PlayForward
shared spaces → social cohesion → local resilience
A global community development and youth engagement initiative designed to create safe, inclusive spaces where children and families can learn, connect, and thrive through play.
Play is essential social infrastructure supporting physical health, social development, emotional regulation, and community cohesion. This program focuses on accessible, community-led environments that foster belonging, resilience, and long-term well-being, particularly in underserved contexts.
Through intentional design, local collaboration, and sustainable implementation, communities are supported to:
Create safe, inclusive play and recreation spaces
Strengthen social connection and community cohesion
Support child development, well-being, and positive youth engagement
Activate shared spaces for education, culture, and intergenerational participation
PlayForward strengthens community resilience by building spaces for connection not tied to a single location, structure, or moment, but designed for lasting impact across generations.
Seanny Canning, Board Member + Local Program Liaison and Field Coordinator
“Esto no se trata solo de construir un parque — se trata de restaurar la alegría, la seguridad y la conexión en nuestra comunidad. Every shovel of soil, every smile from a child, every tree we plant together matters. I’m honored to be part of something that brings life back to where it’s needed most.”
Building and Sustaining Kids’ Parks Aligns with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages because a child’s mental and physical well-being begins with the freedom to move, play, and feel safe.
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Encourages physical activity through play, reducing risks of obesity and sedentary-related diseases.
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Provides a safe, joyful environment to reduce childhood stress, anxiety, and isolation.
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Strengthens intergenerational bonds and family wellness by creating shared gathering space.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable because you can’t have a “sustainable city” if kids have nowhere to safely play.
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Brings green space to an underserved community currently without a safe, nearby park.
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Built using sustainable materials and community-informed design.
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Serves as a model for balancing development and livability in smaller, overlooked areas.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development, because one park can show the world how partnership, equity, and joy can bring about real change.
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Encourages physical activity through play, reducing risks of obesity and sedentary-related diseases.
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Provides a safe, joyful environment to reduce childhood stress, anxiety, and isolation.
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Strengthens intergenerational bonds and family wellness by creating shared gathering space.
