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3 Areas change is needed ... Ideas and solutions

  1. Inclusive Urban Planning and Design Practice

  2. Inclusive Urban Governance – Processes and decision making

  3. Education and Leadership

As communities and cities are far from inclusive, the research identified three core areas where change is needed.

Visual summary of the findings, includes the The five elements: 1. All people centred public planning processes and decisions (Urban Governance). 2. Human Diversity is valued and embedded in all aspects of planning. 3. Inclusively designed spaces and infrastructure are assets of community with Equity, Accessibility, Ease as core foundations. 4. Planning for connectedness – Nature, People, Place. 5. Vibrant places and experiences. It also includes the change needed across areas of practice and policy. The Key Areas where Change is Needed 01 Urban Planning and Design Practice • All people must be at the centre of what we do and be involved from the start. • Inclusive/universal design with biophilic design /urban greening is integral to communities. • Foregrounding equity, ease and accessibility in planning and designing for movement and place. • Raising ambitions by going beyond minimal or compliance-focused approach. • Develop inclusive planning practice guidance and urban design

01. Inclusive Urban Planning and Design Practice

  • All people must be at the centre of what we do and be involved from the start. 

  • Inclusive/universal design with biophilic design /urban greening is integral to communities. 

  • Foregrounding equity, ease and accessibility in planning and designing for movement and place.

  • Raising ambitions by going beyond minimal or compliance-focused approach.

  • Develop inclusive planning practice guidance and urban design codes. 

  • Integrated planning that centres equity and inclusion, wellbeing, climate adaptation. 

  • Future proofing design using inclusive sustainable approach.
     

Participant drawing from community chat showing an inclusive community with leadership, events and politicians setting an example.

02 Inclusive Urban Governance – Processes and decision making

  • Lived expertise is valuable knowledge and embedded in all aspects of urban governance.

  • Working in collaboration and co-creating, working across disciplines, sectors, and agencies.

  • Communicate with all from the start using multiple methods suitable for diverse audiences.

  • Decision making has integrity, flexibility, and be guided by lived knowledges.

  • Integrated planning processes for more equitable, connected and efficient ways of working.

  • We listen, learn and then act.

Graphic harvest from community chat showing barriers and suggestions for inclusive communities.chat PIC.jpg

03. Inclusive Education & Leadership

  • Recognise and understand planning for our human diversity across the lifespan.

  • Challenge negative perceptions and naysayers.

  • Awareness raising education and amplifying diverse voices.

  • Demonstrate what’s possible using case studies while respecting the unique context of place.

  • Being inclusive creates economic and regional development.

  • Representation and leadership by and with disabled people is essential.

I also feel like within communities there needs to be a broader and a greater understanding for what people are going through.  So I feel like education is really important.  Being able to educate people to create that understanding for not just people living with a disability, but people living, like you said, with mental illness and other chronic diseases.  I feel like understanding and education is really important.  You can't grow any sort of respect or understanding without being educated and informed.

The Plan Forward

The Plan Forward

Hand drawn picture of two peices of paper with planning on them.

Now 

Research has shown that centring inclusion and equity at the heart of planning communities and cities is key, but equally important are our:

  • Ways of Working

  • Assets of Community

  • Agents of Change - Champions

 

Stage 2

Our next stage - stage 2 – involves exploring the changes needed identified from stage 1a&B, directly with urban planning practitioners and people with disabilities/disabled people to co-create resources and practice tools on how to plan inclusively. The aim being to have an applied scalable approach to planning our cities and communities that will benefit all bodies and minds, while upholding rights and environmental and social justice. 

Goal at the End

Grassroots applied framework of practice for planning more inclusively

Attributions

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