Using “Minecraft”, young people will be involved in the planning of Riga

The project will be implemented by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports in cooperation with the Department of Urban Development in the European Union program in the fields of education and training, youth and sports “Erasmus+”.

One of the challenges that cities face when building stronger and more sustainable communities and thinking about the future of their residents is the lack of attractive tools to engage young people in urban planning.

The active involvement of young people in sustainable development planning is very important to achieve an inclusive and stable society. With their innovative ideas and skills, young people are important drivers of innovation, game changers and participants in policy processes at all levels.

In order to promote the participation of young people in urban governance, municipal authorities need to rethink the way they work with young people, giving them the opportunity to unlock their full potential. There are several challenges and obstacles to youth participation, including lack of interest, low awareness of available opportunities and participation channels, lack of information and skills.

The municipality explains that there is often a lack of mechanisms and cooperation platforms to build meaningful relationships with young people. Therefore, it is very important for local governments to develop innovative strategies and approaches to solve these problems and better cooperate with young people.