Taoyuan: Youth Participatory Budgeting Initiative for the Taoyuan International Airport Noise Prevention Fund

The Youth Participatory Budgeting for Airport Noise Prevention Fund involved transforming traditional fund allocation processes into an innovative democratic model engaging high school students in Taoyuan's airport noise prevention zone. This pioneering initiative represents Taiwan's first implementation of participatory budgeting in airport noise prevention fund management.

The practice addressed historical gaps in community participation by empowering youth to directly influence NT$3 million in public fund allocation. Through structured deliberation processes combining World Café methodology with digital engagement tools, 4,218 students across four schools participated in proposal development, public deliberation, and voting.

Key innovations include:

• Shift from administrative to participatory decision-making

• Hybrid engagement combining physical and digital participation

• Youth-centric design emphasizing student empowerment

• Comprehensive capacity building program

• Sustainable institutional framework

The initiative achieved multiple objectives:

• Enhanced fund allocation efficiency

• Strengthened democratic participation

• Built youth civic capacity

• Created replicable engagement model

• Improved community-government relations

The success demonstrates the potential for participatory democracy to transform public resource allocation while building lasting civic engagement capacity among young people. This model provides valuable lessons for similar initiatives seeking to enhance democratic participation in public administration.    

For more information: https://www.noise.tydep.gov.tw/MoneyBack.aspx?gid=139