August 15, 2023
In partnership with NorthStar Church of the Arts and the City of Durham Office on Youth, we will engage ten high school students in the visioning and design of a Third Place for young people in Durham. A Third Place is a trusted spot outside of school and work where young people can connect and gather with others and ‘just be’. Durham's youth have told us that such a space is needed and they should be partners in the visioning of it. The final product of this program will be the visual concept of a physical site and structure that will be dedicated to the young people of Durham. With professional architects and designers as guides, the group will participate in a series of visioning and design workshops, while learning new skills, and building relationships with local design professionals.
Participants
We are now accepting applications! If you are a resident of Durham and 14-19 years old, please apply at bit.ly/durhamjustbe For questions or application assistance, contact us at hello@prismdesignlab.org.
Background
The Office on Youth (OOY) is a division in the City Manager’s Office at the City of Durham. In 2019, the OOY launched the Durham Youth Listening Project as a part of Durham’s Strategic Youth Initiative, with the goal of hearing directly from Durham’s young people about their needs, dreams, and challenges. Their findings reported the need for a place dedicated to youth, that is safe, free, and provides activities and opportunities for leadership.
Sponsorship Opportunity
Half of the program cost is being funded by the City of Durham OOY. We are looking to match these funds with corporate sponsors. This provides a special opportunity for the best players in Durham’s design, construction, and development community to invest
in the future leaders of Durham. We will present these ideas to City Council and believe that
with enough support, this effort will continue after the series of workshops with the potential to become a built project.
To be one of the founding figures of this project, please contact Heather at heather@prismdesignlab.org.