News
Seminar Empowering the Neighborhood
20-07-2011
The neighborhood approach is changing. Interventions need to be cost-effective because we have to achieve more with fewer resources. Out of necessity to combine knowledge, experience and stakeholders, the HvA organized the seminar Power in the Neighborhood. The seminar is developed in collaboration with the Academy of the City, the Studio Urban Renewal \ HvA, BOOT and the Field Academy.
The subject of this seminar was innovation in aspect of methodology, instrumentation and collaboration applied in neighbourhood development. What are we doing? How do we do that? With whom are we doing that? And what are the results? The purpose of the seminar was to inspire each other trough knowledge exchange and sharing experiences. Strengthening the relationships between education, research, policy and practice was subject to discussion during the afternoon program. Several politicians including Mr. Koppejan (CDA) and Mr. Koolmees (D66) participated in this debate as panel members. Mr. Koppejan has adopted the neighborhood Bijlmermeer in Amsterdam and Mr. Koolmees adopted the neighborhood Bergpolder in Rotterdam.
In review of the seminar, it can be said that educational institutions and students are of great importance in neighborhood development processes. Students fulfill an important role as they are a good link between inhabitants and professionals. Moreover they are inventive and can contribute to continuity in the development processes. Next to that, a big advantage for educational institutions is the opportunity to test new methodologies in the field, after which they can be adopted by other partners involved in the neighborhood.
