Place-Based Citizen Science with Refugee Youth

Citizen science – public participation in scientific projects – is becoming a very popular activity today. In The Netherlands, we have seen the establishment of the Citizen Science Nederland (CS-NL) network in 2022. An increasing number of projects give voice to communities and address problems put forward by citizens, making our cities more inclusive and sustainable. However, citizen science today still does not reach the wider population, leaving aside places and groups of the population whose lives could benefit most from the activities. One example of such systematically excluded groups is refugees and temporarily displaced youths. "Rangers Twente" is a unique citizen science community created for temporarily displaced children (aged 8-14) from Ukraine. Initiated at the University of Twente in the summer of 2022, it has been growing rapidly ever since, showing its high relevance for society. In the summer of 2024, this community includes participants from all major cities in Twente, a region in the Overijssel province in the Netherlands. This brochure describes the pioneering experience of "Rangers Twente", focussing on the multifaceted benefits for its participants. It also includes reflections and recommendations for organizations and municipalities, promoting citizen science as a unique therapeutic and empowering activity.