WHAT IS PICT?

PICT - Planning Inclusion of Clients through eTraining

PICT is a transnational project financed in part by the European Commission in the context of Leonardo Da Vinci's Community Vocational Training Action Programme. It is implemented by local authorities, universities, private consultancies and social partners in four European countries: Belgium, Greece, Hungary and the United Kingdom.

PICT International Website:
http://www.e-pict.co.uk (alternatively: http://www.e.pict.hu)

WHO CAN BENEFIT?

• The citizen who cares enough to better understand planning concepts and who would like to become involved in the shaping of urban planning decisions.
• The local entrepreneurs who are affected by planning decisions and would like to develop their capacity to take part in the process.
• The planners who can improve their skills on new planning and design technologies and their ability to engage more effectively in a dialogue with the local stakeholders, thus enlightening and nurturing the participatory procedures.
• The local competent authorities who can train planning personnel in the use of advanced planning ICT-based tools to set the course for a democratic planning process.
• The universities which can jointly formulate learning material, develop further and test laboratory applications of "user-friendly" design and mapping tools, that may become part of the curricula at the national and European level.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The project aims to facilitate effective public participation in planning, through the development and use of advanced ICT applications. To this effect the project examines the existing theory and practice; seeks to identify the needs in skill capacity by both the planners and the citizens; develops innovative ICT training material suitable for the participation process; and encourages the community and the professionals to use the training tools and become involved in the participation process.