Community Survey
In the fall of 2010, GUB assessed adults’ and children’s perspectives about Boulder as a child- and youth-friendly city to determine what community members think about the City of Boulder as a place for children, teens and families. The survey focused on four main issues:
More than 600 people completed the survey, with respondents fairly representative of Boulder. The two most important issues for children and families were the lack of gathering spaces and the lack of safe environments that are free from alcohol, drugs, and bullying. Young people under 19 sometimes had different views from adults: While 40% of youth thought they should be able to give input into local decision-making, only 18% of adults did. Only 15% of youth compared to 32% of adults thought youth should be involved in formalized civic engagement. This difference indicates that youth under the age of 19 believe that their voice should be heard more frequently and that they should be able to give input on issues that affect them in various forms.
- Issues facing children, teens, and families;
- Neighborhood characteristics, including what is good and what they would like to see changed;
- Roles of children and teens in decision-making;
- Improvements to the city.
More than 600 people completed the survey, with respondents fairly representative of Boulder. The two most important issues for children and families were the lack of gathering spaces and the lack of safe environments that are free from alcohol, drugs, and bullying. Young people under 19 sometimes had different views from adults: While 40% of youth thought they should be able to give input into local decision-making, only 18% of adults did. Only 15% of youth compared to 32% of adults thought youth should be involved in formalized civic engagement. This difference indicates that youth under the age of 19 believe that their voice should be heard more frequently and that they should be able to give input on issues that affect them in various forms.