About the Project

Overview

Future Blocks is a project funded by the European Union under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV), project number 101254173. The project brings together communities, designers, educators, and researchers to develop participatory tools and methods for civic engagement.

Goals

  • Develop and test a replicable toolkit for community-driven participatory design sprints.
  • Strengthen civic engagement and democratic participation across diverse community contexts.
  • Create a travelling exhibition that showcases community-designed solutions and amplifies local voices.
  • Build a Community of Practice connecting practitioners, educators, and civic leaders across Europe.

Methodology

Future Blocks uses a co-design methodology based on iterative design sprints. Each pilot site undergoes up to four sprint cycles, progressively building capacity and refining solutions. The approach blends service design thinking, civic participation frameworks, and youth engagement strategies.

Community members — including young people, minorities, and underrepresented groups — actively participate as co-designers rather than passive beneficiaries.

Pilot Sites

The project works across six pilot sites in Estonia, each representing a distinct community context:

  • Border County (southeast) — rural cross-border community
  • Sparse Municipality (south-central) — low-density rural area
  • Island Parish (west) — isolated island community
  • Tallinn Industrial Zone — post-industrial urban neighbourhood
  • Capital Neighbourhood — diverse urban residential area
  • Minority School (northeast) — community with linguistic minorities

Timeline

The project runs from 2024 to 2026 and is structured around four sprint cycles at each pilot site, a travelling exhibition, and the development of an open-access toolkit.

  • 2024 — Project kick-off, baseline research, Sprint Cycle 1
  • 2025 — Sprint Cycles 2 & 3, exhibition development, toolkit drafting
  • 2026 — Sprint Cycle 4, travelling exhibition, final toolkit release, dissemination

Partners

Future Blocks is delivered by a consortium of three partners:

  • Vivita — Lead partner. A youth creativity platform specialising in co-design and community innovation.
  • RARA (Estonian National Library) — Cultural heritage institution supporting access and inclusion.
  • University of Gothenburg — Academic partner providing research expertise in participatory design and civic engagement.