“Tópio: Creative Placemaking for Young Community Leaders” is a program that empowers and trains high-school students to become the catalysts for change in their own neighborhood.

Our vision is to re-imagine the school as an open platform of discussion and interaction for the whole neighborhood, where students will lead the transformation both inside and outside the school doors. The goal is to familiarize youngsters with caring for their neighborhood community and public space by initiating cultural and other activities first inside their school building and yard, then inviting the neighborhood inside the school, and eventually empowering them to go out to the neighborhood. This activation happens by planting the seed of active citizenship into the students and prompting them to use the school as the platform and physical infrastructure of urban change on a neighborhood level, as well as the incubator that will allow their vision and aspiration to grow into a movement of participation.

The goal: a city-wide network of platforms of urban change on a neighborhood level where students and youth are the community leaders.

More info soon to follow!