Kharkiv ChildrenFood Living Lab

One of 12 living labs is finally opened in Kharkov. On the basis of the private gymnasium OCHAG was opened Kharkiv ChildrenFood Living Lab (KCFLL). The main target groups of the Kharkiv ChildrenFood Living Lab are pupils. The site for the realization of the KCFLL is the private gymnasium OCHAG and particularly pupils of 7-grade class (12-13 years old). This age group was chosen because it is still only forming its own independent eating habits; at the same time, it is especially susceptible to the influence of fast food advertising, and, therefore, especially needs to be introduced to healthy eating models. At the same time, pupils 12-13 years old are psychologically open to collective practices and joint creativity. KCFLL will unite younger and older generations – pupils, their parents, teachers and university’s professors and representatives of the City Council as well.

Initiating this first Living Lab in Kharkiv we follow two central ideas:

• LL is “an approach that involves actors in a process of co-creation that potentially facilitates the construction of innovative values”;

• one of the main the goals of such platform is “to form a breeding ground for innovation, rather than directly developing innovations” (developing innovation could be potentially the next steps).

The core idea of Kharkiv ChildrenFood Living Lab is to co-create and share knowledge and innovative values about kid’s meals. KCFLL will examine theoretically and practically different aspect of food for children, addressing issues of:

  • food production and storage,
  • healthy food for children at school and family,
  • food safety and biosecurity issues,
  • private and public festive food,
  • urban food network for children and family,
  • political and regulatory frameworks for food production and distribution,
  • collective organization of a 1common living space.

At the first meeting, the students learned what LL is and what they and their parents will face in the future.