recognize features (such as houses and trees) onaerial photographs. Young people are easily able to think of themselves as a bird flyingover their neighborhood to understand the perspective of an aerial photograph.Whatever map is chosen for a Umap project should be tested with children and youthfirst to make sure they can read, navigate and locate items important to them. Because

most Umap projects are done in small groups, maps should be large (48x72 orsomething close to that). Maps should cover a small geographic territory (approximately1-2 miles squared). The scale and boundaries of the map you select to use should bebased on neighborhood boundaries or zones around a school. Maps that cover largergeographic territories (such as a city) may be useful for working with older youth whohave greater mobility. Make sure you have enough map posters for each group. It isusually a good idea to have maps laminated so they do not rip through use.

Supplier: Aerial photographs and other maps can be obtained from a variety of differentsuppliers, including your citys Planning Department, Google Earth, and other onlineresources such as Terra Server.

Estimated cost: Cost is usually based on the market rate for printing a poster-sizedimage from a digital file through a company like Kinkos. Terra Server charges a fee forthe purchase of the digital file of an aerial photograph at a very high resolution or quality.Google Earth does not charge a fee for saving and using an aerial photograph, but theresolution is typically not high enough to print out a poster size image. The most costeffective method for obtaining a high quality printed map or aerial photograph is tocontact your citys Planning Department. If you are conducting a Umap project as part ofan educational or community-based effort, Planning Departments will often wave anyfees for their services. In addition, Planning Departments can make sure that streetsand major landmarks are labeled._____________________________________________________________________

Item: Stickers

Description: Dot or circle stickers are used to map specific point locations aboutdifferent topics on an aerial photograph. Different colored stickers can be used torepresent different map themes, such as red stickers for bad or dangerous places,green stickers for places we play and hang out, and yellow stickers to indicate placeswe get food. The size of stickers should be proportionate to the map scale so that if astudent places a sticker on a house, the sticker only covers the house and notsurrounding buildings, streets or other feature on the map. On a 48x72 map poster


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covering a 2-mile radius of a geographic territory, I typically use dot stickers. If youwant young people to write on the stickers themselves as way of labeling a map featurethen dot stickers may work better. Feel free to be creative with your sticker choices dots, smiley faces, frown faces, arrows, stars and other shapes are readily available.Make sure you have enough dots to allow each student to map up to 10 locations foreach map category.

Supplier: Stickers can be obtained from an office or educational supplier, such asStaples orOffice Depot.

Estimated cost: $5-10 per pack______________________________________________________________________

Item: Markers

Description: Markers are used to map routes or areas about different topics on anaerial photograph. Different colored markers can be used to represent different mapthemes, such as red markers for routes to school by automobile, blue markers for

routes to school by walking, or green markers to draw the area I consider to be myneighborhood. Sharpie markers are the most effective for drawing on an aerialphotograph because the marker leaves a thick line that is visible. Make sure you haveenough markers to give each map group a set.

Supplier: Markers can be obtained from an office or educational supplier, such asStaples orOffice Depot.

Estimated cost: $7-10 per pack______________________________________________________________________

Item: Acetate/Mylar

Description: Because large poster maps are expensive to produce, you may want toconsider obtaining acetate or Mylar (a clear plastic sheet of paper, such as an overheadprojector sheet) to fit over your maps. If you cover your maps with acetate, you canreuse the aerial photographs again and again without damaging the original map.Student then map on top of the sheet of acetate, placing stickers and writing withmarkers on the acetate instead of the map itself.

Supplier: Rolls or individual large sized sheets of acetate or Mylar can be obtain fromart supply stores or stores that cater to architects/engineers.

Estimated cost: The cost of acetate varies. It is usually cheaper to buy a role of

acetate (about $25-50), as opposed to purchasing individual 4x5 sheets of acetate(which run about $3 per sheet). The advantage of purchasing sheets is that you donthave to cut individual squares from a roll of acetate, which can take time.______________________________________________________________________

Item: Velcro

Description: Velcro is useful for securing sheets of acetate or Mylar to map posters, orfor hanging map posters on a wall.


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Supplier: Rolls or individual, pre-cut square of Velcro are readily available can beobtained from an office or educational supplier, such as Staples orOffice Depot.

Estimated cost: $5-10 per package or roll______________________________________________________________________

OTHER SUPPLIES

Item: Disposable Cameras

Description: Disposable cameras are a useful way to obtain images from young peopleabout the places the map as part of a Umap project. Disposable cameras allow eachindividual young person to take anywhere from 25-35 photos, which can be developedinto prints and saved digitally on a CD-Rom. I have found that disposable cameras withbuilt-in flashes provide higher quality photos than cameras geared towards the outdoors.

Supplier: Disposable cameras are readily available can be obtained from an office or

educational supplier, such as Staples orOffice Depot.

Estimated cost: $5-10 per camera______________________________________________________________________


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Technical Information________________________________________________This section describes the software and technology typically used to create maps,guidebooks, and atlases. A variety of different software companies offer incentives for K-12 teachers and community groups to buy and use their software. Some even include

technical support as part of their package. In addition, many young people are familiarwith the software listed below and can help do a lot of the work. Almost all of thesesoftware packages are compatible with PC or Macintosh computers.

Word Processing

Virtually all computers have some version of word processing software. You can useword processing software to type text-based information, such as the students essaysabout their neighborhood. In addition, most word processing software allows you tocreate tables and draw simple objects using drawing tools.

Microsoft WordWord Perfect

Statistical Software

There are a variety of statistical software packages that enable you to create bar chartsor pie charts. These are useful in the creation of graphs depicting quantitativeinformation youth provide, such as the television programs students watch the most,how many students own computers, or how many languages they speak. When thestudents have created simple tallies of this information as a class or youth group, theycan then enter the information in a table to produce cool bar charts and pie graphs.

Microsoft ExcelSPSS

Desktop Publishing SoftwareDesktop publishing software allows you to create layouts for a newsletter, a poster, amenu, or an atlas. Many of the packages come with templates, or pre-designed layoutsof newsletters, that lend themselves to the layout of an atlas or guidebook. It is veryeasy to use these layouts to create titles, headings, and insert pictures.

Microsoft PublisherAdobe Pagemaker & PhotoshopQuark Express

Scanners and Scanning Software

Scanners are very accessible to even the most inexperienced computer user. They areoften quite inexpensive ranging from $50 to $100. Any of the major computer supplystores will have scanners readily available. Most major printer companies, such asCannon or Hewlett Packard, also produce scanners. If you purchase a scanner, you cantake student drawings and make them digital. You can also take photographs and makethem digital. Making drawings and photographs digital enables you to place images intoan atlas or guidebook in a way that allows you to adjust their size and quality. When youpurchase a scanner, the software needed to run the scanner comes with it as one


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package. Alternatively, you can purchase Adobe Photoshop, software that allows you toscan and alter images.

Cannon ScannersHewlett Packard Scanners

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)If your school or community group can afford to purchase a GIS software package, youcan create rather sophisticated digital maps with the support of university andprofessional geographers or city planners. GIS allows you to create detailed streetmaps and sophisticated layouts. The power of GIS is its ability to layer different types ofinformation for a defined area, such as a neighborhood. For example, GIS allows you toselect a street layer, a layer showing the location of all the graffiti identified by youth, anda layer of reported crime from the police department. When you put all the layerstogether, you can then visually see if there is any correlation between the locations ofyouth identified graffiti and reported crime. Many GIS companies provide Internet-basedtechnical assistance, and others provide K-12 workshops for teachers.

MapInfoArcView

Umap Adult Facilitator Guide

Documents