Work Package 4, led by Prospex Institute, aims to implement tailor-made participatory processes for all levels of engagement, for example, internal, local and European, with the aim of facilitating VARCITIES co-design solutions, keeping in mind the digital nature of some of the VARCITIES products.

Specifically, within WP4, the preparation of VARCITIES Co-Creation Strategy is aims to facilitate the co-creation of visionary nature-based and digital solutions with stakeholders in each pilot site.

Executive Summary

This Deliverable describes the strategy devised by Prospex Institute in collaboration with relevant VARCITIES Work Packages and pilot representatives aiming to facilitate the co-creation of visionary nature-based and digital solutions with stakeholders in each pilot site. The stakeholders engaged in this co-creation process, identified through the Prospex CQI method, reflect the diversity of actors that are impacted by and/or themselves impact the visionary solutions. Importantly, VARCITIES is committed to promoting and mainstreaming gender, diversity, equity & inclusion throughout the entire process.

In each of the eight pilot sites, the co-creation process will unfold into four stages, namely the co-identification of needs and challenges, and the co-design, co-implementation, and co-evaluation of visionary solutions. Within each stage, a digital and/or in-person, multi-stakeholder workshop or similar format will be organized as the main co-creation activity, as those allow for the efficient and effective collection of a wide array of stakeholder inputs. If needed, complementary activities such as focus groups, surveys, and public events will be implemented on a pilot-by-pilot basis. In addition, pilot-specific needs, challenges, and risks will also be considered to better tailor the overarching co-creation strategy to each context.

While each pilot has the responsibility to organise and run all local co-creation and stakeholder engagement activities, Prospex Institute will facilitate the coordination across pilots and support each pilot in, for instance, addressing challenges to co-creation. These may refer to e.g., avoiding stakeholder fatigue or coordinating VARCITIES stakeholder input needs. Through the multilayered co-creation strategy, the VARCITIES project aims to ensure that the visionary solutions meaningfully contribute to an increase in health and well-being in the pilot sites, and that local stakeholders feel a sense of ownership over these solutions. It is intended that this co-creation process serves as an example for uptake and replication in other cities.

This is a confidential deliverable, as such the full deliverable is not available to the public.