Fun and freedom
Youth & Commute
A structured approach for increasing the mobility of marginalized youth is a project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union and is addressing green transport and mobility, road safety literacy, mobility and inclusion.
Period:
01.03.2022 – 01.09.2024
Countries involved:
- Austria
- Bulgaria
- North Macedonia
- Sweden
- Turkey
Donor:
European Union
Program:
Erasmus + Programme, Cooperation partnerships in youth
Lead partner:
Verein InterAktion
All partners:
- Yaratanlar Derneği (Antalya Value Creators Organization)
- Eco Logic
- SDRUZHENIE RE-ACT
- MOBILIZING EXPERTISE AB
Contacts:
Lyuben Georgiev
luben@re-act.bg
Documents:
Free downloadables from official WEBSITE
Hashtags:
#youthandcommute #erasmusplus #urbancommuting #bike #bicycle #sustainability #sustainablecommuting
Useful links:
What is Youth & Commute ?
Youth & Commute is a structured approach for increasing the mobility of marginalized youth by promoting the use of bicycles.
With this project we are addressing green transport and mobility, road safety literacy and the mobility and inclusion of young refugees, migrants and other groups living at the margins of the society.
In some cases, it is even an additional source of revenue. The current number of jobs directly related to cycling in the EU is estimated at 650,000, with the potential for a million more.
This opens up many opportunities for many young people to find a dynamic and active job or even open their own business. Therefore, the YOUTH & COMMUTE project consortium also brings out the entrepreneurial aspects of this industry.
Lack of accessibility to transportation services and systems leads to social exclusion and the bicycle provides target groups with low-cost mobility, which is a prerequisite for social inclusion.
With the right knowledge and practical skills, bicycling becomes a very affordable way to get around cities, sometimes faster than mass transit.
There are also the added health benefits of cycling, which in turn will help people get fitter and reduce the number of obese people in Europe.
OBJECTIVES
Our main goal is to increase access to bicycles by creating a structured approach to working with marginalized youth to gain skills, knowledge, and motivation to become daily bicycle commuters.
Through national research, we identified the causes and barriers that prevent our target groups, as well as local youth, from using bicycles. We have developed a program with results designed to address the shortcomings.
RESULTS
1) An innovative, user-friendly package of materials (Fix & Ride) that aims to increase the mobility of marginalized youth by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets to access low-cost mobility and social inclusion opportunities.
2) The Front-Line Equip & Empower In-Service Training Program is designed for youth workers, special social workers, and non-formal educators to…
(a) Present the materials developed as part of the project on bicycling, road safety, bicycle purchase and maintenance, and environmentally friendly transportation.
(b) Understand the importance of a tailored, structured approach and a coherent communication strategy when working with marginalized youth
(c) Understand the cultural aspects of cycling practices.
(d) Understand the principles and benefits of integrated learning environments with youth.
(e) Understand the principles and benefits of using video, storytelling, and gamification strategies when working with marginalized youth to overcome stereotypes.
3) A user-friendly online portal that provides a multilingual and interactive online platform to enable full access to the materials developed under the project for the target groups and stakeholders.
4) YOUTH & COMMUTE ORG as a non-formal organization in the form of a strategy in all partner countries; a system that can be easily set up in all partner countries of the project, but also replicated across Europe.