This project is my thesis work for my MA/MSc Global Innovation Design at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, completed in July 2020.

Summary

Citizens in the Making is a digital tool for young change-makers. It was developed over the course of four months to address the lack of youth civic participation in the UK. That is the perceived lack. Although official stats like youth party membership are notoriously low, there is also a palpable energy today for creating, organising, and participating in activities that can create social change.

So what’s holding young people back? At the root, there is a lack of self-efficacy: the belief in your own ability to be able to make a difference. We all feel this. But the truth is, there is no one way to change the world – there are millions, and anyone can do it! All you need is imagination, energy, and a willingness to grow.

Citizens in the Making showcases nine unique ‘types’ of citizens and the variety of ways they can make the most of their skills to make a difference. Young people can start to learn about their type through a playful personality test, after which they can discover matching activities as well as local opportunities. More than just a practical tool however, Citizens in the Making asks us to reimagine what significance citizenship has in our lives. Which citizen in the making are you?

Visit the project online

Process

(Above) Throughout the early stages of my project I mapped out the problem space of youth civic participation in the UK in various ways, allowing me to reframe the issue and build strategic directions for intervening in the system.