Participation Type

Workshop

Session Title

Citizenship In Action: Engaging Appalachian Youth in Design Thinking to Promote Community Wellness

Session Abstract or Summary

As Appalachian communities evolve, citizen engagement and understanding of the built environment will be crucial to the quality of our growth. To address this need, the Nashville Civic Design Center has developed Citizenship in Action (CIA), which is an innovative, web-based curriculum of activities that engage youth with the planning and design of their neighborhoods.

In this presentation, we will describe the scope, goals, and target outcomes of implementing CIA workshops in Appalachian communities. First, NCDC staff members will lead attendees through a design activity called story mapping in which they analyze the assets, opportunities, and challenges in a fictional Appalachian community. Then, youth participants from a recent workshop will present their designs and share next steps in implementing the changes they have planned for their community. The presentation will conclude by addressing the logistics of facilitating a public engagement process with youth in Appalachian communities.

Our workshop offers a space for researchers and community workers alike to explore the potential impact of bringing design thinking into their current work with youth. This session is a Young Appalachian Learners and Leaders (Y’ALL) committee-sponsored session.

Presentation #1 Title

Citizenship In Action: Engaging Appalachian Youth in Design Thinking to Promote Community Wellness

Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary

As Appalachian communities evolve, citizen engagement and understanding of the built environment will be crucial to the quality of our growth. To address this need, the Nashville Civic Design Center has developed Citizenship in Action (CIA), which is an innovative, web-based curriculum of activities that engage youth with the planning and design of their communities. CIA teaches students design as a way of thinking and problem solving while building awareness and exposure to the world around them. The curriculum challenges them to apply their knowledge to solutions for their neighborhoods, thus empowering students and promoting a “youth voice.”

In this presentation, we will describe the scope, goals, and target outcomes of CIA. Special attention will be paid to the implementation of CIA in rural communities, with our recent Scott County, Tennessee Design Your Neighborhood weekend as a case study of the impact that CIA can have in empowering youth to understand and address community needs.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1

Melody Gibson is the Education Manager at the Nashville Civic Design Center and holds a B.A. in Architecture from University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado in Denver.

Presentation #2 Abstract or Summary

Attendees will take part in a design activity called story mapping in which they analyze the assets, opportunities, and challenges in a fictional Appalachian community. Scott County students will lead attendees through a reading about what a day in the life is like for citizens in this community. Attendees will then work in groups to represent this experience on a map, evaluating the ways in which the shape of the community shapes experience. NCDC staff will then lead the group through a discussion of the community’s assets, opportunities, using the map as a point of reference.

Story mapping is central to the CIA curriculum in that it allows students to gain a deeper understanding of how the form and characteristics of a neighborhood can impact individuals lived experience, develop skills in reading and interpreting maps, and exercise their creativity. As scholars and activists in Appalachia, taking part in this activity will give attendees a sense of how CIA engages students in problem solving through design. This portion of the session will last approximately 30 minutes.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2

Fuller Hannan is the Community Development Manager at the Nashville Civic Design Center and holds a B.A. in Architecture from Auburn University.

Presentation #3 Abstract or Summary

This section will be facilitated by Scott County Design Your Neighborhood Interns. These students are all board members of the STAND coalition, a coalition of community organizations, businesses, and individuals focused on the health and well-being of Scott County, Tennessee. STAND Interns will present the results of their Design Your Neighborhood Internship, in which they spent three days learning about the built environment factors that shape Scott County and how they can leverage civic design and placemaking to create more functional, healthy spaces within their community. Students will describe the process of conducting needs assessments in several key areas of their community, using mapping as a tool to conceptualize assets, challenges, and opportunities within their community, and share their final designs.

Additionally, NCDC staff members will briefly share the results of a mixed-methods outcome evaluation of the Scott County DYN internship, which is part of a pilot study exploring the impact of DYN on a range of psychosocial and design-oriented outcomes. This section will last approximately 15 minutes.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3

Jacob Hughett, Grace Kidd, and Hannah Martin are leaders of the STAND Board, a coalition of community organizations, businesses, and individuals focused on the health and well-being of Scott County, Tennessee.

Presentation #4 Abstract or Summary

The presentation will conclude by addressing the logistics of facilitating a Design Your Neighborhood Workshop, an event in which the CIA curriculum is presented to address the needs of a given community.

  1. How can NCDC help scholars and activists facilitate DYN projects in their communities?

  2. What can scholars and activists expect when they begin a DYN project with students in their communities?

  3. How can scholars and activists identify stakeholders who can assist with funding and implementation of student design projects?

  4. How can scholars and activists continue to engage students in design thinking and action steps after a DYN workshop?

Time will be built in for attendees to ask questions of the NCDC staff and the Scott County DYN Interns during this final section of the presentation.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #4

Katy Morgan is a Research Fellow at the Nashville Civic Design Center and a Master’s student at Vanderbilt University.

Conference Subthemes

Education, Health, Diversity and Inclusion, Economic Development

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Citizenship In Action: Engaging Appalachian Youth in Design Thinking to Promote Community Wellness

As Appalachian communities evolve, citizen engagement and understanding of the built environment will be crucial to the quality of our growth. To address this need, the Nashville Civic Design Center has developed Citizenship in Action (CIA), which is an innovative, web-based curriculum of activities that engage youth with the planning and design of their communities. CIA teaches students design as a way of thinking and problem solving while building awareness and exposure to the world around them. The curriculum challenges them to apply their knowledge to solutions for their neighborhoods, thus empowering students and promoting a “youth voice.”

In this presentation, we will describe the scope, goals, and target outcomes of CIA. Special attention will be paid to the implementation of CIA in rural communities, with our recent Scott County, Tennessee Design Your Neighborhood weekend as a case study of the impact that CIA can have in empowering youth to understand and address community needs.