Bright ideas was a participatory budgeting project in North Belfast that proved that small actions can have lasting effects. During a six months process, the community came up with creative solutions for their streets and vote on the one they wanted to see delivered.
The ideas delivered addressed the need for brightening up the environment, for soft skills learning and community confidence building. Bright ideas birdboxes were assembled by over 200 people, personalised and installed in their gardens; a series of graphics designed with the kids are now dressing up the neighbourhood streets, and young people cooked old local recipes and shared a meal with their elderly residents. During the whole process, people from 3 to 99 years old were able to make their contribution, having their say, learning new skills and gaining new proudness for their community.
