Journey to Change

Our three speakers from the HEU project Re-Value shared three unique stories about their journeys to change, each highlighting a specific challenge, problem, or failure at the beginning of the session. The first parts of the stories can be summarized as follows:

Story 1 (Rijeka, Croatia): Rijeka's waterfront is occupied by ports, shipping, piers, and ex-industrial spaces. We aim to connect inhabitants with this diverse space. The question is: How should we get citizens truly engaged? (An ongoing participation in everyday life)

Story 2 (Pisek, Czech Republic): Innovative processes are always halted because of this repeated excuse "for security reasons!". The vice mayor for digitization was forced to have two phones and two laptops (one for work and one for personal matters! The IT department does not provide any guidelines or policies; the other excuse is saving money. The question is: How can we overcome common excuses that stand in the way of change?

Story 3 (Bruges, Belgium): The city has an exquisite system that brings different departments and developers together once a month in a ‘city atelier’ to discuss development plans in the pilot area of Re-Value. Usually, before the city atelier, constructive remarks and questions from the departments on the plans are already put together and sent to the developers, so they can come well-prepared to the city atelier. Recently, some of the shared remarks were very negative long pieces of advice, which was not the goal. The project coordinator found this out after they were shared with the developers who were angry at this point and no longer wished to be part of the ongoing process. The question is: How do we avoid escalating the mismatched relationship between us (local authority) and developers and how do we get them on board again?

Then, in seven groups, the audience discussed the questions of each story for half an hour and tried to come up with solutions and ideas. We, then, collected the results from the audience for each story for another half an hour. Some of the highlights of the shared solutions are as follows:

Solutions for Story 1 (audience): The discussions from various groups centered on enhancing the waterfront area by incorporating spaces for children and families, promoting cultural and social events, and engaging the community in the development process. Groups emphasized the need for green spaces, better water quality, and noise reduction, while also suggesting campaigns to encourage physical activity and cater to special interest groups like bird watchers and surfers. There were calls for public consultations, stakeholder involvement, and partnerships with universities for design competitions. Additionally, the idea of creating a landmark attraction, multicultural meeting places, and citizen-driven initiatives like voting on projects or special vouchers was proposed to foster community engagement.

Solutions for Story 2 (audience): The discussions highlighted the importance of collaborative and inclusive approaches to development, emphasizing co-creation, clear leadership, and early engagement with stakeholders, such as developers and IT teams, to ensure buy-in for new solutions. Several groups stressed the value of involving influential people, and external sources in the process to foster innovation and democracy. The important role of education and capacity building was also highlighted. Suggested strategies included launching pilot projects, reshuffling teams, and establishing cross-departmental communication. The need for workshops around innovation and collaboration with board members and city organizations was also noted to drive effective outcomes.

Solutions for Story 3 (audience): The discussions emphasized fostering collaboration and open communication between stakeholders. Key suggestions included involving third parties, consultants, and live meetings to improve soft skills and dialogue, and starting interactions with an apology to set a positive tone. Several groups highlighted the importance of co-creating plans, particularly through city ateliers, and ensuring a shared sense of urgency and common vision among stakeholders. A top-down leadership approach was recommended for clarity on the end goals, while respectful acceptance, open-mindedness, and neutral mediation were deemed essential for productive collaboration. Mediation and municipal solutions were proposed to address conflicts and streamline the process.

In the end, we invited the speakers again to tell us how they solved/are solving the problems (the second part of their stories).

Solutions for Story 1 (speaker): Accessing the waterfront is currently difficult due to extensive construction around the city center. To attract people, it's essential to offer engaging activities and projects, as seen in the successful European Capital of Culture opening in Rijeka. A combination of short events, quick activities, major projects, and innovative initiatives can draw people in. Creating gathering and urban spaces, as well as innovation camps, should be part of the development process. Collaboration between different sectors and associations is crucial to making a significant impact and ensuring the success of the development.

Solutions for Story 2 (speaker): Education must be a critical part of our "journey to change". At the same time, we need to build the necessary systems, policies, and infrastructure in parallel with the development to break the vicious cycle of excuses and support growth and long-term success.

Solutions for Story 3 (speaker): The process began with an apology, followed by collaboration with the developer to determine the best next steps. During an intensive period of planning and development (a one-week charette), an external consultant acted as a mediator to co-create solutions for the architects and developers of two adjacent parcels. Discussions with two developers led to a four-day collaboration with the consultant. Between planning sessions, feedback was shared to brainstorm ideas for projects like green spaces, parking, and other developments.

Session Feedback: Participants offered valuable insights and highlighted key takeaways during the feedback session. They appreciated the workshop's structure, particularly the interactive problem-solving activities that allowed them to address real urban challenges in intercultural teams. Many expressed that the experience reinforced the idea that any problem can be solved if approached with the right strategy and a collaborative effort. Additionally, participants recognized that challenges are an inherent part of the solution-finding process, and emphasized the importance of looking to other cities and individuals who may have already developed effective solutions to similar issues.
Furthermore, participants suggested that future workshops could benefit from a more "collaboration-friendly" layout, allowing for easier movement and interaction during group work and engagement activities. This adjustment would further enhance the collaborative experience and foster even more dynamic problem-solving discussions.

The conclusion emphasized that during our journeys toward change, failure is inevitable and sometimes significant. However, it is through these failures that we learn and develop better ideas and solutions. To foster true innovation, we must remove the stigma around failure and embrace it as a natural and essential part of the process. The moderator closed the session with a Haiku (a short Japanese-style poetry) that she improvised on the spot with bits and pieces of ideas shared by the audience:

In a repair café,
With free ice cream
We drive change.
Developers are invited!