Indianapolis teens say they want to see more spaces designed for them.
The city has plenty of playgrounds for young kids and fun activities for adults, 13-year-old Karmyn Green observed, but not many places for teens.
“We just need more teen spaces to hang out where we’re not being too babied, but we’re also not able to get too out of control at the same time,” Green said.
It’s part of why Meisha Wide, executive director of the Children’s Policy & Law Initiative of Indiana, wanted to create a summer camp for youth that are Green’s age.
The nonprofit’s camp, which met from July 7-9, carried a theme of civic engagement. Throughout the week, kids learned about the history of their neighborhood, the design of their streets and how to advocate for change at their local school board.
Wide sees it as a positive way to engage kids at a time when some city officials view late night curfews as an answer to keep teens safe and curb youth gun violence in the summer.
The city curfew, Wide said, focuses on the wrong things, like keeping kids away from downtown. But with the recent closure of Circle Centre Mall, Wide said, that’s not where kids are spending their time. Rather, they’re looking for things to do in their own neighborhood.
“They’re not coming down here,” Wide said. “There’s nothing for them to do down here.”
Wide used her nonprofit’s camp to take the question directly to teens: With the absence of so many third spaces for youth, what types of new places do kids hope to see in the city?
Mirror Indy listened in to seven group presentations led by teens. Here’s what they had to say.
Activities created by and for teens
Teens say they want spaces where kids can play sports, listen to live music, get a taste for what future jobs might look like and just kick back and relax.
Some of those places exist already, teens acknowledge. But kids say they want to play more of a role in deciding what activities are offered and who the programs are open to.
Some teens, for example, say they want more opportunities to play sports outside of school. That’s because some programs, especially in large high schools, can be competitive and teens who don’t make the team say they still want to play.
Students were prompted to design neighborhood streets that would keep them safe and connected resources and neighbors. Many feature features parks, trees, greenery, street murals, crosswalks, food options and sport facilities.
High schooler Lynnen Jacks said she wants adults to understand that teens’ interests change frequently. Right now, the 16-year-old is really into driving. She thinks adults should create a free driver’s education program so teens don’t have to pay for expensive classes to learn their way around a car.
“As adults, they should be willing to cater to us so that we have the resources we need to be great, successful adults,” Jacks said.
Ease of access
Speaking of cars, many kids and teens are too young to drive. So how can they be expected to get to community spaces? Can they carpool? Can programs provide a bus or van?
While kids say they’re open to walking, biking or skateboarding in their neighborhood, having a ride opens up more opportunities.
Teens say they look for activities that are inexpensive, free or, better yet, where they can get paid. They also value spaces that are open to everyone — not just a select few kids or age groups.
A relaxed, peaceful environment
Kids and teens put a premium on creating spaces that feel safe — but felt divided on how to do this.
Some teens said they feel uncomfortable around law enforcement. They would rather have a police-free environment. Others argued the opposite. They said officers help them feel secure and deserve a chance to repair relationships with teens who have had traumatic experiences with police in the past.
Most agreed they were OK with some type of adult presence, so long as those grown-ups are trained in de-escalation techniques and let kids take the lead in choosing activities.
Kids were especially interested in creating a laid-back atmosphere. They gravitated toward ideas that offered mental health and therapy services. Thirteen-year-old Davian Black Jr. said he knows people in Marion County who would benefit from it.
“Sometimes all we need is for adults to sit and listen,” he said.
Support from the community
The kids know that their ideas will take real muscle to make them happen.
Teens floated everything from coordinating fundraisers and applying for grants to organizing their own events and advertising to drum up support for community spaces.
Wide, the program’s director, said she hopes the teens left the workshop with the knowledge they need to advocate for their ideas on a local level. In the meantime, the Children’s Policy & Law Initiative will continue fundraising to bring workshops to more Indianapolis teens.
You can visit the Children’s Policy & Law Initiative website to learn more about the nonprofit and its support of Indianapolis youth.
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Mirror Indy reporter Carley Lanich covers early childhood and K-12 education. Contact her at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org or follow her on X @carleylanich.
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