Co-design and collaboration
Our integrated design and planning and international development specialists hosted two workshops at the Arup Sydney office, involving young women, the Free to Be team and participants from government, academia, the private and not-for-profit sectors.
After the first workshop, the tool was improved by enhancing the type and depth of information collected, and the method by which it was done. Following the Sydney Free to Be campaign, we co-designed and facilitated a second ‘Interventions Workshop’ with Plan International. Bringing together the same participants, we explored ways in which the new insights and findings could inform improved policies and practices.
With the lived experiences of young women and girls not often discussed in urban planning, design or policy, this workshop marked an important shift, placing the perspectives of young women firmly at the centre.
What’s next?
We continue to liaise with participants from the workshops, particularly the government agencies, on possible actions they could take across Sydney to improve the experiences of young women.
The full Sydney report includes the findings of the data and key themes including: time of day, demographics, mobility, drug and alcohol-fuelled incidents, abuse and harassment, reporting, bystander intervention, infrastructure and services, consequences and the elements that contribute to a safe or unsafe place.