Elmira Karmanova, Senior Manager at the City Development Centre (CDA) and the course’s author and lecturer, acted as moderator and one of the defence panel’s experts. The judging panel also included staff from the Almaty City Development Centre and representatives from the public sector.
The students presented projects addressing pressing social issues: preventing bullying among schoolchildren, supporting parents of primary school pupils, helping students settle in, developing Peace Education, involving pensioners in social life, intergenerational interaction, and other topics directly linked to the development of the urban environment and the quality of life for city residents.
A distinctive feature of the course was that the students did not limit themselves to theory. Throughout the semester, they analysed problems, worked with the target audience, tested initiatives in a real-world setting, gathered feedback, and documented results, limitations, and management conclusions.
During the final presentations, participants demonstrated not only their ideas but also their skills in analysis, design thinking, public advocacy and addressing the city’s real social needs. The event was also attended by representatives of the older generation, enabling students to receive live and honest feedback on the practical significance of their initiatives.
The next stage of the project involves running a course at youth community centres in Almaty. In the future, there are plans to scale up the initiative across all districts of the city, with the aim of gradually increasing the level of citizen participation in addressing social issues: starting with their own block of flats and courtyard, and extending to the district level and the entire metropolis. It is through such practical initiatives that a city culture of responsibility, engagement and joint development in Almaty is fostered.
