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'Adopt a Street' in Offenbach: Turning complainers into co-producers

Outcomes

Since the start of the co-production initiative, the citizens have taken part in many activities. For example, in the neighbourhood Nordend the following activities have been carried out:  

  • About 500 poles have been cleaned.
  • About 70 switch boxes were cleaned and painted.
  • 11 reverse sides of the "Pedestrian Zone" signs have been refurbished.
  • 2,000 flower bulbs have been planted.
  • 10 uncared for and damaged plant bubs were removed and another two relocated.
  • 20 further dog fouling bag-dispensers were installed. 

"Before and-after" photos clearly demonstrate that anti-social behaviour and vandalism have reduced after the "cleaner, safer, greener" activities of the citizens and the council. This positive view is also shared by local citizens: the participants at a public meeting after the three-month clean-up thought that their engagement had been worthwhile. The utility company and the councillor  Paul-Gerhard Weiss also thought that this initiative has been positive and needed to be extended to other neighbourhoods.

 

When local people take responsibility for their street they not only take better care of public spaces but they change the outlook of other citizens, as well. As Frank Weber, head of Department for Cleansing (and responsible in the city for local prevention policies) suggests: "When local people collect litter, they visibly take responsibility for the environment  and become a role model for others". Last but not least, clean-up days in the local neighbourhoods create social capital and improved social cohesion. When young people decorated the flower pots in the Ludwig Straße with mosaics, some local citizens gave them drinks and chocolate to thank them for their engagement.

before citizen engagement
after citizen engagement
About this case study
Main Contact

Sabine Süßmann
Project Manager of the utility company Offenbach

Email:
Sabine.Suessmann@gbo-of.de

Sabine Süßmann

 

Florian Birk, former Associate of Governance International wrote this case study on 24 September 2010. The case study was updated on 27 February 2013.

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