Placemaking Poland webinar

“Childwashing and Other Sins” – a recording of the webinar I delivered for the Placemaking Poland network.

During the session, we explored why we invite children to participate in shaping public spaces – if we should invite them at all. Are we doing it to create better places, to support children’s development and agency, or simply to produce attractive photos for social media?

Sins of Working with Children in Cities

• Exclusion
• Arrogance
• Laziness
• Ignorance
• Pride
• Childwashing

We also discussed common mistakes in participatory processes involving children, the risks of treating participation as a box-ticking exercise, and the reasons why teenagers may no longer want to engage with adults who seek their opinions. The webinar offers a critical look at participation and asks how we can create meaningful opportunities for children and young people to influence the places they use every day.

These webinars take place regularly, usually on the second Tuesday of each month. They are open to everyone and no registration is required. Members of the Placemaking Poland network share their experiences and lessons learned from placemaking practice. Each recorded presentation is followed by an informal, off-the-record discussion where participants exchange reflections, questions and ideas.

My webinar was the second in the series. You can learn more about the initiative in the article Placemaking Poland Webinars.