Enhancing citizen science with youth

About the project

Engaging youth in citizen science through advanced yet age-appropriate technologies not only enhances their understanding of tools and platforms but also empowers them to become active contributors to data collection. By embracing co-creation, we ensure their voices are heard, fostering creativity and ownership in designing spaces that reflect their needs while promoting ecological and social well-being.

Prior to the summer Map4Rec campaign in 2023, Rangers Twente from Almelo

took part in three newly developed activities:

1. introduction to programming and using sensors (SenseBox),

2. co-creation of data collection protocols, and project activities as a whole,

3. design thinking micro-module to support the design of an ecologically healthy and inclusive place for recreation

Project Goals

  • design and test age-appropriate project co-creation techniques, thus increasing the sense of project ownership among participants
  • develop and test age-appropriate micro-modules on geospatial technology and design thinking, thus enhancing participants’ digital and green competencies 

Current Outputs

The main methodological insights gained from these novel activities (based on focus groups and participant observation) were analyzed and embedded into the final design of corresponding activities within the Map4Rec project, leading to their successful implementation. The three activities rated highly in the ex-post survey and focus groups among Map4Rec participants, and contributed to the high feeling of project ownership. For example, the project co-creation with teams resulted in a joint trip to one of the national parks, since the teams were eager to get to know each other. Participants also shared an increased interest in digital and green competences — through sensor programming and through the inclusion of nature as a key stakeholder in the place design project, respectively.

At first, I thought it was some summer camp for smaller kids...but once we started doing things, like when we had to seal up the sample probe quickly, it got very, very serious...I also felt that we were doing something useful...And the certificates that we have received might help us to get accepted to study ecology in the future, if we would like to.

“Water Rangers” (2022) project participant