Kenniscentrum Urban Coaching & Education

Organisation profile:This interdisciplinary research project focuses on social and cultural inclusion within the urban educational context. The project addresses two main themes: the power of stories and identity on the one hand, and the power of encounter and dialogue on the other. Under the first theme, (participatory) methods are explored that support educational professionals in honoring children's identities, voices, and contexts through their stories and experiences. This includes both exploring methodological approaches and understanding and collecting the experiences of children, youth, and their families. Research questions focus on children's participation rights, narrative coaching, inclusive (reading) didactics, and the recognition of superdiversity in pedagogical contexts (such as the classroom, family, and childcare settings). The second theme investigates how broad social networks and dialogue contribute to parenting and citizenship education, with an emphasis on the pedagogical civil society and the development of active citizenship. Here, dialogue between different perspectives and generations plays a central role. This project aims to provide insight into how educational spaces and narrative encounters contribute to an inclusive and respectful learning and living environment. The urban context of Brussels, characterized by superdiversity, serves as a living laboratory where research and practice mutually strengthen each other. Partnerships with local organizations, Brussels schools, and initiatives such as the Media Lab (M-Lab) and the Brussels Open Living Lab (Br.O.L.L.) support this process, with educational professionals positioned as 'agents of change'. This project aims to contribute to the development of methods that not only recognize the identities and stories of young people but also strengthen the pedagogical and societal dialogue.

Keywords:Children's Participation Rights, Intergenerational dialogue Narratives, Urban Education Dialogue

Disciplines:Orthopedagogics and special education