Having Our Say: Children’s Voices in Housing Estate Regeneration

Dr Cathal O’Connell, PIDr Siobhan O’Sullivan, Researcher

Dr Lorcan Byrne, Research Assistant School of Applied Social Studies, UCC

Children and Estate Regeneration

1. What are the views of children and young people on the regeneration of their estate?

2. Are they heard?3. What are the implications for policy and

practice?

Research ApproachChildren’s Rights:• Informed by children’s rights discourse & UNCRC Article 12: Children have the right

to express their views on matters affecting them. • Importance of children’s voice, agency and participation in everyday life especially

relating to their lived and built environment.

Regeneration: • ‘a comprehensive and integrated vision and action which leads to the resolution of

urban problems and which seeks to bring about a lasting improvement in the economic, physical, social and environmental condition of an area that has been subject to change’ (Robert and Sykes, 2000: 18).

Children and Regeneration:• Housing estate regeneration can affect children’s lives in terms of their living

conditions and environmental surroundings, and their sense of safety, belonging, place, identity and community.

• However, children’s voices are seldom heard in regeneration programmes in Ireland.

Case Study of Knocknaheeny estate, Cork City• Largest social housing estate in Cork City

located three miles northwest of city centre.

• 60% of households rent from the local authority

• High proportion of children and young people: 41.6% of the population under 25 years.

• Area characterised by low income households, long term unemployment and welfare as primary source of household income, high levels of lone parenthood, lower levels of educational attainment compared to city and lower rate of tenant purchase.

• Estate built mid-1970s, evidence of deteriorating build quality and urban design.

• Subject to major Cork City Council Regeneration Programme 2012-2022.

Cork City Centre

Research Issues• Legitimacy :

– Challenge faced was to establish legitimacy of the research.– Building relationships was a time consuming and sensitive process. – Degree of research fatigue in the community.

• ‘Gatekeepers’ and access:– Key actors such as youth workers, training centre managers, school

teachers and principals facilitated access to the children and young people. – Some groups were not accessed, such as Traveller children living in the

area. (

• Research / data gathering process:– Key workers present because of their familiarity with the young people.

This enhanced the responses from the participants.

Methodology• Followed best practice re: informed

consent, police vetting of research team, recording and anonymity of participants

• Multiple methods to ascertain children and young people views and experiences of regeneration.

• Range of qualitative and creative methodologies:– focus group activities and discussions, – rap, – photography and art.

• Ten focus groups involving 78 children and young people aged 6-19 years, held over the Spring and Summer of 2013.

Focus Group Activity:

THE WHEEL(Devised by Siobhan O’Sullivan)

PHOTOVOICE

RAP• Local rap artist GMC commissioned

to work with two groups to compose and record their regeneration raps.

• Used the Wheel activity to generate ideas.

• Work-shopped over 3 days in studio from ideas to lyrics.

• Intensive, creative and performative process.

• https://soundcloud.com/gmcworkshops/sets/knocknaheeny-regeneration-ucc

The creation of this regeneration is makingA new Knocka nation. We’re patiently waitingFor the restoration of our communityWe can change what others have to say and have to see.But what do ya see when you look at meA young teen or a feen from Knocknaheeny?Our place it’s known as a disgracePeople haven’t took the time to see our real face.As youths we need to be seen and heardOur questions we need to be answered and not ignored.So what you gonna to improve Knocknaheeny?Have you a magic wand or are you just a genie

We’re the future of Cork, the new generationOur voices lost in the talk of regeneration.We wanna be heard and we wanna be knownAs the children who made a difference on our home.

Listen to what we have to sayWe’re the future we’re here to stay.So deal with it,Just deal with it.

We know that there’s issues that need to be dealt with.But your masterplan never asked us SHHHH!It doesn’t matter though about what we think.Why’s it always the youth are the missing link?

FindingsAwareness of regeneration• Mixed levels of awareness among

children and young people of the regeneration programme.

• Existing knowledge based on family, friends, visual impact.

• No direct communication between local authority and young people nor on-going communication with schools, projects, clubs etc.

• Resident information sessions directed at adults (presentation of final masterplan no involvement at design stage).

Impacts of regenerationPositive:• visual improvement and renewal of the area• quieter neighbourhoods for some who have

been relocated• bigger and better quality housing and

facilities

Negative:• noise and disruption from the demolition

and building works• losing their homes due to demolition, • relocation of families and friends to

addresses outside of the estate, • impact on their social networks, friendships,

and family connections.

Findings

FindingsWhat Children and Young People Want from Regeneration• Enhancing community and personal safety through:

– more effective community policing and housing management, addressing problems such as:• anti-social behaviour and disruptive tenants, • public drinking,• drug dealing,• violence and intimidation.

• Improving existing amenities and the local environment through:– new and better quality houses,– providing effective refuse collection and litter removal,– maintaining green areas and open spaces, – improving recreation, sports and leisure amenities,– considering the impact on young people when lanes are closed in response to resident

petitions, – managing through-traffic and road safety,– providing new amenities to reflect their current interests, – improving bus services to the area and connectivity with the wider city.

• Providing educational and employment opportunities through: – training, apprenticeships and employment in the regeneration

programme, – promoting commercial and retail investment in the local economy.

Children and Young People’s Involvement in Regeneration• Children and young people want to be viewed in a

positive rather than negative manner by the community and service providers.

• All of the participants want to be involved in the decision-making around regeneration.

• The older groups are more cynical about having an influence and are critical of the omission of children and young people’s voices.

• They would like information in age appropriate format, meetings with officials and planners, and regular updates specifically for children and young people.

Findings

Recommendations• Cork City Council has committed to adopting consultation methods developed in this

research in the implementation of the regeneration masterplan

• Government Regeneration Funding and Guidelines: • In advance of applying for regeneration funding to central government, local authorities and social

landlords should be obliged to establish young person consultative panels. • Government guidelines on regeneration should include an explicit requirement for local

authorities to include children and young people in the implementation stage of regeneration programmes.

• Estate Management:

• Tenant consultation and involvement mechanisms should be broadened to include children and young people.

• Capacity Building: • Develop a toolkit for local authorities, social landlords and service providers, to form an element

of a wider education/training programme regarding children and young people’s rights and involvement in public administration.

• Information should be developed in an appropriate form for dissemination to children and young people in consultation with schools, youth groups, youth workers and others who work with young people.

Final Conclusions• In a major area of social housing policy in Ireland, the voices of children

and young people largely go unheard.

• This is not because they have no voice or do not have opinions but is because effective consultation and participation mechanisms have not been devised in this key area of Irish policy.

• Not hearing and acting on their views potentially renders regeneration incomplete and ineffective.

• Children and young people have an irrefutable right to express their views freely in all matters affecting them as stated in the UNCRC.

• This right must infuse all aspects of state activity, public administration and social policy in Ireland from central to local levels.