Youth-friendly Zgierz. A new strategy for the City

A strategic document is being created: "Youth policy of the City of Zgierz Commune". It is to set the goals, directions of development and activities of the City undertaken for young people - so that young people could feel in Zgierz really like at home.

Why is such a document needed? According to earlier research, only 22% of the local youth believe that Zgierz is a good place to live. Only 13% of young people declare their willingness to stay in Zgierz permanently.

In order to change this unfavorable trend, the Municipality of Zgierz is developing a document which simply indicates what needs to be done to make young people feel better in their own city.

- We have just completed the stage of focus research - Karolina Miżyńska informs, supervising the work on the youth policy document of the Municipality of Zgierz. - Based on the obtained material, a report is created. Once we know the conclusions of the research, it will be possible to write a strategy.

The team implementing this project began collecting materials during a series of meetings with students of Zgierz schools: in Primary School No. 1 and 12, as well as in Zgierz Secondary School Complex and in SLO (Social Secondary School).

- The talks were held at meetings called "participatory cafes" - explains Karolina Miżyńska.

Students talked about their dreams and plans, how they see contemporary Zgierz and how they would like to see it in the future. They pointed out important areas that require improvement in the city.

During the meetings young people willingly talked about the condition of roads in Zgierz, the condition of buildings and urban greenery. They lack shops (at least some brands) and eateries.

- It's interesting, but research has shown us that the generation that eats out is growing up - Karolina Miżyńska laughs, commenting on the material collected for the research analysis.

Conclusions from the "café" talks were presented for discussion of the so-called focus groups, special teams focused on particular issues identified by young people. These groups (six teams) also consisted mostly of young people. The effects of such an in-depth analysis were evaluated by scientific experts who are to finish their work on their report on the last day of April 2023.

At the same time, research walks are held. It is also a very interesting form of collecting opinions about the city from young people.

- Groups of five to ten young people, aged 13 to 25, gathered. Each has its leader, we met them during focus groups. They choose an area of interest to them, for example a city park, take research sheets with them and map the area, indicating what they like and what they don't like there - explains Adrian Pal, a Zgierz resident, a medical student, actively involved in creating the Zgierz youth strategy.

- This is the first time when in Zgierz someone actually asks young people for their opinion - says Adrian. - The city seems to be a pioneer when it comes to such standards. This is very good, because thanks to it, something can really change. And the strategy will be long-term: if the Local Development program includes funds for the creation of specific solutions, further ones will be indicated in the document and will be implemented in later years - he adds.

According to the intentions of the authors, the "Youth Policy of the Municipality of Zgierz" is to be ready in autumn 2023. The document is being developed as part of the project "Zgierz - a modern city after hours", co-financed by the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 under the "Local Development" Program.