Creating Places. Engaging Minds.

​We are creating new ways for youth to participate in city building.

What We Do

​Strategy + Design

We are experts at engaging youth in the consultation and design phases of youth-facing projects and services for public and non-profit organizations.

Workshops

We deliver city-building workshops for schools and youth organizations that focus on empathy.
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1UP Program

We enable high school students to lead their own community design-build projects by providing inspiration, leadership training, and project mentorship.

News & Views

Our latest youth engagement events and stories.
Building sustainable cities starts with youth
As cities continue to evolve, redesigning them to become more sustainable eco-cities is in the near future. In the lives of youth today, Gen Z continues to rise and advocate for a sustainable planet. In addition, many youth advocate the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN to achieve a sustainable and universal world for future generations. Demonstrating the capability to generate change, youth can shift the world towards a greener future.
Written by 1UP Youth
Class of 2020 and High School Students, How Are You Doing?
We spoke to four student leaders from 1UP Toronto to see how their lives have changed since the pandemic shut schools down. 
Written by Urban Minds
What has a global pandemic taught us about city planning?
I think it goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives and the way we live. From triggering worldwide public health and economic crises, shifting our work and schooling online, and to questioning how our systems function to support those living in it. The pandemic has hit major cities like Wuhan, Milan, New York City, Madrid, and countless others around the world. Here’s my attempt at analyzing three main ideas in trying to understand the factors behind this epidemic.
Written by 1UP Youth
Would You Rather: A Placemaking Story
It’s been a month since I started staying home for COVID-19, and like many others, I miss going out with friends and hanging out together. Although we have the ability to stay socially connected online, something is still missing. That something is a physical connection to the places where we meet each other.
Written by Urban Minds
It's time to have a conversation.
For far too long, the ways we build, govern, and talk about our cities have failed people of colour. It is undeniable that the urban planning profession has an ugly past that few people are willing to talk about.
Written by Urban Minds
Even if you're locked down from COVID-19, you can still explore the city. Here's how
“There is a yearning to reconnect with the places that we miss going to and the people we miss hanging out with,” says Urban Minds founder Ryan Lo. “We hope that through this social media challenge we’ll help bring back some smiles and memories and get us all through these difficult times.”
Written by Shawn Micallef, The Star 

Interested in working with us? Let's chat.

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We're always looking for collaborators and partnerships.

If you're interested in city building and youth engagement,
​give us a shout at hello@urbanminds.co
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