BITU - Bridging Inclusive Temporary Use - is an innovative strategic partnership focussed on improving the engagement of young people and communities within their respective municipalities and beyond them by using inclusive temporary use practices. Priorities and topics addressed in BITU is social inclusion, civic and social engagement and participation of young people and communities living in cities. Project supports to bridge the gap between youth and municipalities through inclusive temporary use and with support of local communities and organisations. BITU brings together four partners from Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Latvia. Each partner uses social and inclusive temporary use practices and methodologies and are experts in fields as temporary use, re-development of urban spaces, engagement of local youth, creating sustainable partnerships with municipalities, training and educating youth through non-formal education, working with and on social inclusion, and supporting disadvantaged youth. The objectives of BITU are: + Improve the methodology for reaching youth in local neighbourhoods + Create quality learning opportunities for youth community leaders and community organisations + Create and improve tools, guidelines, learning materials, practice examples on inclusive temporary use + Create and improve guidelines and practice examples on using inclusive temporary use for bridging the gap between municipalities, it's communities and youth + Disseminate project results inside and outside of the project partnership during and after the lifetime of the project + To ensure that evaluation on personal and organisational level happens during the whole project + To create a sustainable partnership and cooperation of all parties (partners, associated partners, municipalities, communities) The project uses a blend between process-procedure, prototyping and temporary use methodologies; and to reach the objectives and support the creation of project results following activities are planned: 4 transnational meetings (8 persons/meeting) , creation of 4 Intellectual Outputs focused on inclusive temporary use for youth engagement, two training activities (40 persons) for increased learning opportunities of participants, 4 field visits (64 persons) in all partner organisations for youth leaders and associated partners and 4 multiplier events in each partner country. For all activities participants are partner organisation staff members, local associated partner staff members, local communities, youth and youth leaders from local communities and local authorities (municipality offices) where local activities take place. The main results of the project are four intellectual outputs, all will be free licence and available continuously after the project: (1) a questionnaire together with a printed newspaper about inclusive temporary use, community and youth engagement designed to reach the whole community, (2) learning and training materials and an innovative training module on inclusive temporary use for youth leaders and organisations, (3) starter-kit including tools, guidelines, practice examples for opening up new temporary use spaces and redevelopment areas, (4) learning and training materials on creating sustainable partnerships with local authorities (municipalities) within inclusive temporary use context. Expected impact on participants focuses on their development thought non-formal and experiential learning within inclusive temporary use context, and includes valuing volunteering, enhanced critical thinking and media literacy, enhanced participation of young people in their local communities, strengthened young people sense of initiative, developed stronger, more aware, confident and open personalities, improved ability to cooperate and communicate effectively with communities, organisations and local authorities. Expected impact on partners and all stakeholders: improved practice on how to use BITU methodology for social inclusion and youth engagement and participation through democratic values; implementation of BITU practices for cultural, social, learning and public activities; strengthened existing partnerships and created strong new partnerships with associated partner organisations and municipalities on local and international level. Specifically for municipalities, added value is on acquiring new ways on how to engage their youth and communities in general and for urban redevelopment activities, and know-how on using inclusive temporary use for bridging the gap between youth and municipalities. Our long term desired impact and benefits - our communities become stronger, more agile, more aware and take more actions to take ownership of their cities and local areas they live in. Youth together with their communities and municipalities lead the development of their cities and their city redesign strategies towards the actual needs of communities.
Through the BITU project we wanted to create moments (travels) and tools (IO’s) to improve the engagement of young people and their communities within their respective municipalities and beyond them by using temporary use practices! In other words, we wanted to spread the practice of temporary use of buildings as we believe that it allows multiple group of citizens to organize themselves and be heard! By creating the IO's and exchanges between organisations, we wanted not only to invite new people to explore temporary use, but also strengthen the already working people of this field and train new professionals who, after this project had the skillset and knowledge to take part in core teams of the participant projects.
We applied for the KA205 as we came to notice how a tool such as temporary use of building has a significant impact on bridging the gap existing between municipalities, communities, organizations within a community and experts relevant to urban redevelopment. The need for new ways to place those various groups to talk together. Those exchanges allowed us, citizens, to co-create the cities we live in. Cities are being taken by profit- making enterprises, some communities are not seen and heard. There is a need for creating space where communities can meet and organize themselves We also believe that we have strengthened and expanded temporary use network.We think that groups need to exchange in order to improved ways on engaging and motivating young people on local level in long-term. This project has been crucial also for development of professionals of the field of temporary use. Exchanges to project with different practices, communication with more experienced colleagues and experts has strengthened the skills of the teams of each participant organization. Through collaborating with municipalities, we have strengthened temporary use as a possible and effective urban planning tool also in bureaucratic and governing institutions