Imagining Aberdeen

Imagining Aberdeen began in early 2016 with 300 children from Bramble Brae, Manor Park, Riverbank and Tullos Primary Schools. The children imagined what we can do or change, so that Aberdeen can be a city where children are healthy, happy and safe.

Imagining Aberdeen: Kindness is...

The children’s feelings and comments have become central to our planning, as we acknowledge that their views should be an intrinsic part of our decision making. Our priorities have been guided by theirs.

Bramble Brae Teacher

Aberdeen: A City, Reimagined

In the beginning, 20 children were nominated to become Imagineers. The children captured all the ideas and important messages from their schools by creating a large-scale mural and short film. They then met with duty-bearers from across the City to share their vision.

For their participation in 2016, the Imagining Aberdeen children won the Aberdeen City Council Children and Young People’s Champion Award.

The Imagineers continued sharing their important messages, captured through their outputs, throughout 2018 by developing and delivering a workshop to over 100 professionals in the City. The aim of the workshops was for professionals, working across sectors such as Emergency Services, Culture, Play, Sports, Leisure, Housing and Health, to see the City through the eyes of children. Furthermore, with the children’s insight, the professionals were asked to consider their role in supporting the City to become a place where every child can flourish.

Imagining Aberdeen mural

This leaflet describes the children’s key messages as developed during the Imagining Aberdeen Mural week 2016. Click the icons to learn more about each section.

In 2019, the Imagineers group expanded to include children from Airyhall, Danestone, Fernielea, Forehill, and Greenbrae Primary Schools. At the heart of the 2019 programme, Children’s Parliament worked with children to capture their ideas and dreams for Aberdeen. The Imagineers connected with Aberdeen City Council’s plan for the future and throughout the year they investigated four of the Council’s main themes for children: mental health, early years and families, transition to adulthood, and attainment. Adult duty-bearers from the City were invited to meet and hear the results of the Imagineers’ investigations. The duty-bearers then had an opportunity to work with the children to explore how the issues and ideas raised through the investigations could be taken forward as actions.

Check the blog for more information: https://bit.ly/ImaginingAberdeen


Feelings Inspectors at Bramble Brae

This ambitious project sought for the school to become an environment that focused on children’s social and emotional wellbeing, where children and adults are more able to recognise, understand and manage their feelings. Adults in the school have worked hard to ensure Bramble Brae is a place where every child can feel secure and have a sense of belonging.

Children from P5, 6 and 7 became the Bramble Brae Feelings Inspectors. Their role included sharing their ideas and experiences with their peers and trusted adults, supporting younger children to participate in the project, and co-delivering Continue Professional Development training to their teachers and pupil support assistants.   

The children’s participation directly influenced the school’s decisions about how to support children on their post-COVID transition back into the classroom and informed Children’s Parliament’s Back to School resources. Their key messages and resources have also been used to shape Bramble Brae’s relationships and anti-bullying policy, forming a base to support good mental health for all at their school.


Imagining Aberdeen: Imagineers Investigate 

The Imagineers work was captured in their Imagineers Investigate magazine. To find out what adults need to do to ensure Aberdeen’s children flourish, read the report:

The Imagineer Investigators explored themes set out in the Local Outcome Improvement Plan 2019 for Aberdeen City Council. Discover the children’s views by downloading the poster PDFs below:


Project Reports

Throughout the lifetime of the project, Members of Children’s Parliament worked with us to develop a number of reports. Please find these available below:

During 2017, the Imagineers thought about their lives at school: what is going well, what’s not going so well, where they feel they can get support if they have a question or worry, and how to make school better for everybody. Following their input, Children’s Parliament produced poster reports to share their ideas.

Please click on the links below to view the Imagining Aberdeen (2016) Phase 1 Project Reports.


Imagining Aberdeen mural artwork facilitated by Joanna & Yonnie

Project delivered with support from Aberdeen City Council

Date: 2019
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