A place for girls in Apeldoorn – a special project

Girls as real researchers

What makes this project special is that a number of the girls are not just participants. They are also co-researchers. This means that they carry out research themselves. They document their own living environment. They help to develop ideas for their neighbourhood. They also make it clear what is important to them. Since June 2024, these girls have been working on this project alongside researchers from HAN University of Applied Sciences and the local council.

How does the project work?

The girls are visiting various neighbourhoods in Apeldoorn. They are visiting neighbourhoods such as De Maten and Noordoost. There, they get stuck in. They take photos of their neighbourhood. They work on creative assignments. Some of the girls are also making short videos. In these videos, they showcase their neighbourhood and their ideas. In this way, their voices are made visible, both literally and figuratively.

Results and the future

This unique collaboration is yielding many valuable insights. Concrete ideas are also emerging, ranging from small improvements in the neighbourhood to larger-scale plans. The aim is to make outdoor spaces more inclusive, with this research focusing specifically on the target group of girls and young women.

On 14 November 2025, they will present the results of their research. This will take place during a knowledge event in Apeldoorn. There, people will be able to find out more about what the girls have discovered.

National cooperation

Apeldoorn Council is also a member of the national “Safe Cities and Towns” network. This network is run by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The council will continue to share the results of this project over the coming years. They intend to use these experiences within their organisation. They also wish to build on this work with new initiatives.

These initiatives will be published later on the “Safe Cities” page of Apeldoorn City Council’s website. This will allow everyone to see how they are continuing to work towards a safe and inclusive city.

A broader programme

The experiences gained from “Plek voor meiden” are also being used in a wider programme. This programme is called “Regio Deal Stedendriehoek – Samen voor Leefbaarheid”. Under this programme, local authorities in the Stedendriehoek region are working together. The aim is to improve the quality of life. The insights gained in Apeldoorn are shared with other local authorities. This enables them to learn from one another and work together to create an inclusive living environment for young people.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Videos

Watch the videos the girls have made below.