奥丑别苍鈥�(GUB) began in 2009, its goal was to empower鈥痽oung people 
to influence the local issues which affected their lives. For the past 12 years the program was听a part of听精品SM在线影片's鈥�Community Engagement, Design and Research鈥� (CEDaR) Center. Now one of the most鈥痵uccessful child-friendly city initiatives in the world, it's听being spun off as an independent听nonprofit under the fiscal sponsorship of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center.
鈥淕rowing Up Boulder鈥痺ill continue its deep partnership with 精品SM在线影片 as it evolves during its next phase,"听said听鈥�Mara Mintzer, GUB's director. "It 鈥痝rew from鈥痑 strong foundation in academia, and the鈥� students and faculty have been key to its success."听
The听relationship between听CEDaR听and GUB is a model for how the听university听can develop, nurture and then spin off听nonprofit听activities, says听Brian Muller, associate professor and听CEDaR听director.
鈥淕rowing Up Boulder began听as a service-based听research project and evolved into a program that is now more deeply embedded in the community than the university,"听Muller says.听鈥淚t听will continue as a听CEDaR听affiliate with more听flexibility to听raise money and cultivate听new听relationships听to expand听its programs. Spinning it off strengthens GUB and benefits听all its听partners."
Over the years GUB听grew to become听one of the most鈥痵uccessful child-friendly city initiatives in the world.听Some of GUB's鈥痩argest successes include Mintzer's鈥� 2018 TED Talk 鈥�," viewed 2.3 million times and听translated into 21 languages;鈥� GUB鈥檚 鈥渃hild-friendly city map project,鈥� which brought together more than 30鈥痮rganizations and 700 young people to create the nation鈥檚 first听printed, bilingual map designed by kids for kids; and the award-winning book, "Placemaking With Children and Youth: Participatory Practices for Planning Sustainable Communities," co-authored by GUB founders and faculty.鈥�
University roots
In December听2008 Growing Up Boulder听was听conceived听by David Driskell, director of community planning and sustainability for the city of Boulder,听and Willem van Vliet, CU听Boulder听professor (emeritus) and听CEDaR听fellow, as an effort听to make Boulder one of the nation鈥檚 first child-friendly cities, recognizing鈥痶he rights and interests of children in local policy, law, programs and budgets as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.听Louise Chawla,听CU听Boulder professor (emerita)听and听CEDaR听fellow, was also听formative in听GUB鈥檚听development.听
GUB听formally听launched听in the spring of 2009 through an MOU鈥痓etween CU鈥疊oulder, the city of Boulder鈥痑nd the Boulder Valley School District, working in partnership with local nonprofits, businesses, and many participating children and youth.听鈥疘ts听overall goal was to bring about a culture change so that youth participation in local affairs would no longer be extraordinary, but mainstream and routine.鈥疓UB鈥痗reated鈥痯rogramming that听helped听local youth provide critical input on matters of city planning, education, sustainability, social justice and human rights. It supported a new generation of civic leaders, who tangibly improve their communities by sharing recommendations for city and community design and decision-making.听
- Contributed to key city planning guidelines and policies, including seven鈥痬aster plans for open space and mountain parks, resilient cities, and transportation, and more.听
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Engaged more than 6,000听Boulder area kids on more than 100 city and community projects. Many program participants work with GUB for three鈥痬onths or more.听
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Upheld an internal standard to ensure that at least 50 percent听of participating program children and youth are from historically marginalized groups.听
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Worked with more than 60听local and county partners to support hundreds of ideation sessions, after-school enrichments, and community engagement events.听
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Widely cited academic book chapters and journal articles.听
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Keynote addresses at national and international conferences.听
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Local, national, and international media coverage.听
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Training, lectures, and consulting sessions for many global partners, ranging from government staff and elected officials, young people, educators鈥痑nd academics.听
GUB听has been a part of听CEDaR听and housed in听the Program for Environmental Design听for about 12 years, working in the context of an overall听CEDaR听philosophy that focuses听on听partnerships with city governments and community organizations;听participatory action听research;鈥� interdisciplinary collaboration across campus;听integrated research听by undergraduates,听graduate students and听faculty;听and engagement with low-income and minority populations.鈥�
Joint听CEDaR听and GUB initiatives include听the鈥�Hill Redevelopment Project,听a three-year effort to听build engagement among the varied voices in听development policy on the Hill. During this project, GUB worked with听a Flatirons Elementary鈥� fourth-grade class鈥痶o听develop ideas to make the 11th Street Corridor a fun and听safer鈥痯lace for people of all ages.听In another joint听CEDaR听effort to develop听innovative urban听design for manufactured housing听communities,鈥疓UB听engaged鈥痺ith the Ponderosa Mobile Home Park community to听encourage brainstorming with children and parents around the design of听green spaces, playgrounds and safety, as well as听adding new amenities to the park.听 听 听
In addition,听CEDaR provided the GUB partnership with听services鈥痠ncluding听office space and fiscal, computer, human resources听and communications听support; staff oversight; and听management of听joint projects and MOUs.听听
GUB's evolution听into a new听phase will听be celebrated at听a听 on May 4.听听
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