Co-Creation of Activity Spaces: A study protocol for the evaluation of co-created local community interventions to support activity participation in youth across municipalities in Eastern Norway

BackgroundImportant gaps remain in our understanding of the complexity and impact of creating activity spaces for youth as a public health measure. This protocol outlines the study design, cases, and methods for the Co-Creation of Activity Spaces study, which evaluates the development, implementation, and impact of activity spaces in local communities in semi-urban and rural municipalities in Eastern Norway. MethodsThe activity spaces are developed within the context of the development project EMO (A Fun Detour) through co-creation processes with multiple stakeholders, including local youths. The evaluation study takes a pragmatic mixed-method approach, using a quasi-experimental design. It consists of three sub-studies (i.e., Process, Places and People) targeting the co-creation processes, the use of the activity spaces, and the potential impact for local youths. To gain knowledge of the processes, focus group interviews and concept mapping with involved stakeholders will be conducted. Usage of the activity spaces will be assessed through a monitoring system based on AI-technology and on-site observations. Finally, the impact will be examined through repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted before and after the establishment of the activity spaces, along with qualitative data from walk-along interviews and photovoice studies with local youths. DiscussionThrough its focus on semi-urban and rural contexts and by using a novel method to capture long-term use of the activity spaces, the study will contribute new knowledge. The results will offer valuable insights into the co-creation processes, the evolving use of the newly constructed activity spaces, and their impact on local youths engagement in activities. This information can guide future projects aiming to establish youth activity spaces in both semi-urban and rural local communities.