Youth Cartography Fellowship: Mapping Safe Spaces for Youth, by Youth

Mapping the Future of Belonging: Youth Cartography Pilot Set to Chart New Maps of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, OH — In March 2026, six paid youth cartographers will begin mapping Walnut Hills, Over-the-Rhine, and Downtown Cincinnati, seeking to capture not just streets and buildings but the subtle contours of safety and belonging as experienced by young people. This spring and summer, their work will offer a new perspective on how youth navigate and define the places that matter most to them. Applications for the Youth Cartography Fellowship open in January.

From March through August 2026, The Well’s Youth Cartography Fellowship pilot, supported by the Mayerson Foundation, will invite six young people to rethink what a map can tell us. Rather than simply marking physical locations, they will translate the lived experiences of Cincinnati youth into a shared understanding of belonging and safety.

In a shift from the usual approach—where data is collected about youth rather than shaped by them—this initiative will empower six Fellows to become the authors of their own experiences. These young people will be paid for their expertise and, guided by The Well’s two decades of mindful listening and creative practice, will take on the question: Where do we feel safe?

The answers they uncover are expected to be as complex and varied as the neighborhoods they explore. Through a mix of social research, artistic expression, and firsthand investigation, the Fellows will identify “Youth-Approved Spaces”—places where pressures fade and connection is possible. These may not be obvious landmarks; they could be quiet corners, familiar park benches, or welcoming thresholds that are often overlooked by adults.

The outcomes of this six-month pilot are expected to reach far beyond the paper map. Fellows will be tasked with creating a prototype for future community mapping projects, establishing a methodology that weaves together analytical insight and lived emotion. 

Their work aims to lay the groundwork for a scalable model of youth-led urban design, demonstrating that those who navigate the city’s challenges are uniquely positioned to envision its solutions. Fellows will create a web-based and print map/newspaper and a "mark" that indicates these Youth Approved spaces and places.

By centering the lived experiences of young people—especially those whose voices are often missing from urban planning—the Youth Cartography Fellowship will invite Cincinnati to consider new perspectives on safety and community. The pilot aims to show that true safety is more than the absence of danger; it is shaped by a sense of connection and belonging. As the project unfolds, it is expected to provide the city with a fresh lens: one crafted from the insights, creativity, and everyday truths of its youth.

Social Research by Teens.

Coming Soon. Applications for Youth Cartography Fellowship.

Teens in a summer program from The Well at ArtWorks research a project.

Teaching artists share social research techniques.