A creative project exploring how we shape the places where we live.
Canny Planners encourages young people to think about their local area and the decisions that shape it.
Through drama activities, pupils explore different ideas for their community, considering what they would keep, change or get rid of. Along the way, they’ll discover that there are often many different opinions about the same place and that everyone’s voice matters.
Whether reimagining a local landmark or responding to a fictional planning proposal, students are encouraged to ask questions, listen to different perspectives and work together to imagine the future of their neighbourhood.
There isn’t always a right answer when it comes to planning a town or city. Canny Planners invites young people to step into different roles, weigh up competing ideas and make decisions about the places around them. Through discussion and teamwork, they develop communication skills and an understanding of how communities can shape the future.
The project has recently been refreshed, encouraging children to think about their own local area and the places that matter most to them.
Canny Planners has been developed in partnership with the Farrell Centre and Newcastle University.
The project has formed part of the Farrell Centre’s outreach work, including Concretopias, which explores how young people’s experience and understanding of the city is shaped by the developments of the 1960s and 1970s.
The Team
Facilitated by
Brad McCormick and Jeannie May Adam
Produced by
Katy Vanden
Created in partnership with
The Farrell Centre
Andrew Wood, Newcastle University
