<p><p>Lehtikunnas, Katri Johanna (2009). <em>Pelotas</em><em> as seen through the eyes of its street children. An empirical investigation of the child-friendliness of a midsize Brazilian city.</em> Human Geography, advanced level, master thesis for master exam in Human Geography, 30 ECTS credits.</p><p>Supervisor: Maria Nordström</p><p>Language: English</p><p> </p><p>The aim of this study was to understand the lives of the street children in Pelotas in Southern Brazil. Utilizing multi-method approach I have outlined normal days of these children. Observation, semi-structure interviews individually and in focus groups and walking tours with twelve street children provided vast knowledge about the geographies of their activities and locational choices. This study illustrates the picture the street children have of their city. The conceptual framework of this study is based on the concepts of child-friendly cities and attachment to place. The results analyzed by using these concepts reveal the extremely challenging situation of street children in the margin of society. Settings for a good and balanced life may be there, but actualization of those settings is trivial. Abuse, violence, drugs, discrimination and misunderstanding frame their everyday life. Possibilities to live a normal life are minimal. In this light child-friendliness of Pelotas is evaluated. Based on the results, I claim that these concepts cannot be directly applied to street children. To be able to improve the livelihoods of these children a key tool is cooperation with them. The projects need to be designed and planned <em>with</em> them, not <em>for</em> them. Collaboration between the children and the mainstream society is needed to get sustainable results.</p></p>

Lehtikunnas, Katri Johanna (2009). Pelotas as seen through the eyes of its street children. An empirical investigation of the child-friendliness of a midsize Brazilian city. Human Geography, advanced level, master thesis for master exam in Human Geography, 30 ECTS credits. Supervisor: Maria Nordström Language: English   The aim of this study was to understand the lives of the street children in Pelotas in Southern Brazil. Utilizing multi-method approach I have outlined normal days of these children. Observation, semi-structure interviews individually and in focus groups and walking tours with twelve street children provided vast knowledge about the geographies of their activities and locational choices. This study illustrates the picture the street children have of their city. The conceptual framework of this study is based on the concepts of child-friendly cities and attachment to place. The results analyzed by using these concepts reveal the extremely challenging situation of street children in the margin of society. Settings for a good and balanced life may be there, but actualization of those settings is trivial. Abuse, violence, drugs, discrimination and misunderstanding frame their everyday life. Possibilities to live a normal life are minimal. In this light child-friendliness of Pelotas is evaluated. Based on the results, I claim that these concepts cannot be directly applied to street children. To be able to improve the livelihoods of these children a key tool is cooperation with them. The projects need to be designed and planned with them, not for them. Collaboration between the children and the mainstream society is needed to get sustainable results.

Most parents aspire to raise children who are independent, healthy and productive members of society. In this pursuit, parents struggle to balance freedom and safety. Current theory and research suggests that North American society has gone too far in the quest for safety and control, shielding children from necessary experiences. While confined in backyards and schools and spending increasing amounts of time in front of televisions and computers, children fail to build connections with the natural world and the wider community. In 1991, Canada ratified the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child. This convention grants children specific rights, ranging from the right to clean water to the right to be heard on issues that affect them. While Canadian children fare well on many of the requirements, they are rarely consulted on decisions that affect their well-being. Public spaces, beyond schools and playgrounds, are not designed for or with children. Children’s free time is restricted, and outdoor play takes place within confined areas. Children have limited access to natural areas, and are trained to fear and avoid these spaces. These trends are disturbing from physical, social and mental health perspectives, as well as that of long-term environmental sustainability. The UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) program, Child Friendly Cities, offers guidelines for improving the way children are addressed at the municipal level. This research uses the City of Waterloo, Ontario, as a case study to document these issues and offer possible solutions. The research was designed to answer the following questions: “How do urban children perceive and interact with their communities?” “What is the relationship between children and the natural environment within urban settings?” “To what extent are children consulted or considered in community planning and decision-making?” and “Can the Child Friendly City model be used to re-connect children with the natural environment?” Fifty-four elementary school students were interviewed, asked to draw pictures of their neighbourhoods and to rate a series of local images. Results were combined with teacher and city official interviews, as well as analyses of strategy and policy documents. This study identifies ways in which Waterloo can help children connect with the natural world and become more active members of their communities. Overall, the research indicated that there are three main areas of concern: the child-nature interaction, the nature-community interaction and the child-community interaction. First, the child-nature interaction could be nurtured through improved access to nature. Children’s access to and use of nature in Waterloo is limited. Only 58.53% of students included a green element in neighbourhood drawings. Many children fear or are banned from natural green spaces. Outdoor education is decreasing, with some teachers avoiding field trips entirely. According to government procedures, children are not considered stakeholders of natural green spaces. Second, the nature-community interaction would improve with more consistent conservation and restoration efforts. While some city policies promote the acquisition and conservation or restoration of urban natural areas, others conflict with their intentions. Rapid development has led to a loss of opportunities for green space development. Third, the child-community interaction can be promoted by involving children in decision-making processes. There are no venues for children to participate in government. While older youth may participate in the Youth Recreation Council, there are no opportunities for younger children. Outreach is limited. Attention to these three main interactions would help the City of Waterloo become more child-, nature- and community- friendly. The UNICEF Child Friendly City program describes a set of goals and a framework that would support these interactions.

Most parents aspire to raise children who are independent, healthy and productive members of society. In this pursuit, parents struggle to balance freedom and safety. Current theory and research suggests that North American society has gone too far in the quest for safety and control, shielding children from necessary experiences. While confined in backyards and schools and spending increasing amounts of time in front of televisions and computers, children fail to build connections with the natural world and the wider community. In 1991, Canada ratified the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child. This convention grants children specific rights, ranging from the right to clean water to the right to be heard on issues that affect them. While Canadian children fare well on many of the requirements, they are rarely consulted on decisions that affect their well-being. Public spaces, beyond schools and playgrounds, are not designed for or with children. Children’s free time is restricted, and outdoor play takes place within confined areas. Children have limited access to natural areas, and are trained to fear and avoid these spaces. These trends are disturbing from physical, social and mental health perspectives, as well as that of long-term environmental sustainability. The UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) program, Child Friendly Cities, offers guidelines for improving the way children are addressed at the municipal level. This research uses the City of Waterloo, Ontario, as a case study to document these issues and offer possible solutions. The research was designed to answer the following questions: “How do urban children perceive and interact with their communities?” “What is the relationship between children and the natural environment within urban settings?” “To what extent are children consulted or considered in community planning and decision-making?” and “Can the Child Friendly City model be used to re-connect children with the natural environment?” Fifty-four elementary school students were interviewed, asked to draw pictures of their neighbourhoods and to rate a series of local images. Results were combined with teacher and city official interviews, as well as analyses of strategy and policy documents. This study identifies ways in which Waterloo can help children connect with the natural world and become more active members of their communities. Overall, the research indicated that there are three main areas of concern: the child-nature interaction, the nature-community interaction and the child-community interaction. First, the child-nature interaction could be nurtured through improved access to nature. Children’s access to and use of nature in Waterloo is limited. Only 58.53% of students included a green element in neighbourhood drawings. Many children fear or are banned from natural green spaces. Outdoor education is decreasing, with some teachers avoiding field trips entirely. According to government procedures, children are not considered stakeholders of natural green spaces. Second, the nature-community interaction would improve with more consistent conservation and restoration efforts. While some city policies promote the acquisition and conservation or restoration of urban natural areas, others conflict with their intentions. Rapid development has led to a loss of opportunities for green space development. Third, the child-community interaction can be promoted by involving children in decision-making processes. There are no venues for children to participate in government. While older youth may participate in the Youth Recreation Council, there are no opportunities for younger children. Outreach is limited. Attention to these three main interactions would help the City of Waterloo become more child-, nature- and community- friendly. The UNICEF Child Friendly City program describes a set of goals and a framework that would support these interactions.

In this student presentation, the focus is on resilience in cross cultural contexts as experienced by foster and adoptive families. The topic is explored from the point of view of the child primarily, and the parents welcoming that child into their family system secondarily; it is a bidirectional interaction. By reviewing literature on childhood turbulence, blogs written by foster/adoptive parents, and considering personal experiences, several distinct challenges stood out. Resilience is strengthened by mutual support to handle challenges constructively. The entire system can collaborate to facilitate and maintain resilience from a family systems perspective. A children’s book was written to illustrate a family’s transitional process in foster care/adoption. Stemming from unique personal perspectives on cross-cultural fostering/adoption, paralleled with a desire to make this information child friendly, this short story was told from the viewpoint of a young child learning to manage expectations and challenges while gaining a new sibling through adoption.

Although Canada has observed a drastic decrease in the use of secure custody for justice-involved children since the introduction of the Youth Criminal Justice Act (2002), thousands of children are still imprisoned each year. Children in these carceral spaces tend to be the unwanted children of children's rights movements, and, as such, their rights-related experiences are often left unexamined (Abramson, 2006). To this end, by drawing on interview-based accounts and an examination of related policies and training curriculum, this thesis focuses on children's rights awareness, rights-informed practices and child-friendly justice in one provincial secure custody facility in Canada by centring the experiences of eight imprisoned children within a broader context provided by seven facility staff and two members of the provincial Office of the Child and Youth Advocate. Further, conceptualizing the secure custody facility as a porous institution (Ellis, 2021) illuminates the carceral space's dissonance between acknowledging the unique status of children (Hollingsworth, 2008) and working within a system designed for the adult prisoner. The findings indicate that imprisoned children are not made aware of the rights granted to them in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) upon admission to secure custody, nor do children's rights inform decision-making at this facility. However, promisingly, the findings do demonstrate the potential to move towards a child-friendly justice space predicated upon children's rights. Building upon this potentiality, this thesis contributes to the theoretical understanding of children's rights awareness in carceral spaces while also identifying a path toward the integration of children's rights aspects and practices.

The impact that urban green spaces in urban environments have on the sustainability and quality of life of the residents is phenomenal (Atiqul & Shah, 2011:601; UrbSpace, 2010; Levent et al, 2004:1). The local reality in South Africa confirms that green spaces in urban environments are decreasing because of growing populations and increasing urbanization (Statistics South Africa, 2013:2). This study aims to investigate the planning of and provision for green spaces in the urban environment, along with the benefits that such spaces can provide to communities by focusing on the aspect of child-friendliness. The planning of child-friendly spaces is no new phenomena in the international context, but however, limited in local context. This research aims to investigate the concept of child-friendly spaces, along with theoretical aspects and international best practices, in order to be able to evaluate the current South African approach (and legislative support) of the planning of such spaces within urban green spaces. This study evaluated the planning and implementation of child-friendly spaces in the urban environment of the city of Durban, Republic of South Africa. It is based on the theoretical background investigating concepts such as open spaces, green spaces and child-friendly spaces. The importance of planning for green spaces and as such, child-friendly green spaces were also elaborated on. Two international case studies were identified as best-practice cases and included in this research, namely Mullerpier child-friendly public playground in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Kadidjiny Park in Melville, Australia. The aim was to determine how these child-friendly spaces were planned and developed and to identify tools that were used to accomplish the goal of providing successful child-friendly green spaces. Planning approaches of the two international case studies illustrated the need and importance of planning for such spaces and how it should be implemented to ensure sustainability of the child-friendly space itself and the surrounding area. The policies and frameworks which influence the study area in Essenwood, Durban, were identified and analysed in order to establish whether or not the planning and development of child-friendly spaces is supported within the chosen area. This research concluded that child-friendly green spaces have a positive impact on the urban environment, caters for children’s needs and assist in their development and interaction with the natural environment. The need for these spaces is of utmost importance and the proposed implementation and improvement of child-friendly green spaces should be supported by way of specific policies and legislation, in order to ensure the success and sustainability of these spaces. Examples of international case studies were used to identify best practical examples, in order to formulate recommendations to improve the planning and development of child-friendly spaces in South Africa. Local gaps were identified in the current approach to planning of these child-friendly green spaces in South Africa. / MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional planning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The impact that urban green spaces in urban environments have on the sustainability and quality of life of the residents is phenomenal (Atiqul & Shah, 2011:601; UrbSpace, 2010; Levent et al, 2004:1). The local reality in South Africa confirms that green spaces in urban environments are decreasing because of growing populations and increasing urbanization (Statistics South Africa, 2013:2). This study aims to investigate the planning of and provision for green spaces in the urban environment, along with the benefits that such spaces can provide to communities by focusing on the aspect of child-friendliness. The planning of child-friendly spaces is no new phenomena in the international context, but however, limited in local context. This research aims to investigate the concept of child-friendly spaces, along with theoretical aspects and international best practices, in order to be able to evaluate the current South African approach (and legislative support) of the planning of such spaces within urban green spaces. This study evaluated the planning and implementation of child-friendly spaces in the urban environment of the city of Durban, Republic of South Africa. It is based on the theoretical background investigating concepts such as open spaces, green spaces and child-friendly spaces. The importance of planning for green spaces and as such, child-friendly green spaces were also elaborated on. Two international case studies were identified as best-practice cases and included in this research, namely Mullerpier child-friendly public playground in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Kadidjiny Park in Melville, Australia. The aim was to determine how these child-friendly spaces were planned and developed and to identify tools that were used to accomplish the goal of providing successful child-friendly green spaces. Planning approaches of the two international case studies illustrated the need and importance of planning for such spaces and how it should be implemented to ensure sustainability of the child-friendly space itself and the surrounding area. The policies and frameworks which influence the study area in Essenwood, Durban, were identified and analysed in order to establish whether or not the planning and development of child-friendly spaces is supported within the chosen area. This research concluded that child-friendly green spaces have a positive impact on the urban environment, caters for children’s needs and assist in their development and interaction with the natural environment. The need for these spaces is of utmost importance and the proposed implementation and improvement of child-friendly green spaces should be supported by way of specific policies and legislation, in order to ensure the success and sustainability of these spaces. Examples of international case studies were used to identify best practical examples, in order to formulate recommendations to improve the planning and development of child-friendly spaces in South Africa. Local gaps were identified in the current approach to planning of these child-friendly green spaces in South Africa. / MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional planning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Despite the slowdown of Taiwan's economy growth rate, statistic data shown that Taiwanese spendings on tourism (both domestic and outbound travel) are increasing in past 5 years. Furthermore, many tourism industry reports stated that family travel makes up the largest segment of leisure travel industry. These reports also highlighted one key message: the market segment is looking for valued, memorable vacations, with itinerary or activities that suitable for both adults and kids. The purpose of this business plan is to evaluate the feasibility and profitability of offering travel and event services for family with young children (0-12 years old) and for multi-generation family tour. A market analysis for customers, partners and competitors is also included to justify this business plan.

While American cities are growing in size and population, they are losing one important group of people: children. Young people are essential to the vitality and social fabric of cities, yet cities are becoming increasingly unfriendly to young people and their families. Housing in cities is expensive, streets are devoted more to vehicles than pedestrians or bikes, and recreational space is not frequently convenient or adequate for the needs of children. While working to address any one of these needs would create greater equality for children, this report examines the impact of green recreational space for children. Adding green space to a city not only provides children with opportunities to play, which is vital to social, physical, and emotional development, but it also creates healthier communities with lower levels of crime and higher levels of community engagement. Creating spaces that are child-friendly and cherished by the community is not difficult, and can be achieved through deliberate planning and engagement with children. Due to recent downtown development initiatives, Austin has a unique opportunity to create green places for the community where children can play freely downtown. / text