Stakeholders of the L-Flat such as residents, local school, welfare organizations, garbage collectors, housing corporation, local police, municipality employees, and others have co-created multiple action plans relating to social cohesion, feelings of safety, improving the image of the flat, garbage, cooperation and facilities. Some of these initiatives are finished successfully, others are still running and some are ‘sleeping’.
Many different initiatives have started, each having their own impact. For example, girls now have their own place where they play, guided by mothers. Teenage boys who were accused of being a nuisance near the entrances of the flat have created their own youth center where they chill together. Supporting organizations claim to know each other and each others’ goals better as a result of this PAR. The park next to the flat has improved in safety thanks to inhabitants and municipality working together, resulting in kids playing outside and improved social cohesion among neighbors.
Read the full story of this Challenge in our handbook Participatory Action Research (in Dutch).