Neighborhood safety is an issue currently affecting all young people in Boston. By showing youth how design solutions can build safer neighborhoods, they are empowered to positively affect their community. Design introduces them to new ways of seeing their neighborhoods and their world, and can also help them develop an interest in becoming future designers, planners, builders, or community leaders.

The day-long Summit drew 30 youth, plus volunteers and community supporters, for a series of exercises relating to local safety “hot spots” in the Blue Hill Avenue, Franklin Field, and Upham’s Corner areas of Dorchester and Roxbury. Student and volunteer teams first analyzed the sites, and then designed and modeled suggested interventions that ranged from street furniture and lighting to major expansion of community facilities. Local design-related youth organizations and community leaders also spoke at intervals throughout the day.

As a follow-up to the summit, CDRC-Boston is working with youth and local community organizations to create a design-build project that implements ideas generated during the design exercise. A second Youth Community Design Summit is planned for spring 2010.

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