The Street Is Ours! gives children in Cascais a real say in shaping their neighbourhoods, turning public spaces into places where young voices can influence local decisions.
THE CITY THROUGH CHILDREN'S EYES
Developed by the Municipality of Cascais through the UNICEF Child Friendly Cities programme, The Street Is Ours! responds to a simple but often overlooked reality: children are rarely involved in decisions about the public spaces they use every day. Traffic, safety concerns, and limited opportunities for play have reduced children's presence in neighbourhood life, while their perspectives remain largely absent from planning processes. The project temporarily transforms streets into safe public spaces where children can gather, play, and engage directly with local authorities, creating new opportunities for participation in community life and local decision-making.
PARTICIPATION THROUGH PLAY
What makes the initiative distinctive is that participation happens where decisions have visible consequences. Through urban games, creative interventions, and co-design workshops, children experience streets free from traffic and share what makes them feel welcome, excluded, safe, or unsafe. Rather than collecting opinions through formal consultations alone, the project enables children to express themselves through direct experience and interaction. Working alongside municipal teams, local organisations, and residents, children generate insights that are documented and incorporated into discussions about mobility, public space, and neighbourhood development, turning participation into practical influence.
SMALL STREETS, BIG INFLUENCE
Between 2023 and 2025, the initiative activated nine streets across Cascais, bringing together children, families, community organisations, and municipal services. The project contributed to tangible improvements, including murals, street markings, and a permanent pedestrian crossing, while strengthening awareness of children's rights and civic participation. Its longer-term impact lies in demonstrating how municipalities can engage groups that are often excluded from decision-making. Through the participatory game A Rua é Nossa and the guide In Children's Own Voices… on Public Space, the project provides lasting tools that help embed children's perspectives into local governance, planning, and public policy.
