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Participatory mapping in action

Mapping for Change works with communities to use citizen science approaches and GIS to explore the problems they face

An image of an airplane flying low over a residential neighbourhood

10 May 2017

Mapping for Change (MfC) is a social enterprise set up by UCL and community organisations, with aims and processes which closely match those of the Engineering Exchange. MfC works with groups and organisations that want to understand, improve and produce information about the places that matter to them. They work with communities to solve neighbourhood-level problems, using participatory geographic information systems (GIS).

Model of engagement

Mapping for Change uses a participatory research model to engage communities. It is driven by:

  • Co-design
  • Co-determination
  • Flexibility
  • Iterative cycles
  • Alternative pathways for different levels of participation

The model varies according to the nature of the community being engaged.

Main methods and techniques of engagement

Participatory Mapping is an interactive approach that draws on local people's knowledge, enabling participants to create visual and non-visual data to explore social problems, opportunities and questions.

Citizen Science involves the collection of scientific observations by volunteers in the community, who are not professional scientists. Citizens participate in defining the problems, analysis and envisioning possible projects.

Royal Docks Noise Mapping Project

Residents in the Royal Docks in Newham, East London, expressed concerns over increasing levels of noise, which they perceived as being generated by an increase in airplane traffic at London City Airport.

Mapping for Change’s role involved training local residents in how to collect data, using inexpensive noise meters. Residents then conducted a comprehensive noise mapping survey during which readings were taken at all hours of the day and night, across the areas surrounding the airport.

Impact

Residents found disturbingly high levels of noise, with many readings exceeding levels deemed to cause serious annoyance under the World Health Organisation community noise guidelines.

Further, measurements gathered by the community revealed a clear correlation between unacceptable levels of noise and the airport’s operating hours.

Louise Francis from Mapping for Change said:

'Our work has impact both on an individual and at the community level. We’ve seen somewhat fragmented communities, such as in the Royal Docks, come together and feel confident to call for changes. In others they’ve felt able to bring powerful stakeholders to sit around the table and talk.'

Read more on the UCL Research Impact website.