Twitter +44 28 9032 8811

Belfast Healthy Cities

Our vision is that Belfast is recognised globally
as a healthy, equitable and sustainable city

Healthy Cities 21st Century

Child Friendly Places

Child Friendly Places is a key theme of the work within Healthy Urban Environment programme. Its aim is to make child friendly places and engaging children a higher priority within decision making on the built environment. The programme is also designed to demonstrate the wider health, social and economic benefits of people focused planning and regeneration.

 

Child Friendly Strategic Approach for Belfast

In 2014 a cross sectoral Child Friendly Places working group was reconvened. Drawing membership from a wide range of organisations that represent the interests of children or have a role in improving the city it will develop a strategic approach in terms of children and the built environment across Belfast. Their aim is to explore ways in which to develop a Child Friendly Strategic Approach for Belfast.

Developing this work, in 2015 a wide ranging consultation on A Call to Action:Shaping Healthier Places for Children in Belfast was launched. View full consultation document

This work builds on two major models exploring the concept developed since 2011: Shaping Healthier Neighbourhoods for Children and KidsSpace, alongside a one off project, 'Planning My City'.

 

 

Planning My City  In 2014, in partnership with the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as part of their centenary celebrations, the 'Planning My City' event encouraged young participants to explore how a city is designed, what the uses of buildings could be, where they should be located and how they would contribute to the life of the city.

 

Shaping Healthier Neighbourhoods for Children

Shaping Healthier Neighbourhoods for Children aims to give children an opportunity to make their views about their environment heard. These views and recommendations on what would make things better were used to develop Children’s Voices - A Charter for Belfast and a report. More about Shaping Healthier Neighbourhoods for Children.

 

KidsSpace                                                                                                                                                                      

KidsSpace is a large scale public event which explores the creation of child friendly space in the city centre. Since 2011, KidsSpace events have transformed St Anne’s Square, Buoys Park, Writers Square, Belfast City Hall, Urban Soul and an unused unit in CastleCourt Shopping Centre into welcoming spaces for families and children. Each event has been extremely successful with over 1000 children and parents, highlighting the increasing demand for family activity in Belfast City Centre. A report on exploring child friendly space in the city is available. More about KidsSpace.