Co-Creating Our City

Securing buy-in and identifying project champions at city and local levels ​

Securing buy-in from key stakeholders—champions in the city administration and local partners as well as youth work organizations—is crucial for a project's success. Early engagement of key stakeholders and local partners also fosters a sense of partnership, increasing their willingness to support the project while it is ongoing and to consider and act on the results. Project champions and local partners can open doors to resources, data that already exists, the networks needed to recruit co-researchers and research participants, and implementation of findings.

One way to achieve this commitment is by building relationships with key stakeholders at the city level from the start, for example by seeking and aligning expectations in early meetings and identifying both the problems they would be most open to addressing and what city resources (budget, staff, time) will be available to implement or pilot youth-driven solutions.

You can achieve alignment in stakeholder expectations from the outset by:

  • verbalizing and sharing a theory of change for your 'Co-Creating Our City' project
  • scheduling project kick-off meetings to agree on objectives and assumptions
  • listening and responding to concerns
  • agreeing on key dates and process expectations
  • outlining where there is flexibility as well as contingency plans

Champions at city level ​

One key assumption that is crucial for the success of 'Co-Creating Our City' projects is that city officials are willing to engage in open dialogue with young people and to make changes in governance. To achieve lasting impact, your project will need to secure commitment and resources from city leaders, not just to listen but to act on insights and pilot some of the proposed solutions at the end of the project. Early buy-in helps create a clearer pathway for translating research into policy or program changes quickly after the project ends. Put simply: When decision-makers feel included in the process, they are less likely to reject or ignore findings that challenge existing policies. Having project champions within the city administration and obtaining clear and enthusiastic buy-in can also help shape the research objectives to align with city priorities and amplify the project's potential for impact.

Prospective participant groups include the executive or mayoral office, decision-makers already involved with youth engagement, and officials from different departments and agencies that young people might be interested in or who may want to hear young peoples' views. Examples include those responsible for housing, planning, transportation, technology, innovation, and economic development. Multiple staff from a department may want to participate, as happened in Charlotte with the Housing and Neighborhood Services and Planning Departments, to share the responsibilities of workshop participation and engagement.

Early in-depth conversations with city officials are an opportunity to emphasize the value of learning directly from young people about their concerns and interests in local government, as well as to clarify project expectations in terms of participation and role. It may help to frame the project as a relatively low lift beyond their workshop time and as an opportunity to learn both what young people want from their local government and how they want to engage and contribute. In Charlotte, for example, we found that some officials particularly appreciated the opportunity to interact with young people because they rarely were able to do so in their everyday work.

Talking points to secure buy-in from champions at the city level

Interested in setting up your own 'Co-Creating Our City' project but not sure how to win champions at city level? Here is a list of talking points you can use.

A 'Co-Creating Our City' project...

  • ... tackles a persistent challenge we face (e.g., youth disengagement, mistrust in institutions, lack of civic engagement) with innovative, participatory solutions.
  • ... builds a long-term culture of civic engagement and intergenerational collaboration by strengthening the relationship between young residents and city institutions.
  • ... delivers real, actionable insights grounded in evidence and lived experience, leading to policies and interventions that are more feasible and supported, as they're co-developed by young people and local decision-makers.
  • ... enhances the legitimacy and responsiveness of policies, as they reflect diverse needs and lived experiences.
  • ... demonstrates a visible commitment to involving young residents in shaping their communities, positioning our city as a leader in participatory governance.
  • ... moves beyond tokenistic consultation: Young people are treated as partners, not as subjects of research or passive recipients of policy.

In short (for quick meetings)

"This project isn't just about youth engagement. It's about transforming how we govern. By co-creating solutions with young people and city leaders, we can develop smarter, more inclusive, and more sustainable policies that reflect real needs. It's a low-risk, high-impact investment in our city's future, both socially and politically."

Local partners and youth organizations ​

Local partners and youth organizations are key in helping your project connect with the community and bringing on board (non-city) stakeholders who care about youth voice and youth engagement. They can help identify participants, involve young people in the various engagement opportunities your 'Co-Creating Our City' project offers, and bring your project findings back to young people in the community.

Depending on your local context, local partners can refer to any of a broad range of community-based groups who involve and work with young people, for example:

  • sports or cultural associations
  • neighborhood initiatives
  • environmental and nature conservation associations
  • migrant and refugee self and support organizations
  • youth organizations of aid agencies
  • humanitarian and human rights organizations
  • libraries
  • faith-based groups
  • scouts

Civic institutions that work with or advocate for young people or specific communities of young people can also be important partners, for example:

  • youth centers
  • youth or student councils
  • youth services
  • boys' and girls' clubs
  • school district youth advisory boards
  • afterschool programs
  • other school-based initiatives

Local partners and youth organizations often have trusted relationships with young people and communities that may be underrepresented in city decision-making processes, making them vital connectors and advocates throughout the co-creation process.

They can help identify and recruit young participants, for example, by nominating young people to the team of co-researchers or by distributing information and encouraging sign-ups. They are also crucial partners in the dissemination of findings from your project to the wider community of young people and residents in the city. By involving them early on, you can win their support, hear about their priorities and ideas, and bring in their support.