What Happens When We Listen: A Focus on Inclusivity
Insights from GreenInCities' Internal Sessions on Overcoming Challenges to Inclusivity in Urban Planning
Last month, the GreenInCities community came together for something a little different. Not another technical meeting or policy discussion, but a set of internal learning sessions, led by the ethics expert partner Urbana, focused on a question that cuts to the heart of our mission: What does it really mean to make green cities inclusive for all?
Spread across four sessions, with over 30 participants from cities as varied as Helsinki, Prato, Reykjavik and Cork, this series wasn’t just about sharing tools—it was about sharing experiences, challenges, and perspectives. The kind that you can only get when you pause, reflect, and listen.
Why inclusivity matters (really matters!) in urban planning
According to Eurostat, in 2022, approximately 21.6% of the European Union's population was at risk of poverty or social exclusion, as measured by the AROPE (At Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion) indicator.
Furthermore, research by the World Health Organization highlights that more vulnerable groups—such as women, older people, migrants, low-income households, and people with disabilities—often have limited access to green spaces. This lack of access can exacerbate health inequalities, as these groups are also the ones who could benefit most from the physical and mental health advantages that green spaces provide.
The stakes are high. Studies show that access to well-maintained, safe green spaces is linked to improved mental health, reduced social isolation, and can even contribute to a greater sense of safety, comfort and belonging. Yet, too often, green spaces are designed for users with assumed abilities, which may not reflect the diversity of people’s physical, sensory, or cognitive needs. In other words, the ‘average’ user doesn’t exist.
In the GreenInCities project, we’ve committed to doing better. And these sessions were a vital part of making that happen.
A new way to measure what really matters: introducing the Carescape KPI
One of the key tools introduced during the sessions was the Carescape KPI—a new gender-sensitive performance indicator co-developed in the project, specifically focused on women, caregivers and/or queer individuals. This KPI assesses how inclusive urban green spaces really are, based on how these citizens perceive them. It focuses on five core areas:
Safety
Physical Accessibility
Vitality
Infrastructure
Gender Representation
The Carescape KPI allows cities to assess their spaces both before and after interventions, sparking important conversations about how to design spaces that genuinely serve everyone. In short, it’s about asking people how they feel and how they interact with their surroundings. Do you feel safe here? Can you move around easily? Do you see yourself represented? Is there space for you to belong?
What we learned together
The sessions began with a walk-through of the project’s Inclusivity Plan, but soon, the pilot cities began sharing stories of what inclusion means in their unique local contexts. These stories revealed the common challenges they are facing, shaped by the diverse nature of the cities involved in our project.
From Helsinki to Cork, each city provided valuable insights into the complexities of creating inclusive green spaces. Here are some of the key challenges:
Safety: In Helsinki and Prato, inadequate lighting in public spaces raised concerns, especially for women and children. Hidden corners and poorly maintained areas contributed to feelings of insecurity. A key takeaway? Safe spaces go beyond physical protection—they must foster a sense of psychological security.
Vitality: Prato, Cork, and Matosinhos all pointed out the underuse of green spaces, often due to a lack of infrastructure or activities. These areas can feel lifeless without benches, playgrounds, or spaces for social interaction. The challenge is to activate these spaces, making them vibrant hubs for the community.
Accessibility: In Barcelona and Matosinhos, physical barriers and limited access to public transport made green spaces difficult to reach for older people, families, and those with disabilities. Accessibility needs to extend beyond the space itself, ensuring that everyone can get there comfortably.
Inclusive Representation: Reykjavik, Cork, and Helsinki emphasised the need for spaces that reflect their diverse communities. Whether it’s gender-inclusive outdoor gyms or spaces that engage ethnic minorities, urban spaces must feel welcoming for everyone, not just a specific group.
Urban Equipment: Cities like Prato, Barcelona, and Birštonas noted the lack of basic amenities like benches, water taps, and trash bins. These simple but essential features help make spaces functional, accessible, and inviting for all users.
What emerged was clear: inclusion is not just a checkbox. It’s a mindset, a way of working, and above all, a process of constant learning.
Where we go from here
The internal sessions did more than just introduce new tools. They opened up a space to question our assumptions and confront the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, even with the best of intentions, our public spaces exclude the very people they aim to serve.
But they also sparked ideas. Cities are now using the insights from these sessions to shape upcoming workshops, design participatory activities, and integrate inclusion indicators like the Carescape KPI into how we evaluate success.
Because at the end of the day, making green cities inclusive isn’t just about the parks we plant or the data we collect. It’s about the people who live there, and making sure they’re not just consulted, but heard.
References:
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Glossary:At_risk_of_poverty_or_social_exclusion_(AROPE)
https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/9789289054157
https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/who-benefits-from-nature-in
