Planning for Real

Planning for Real is a citizen participation method to determine risk aspects in a cultural context for security-related urban planning. Planning for Real is an activating and community-focused approach.

The aim is to lessen difficulties in communicating between individuals affected in different ways, to bring out latent potential, resources and deficits as well as to create an atmosphere of cooperative action among neighbours, experts, and local interest groups.

Process description
Planning for Real is a multiple step process in the following order:
 * Setting up working groups, priorities and schedules, and campaign plans using several steps of communication and participation;
 * Activating engagement and planning responsibility for the used and inhabited surroundings;
 * Pooling suggestions.

How does it support in planning of secure public spaces?
The method is useful for:
 * Encouraging ordinary citizens to get involved in structuring their surroundings or their workplace;
 * Minimizing obstacles to (risk) communication;
 * Optimizing risk communication;
 * Tapping existing local resources;
 * Identifying and solving risk aspects through common planning;
 * Identifying cultural views and perception of (in)security and risks.

Links and further reading

 * Participation & Sustainable Development in Europe. Retrieved from: http://www.partizipation.at/planning-real.html [last access: 2012-08-18].
 * Planning for Real®: Supporting communities to bring about change and shape their neighbourhoods. Retrieved from: http://www.planningforreal.org.uk/ [last access: 2012-08-16].