Environmental Studies Centre - Active and autonomous mobility to school

Children icons

The boys and girls of our 21st century occidental societies are progressively becoming less active and less autonomous in their movements throughout the city.

The increase in parentally-perceived risks associated with motorised traffic and residential insecurity has significantly influenced the reduction of child autonomy in travelling in their immediate surroundings without adult supervision.

The project for the encouragement of active and autonomous child mobility is set up in the context of the Plan for Sustainability Mobility and Public Space in Vitoria-Gasteiz and is based on the findings expressed by Francesco Tonucci in his work "The city of children" about the rights and the need for minors be able to move safely and autonomously in our city streets and for children to recover public space for their use and enjoyment.

In this framework, school participants in the School Agenda 21 in Vitoria-Gasteiz are working on the promotion of active and autonomous mobility in the commute to schools with the aim of intervening in public space; on the collective perception of the relations between the city and children; and on childhood education to encourage their ability to discover the immediate surroundings and remove obstacles that limit child autonomy.

> Declaración institucional del Pleno municipal en apoyo a la movilidad activa y autónoma

Schools

List of schools taking part in the initiative:

Milestones

June 2014: Decision of School Agenda 21 coordinators regarding school participants in School Agenda 21 to discuss the issue of active and autonomous mobility in commuting to school.
18 September 2014: Workshop with School Agenda 21 coordinating teachers to hold a group reflection about how to launch the project in their respective schools.
18 September 2014: Urban Ecology Room. María Sintes. School Commutes. A tool to take back the street and child autonomy.
22 September 2014: Project launch event and presentation to residents. Cyclist parade, manifesto reading, and group photo. SUSPENDED DUE TO RAIN
October 2014: Commitment of the Schools to the project for active and autonomous mobility to school.
October and November 2014: Begin conducting surveys for the analysis of mobility to school.
7 October: Workshop directed towards faculty for the production of an assessment of the public spaces near schools in relation to the active commutes to school (on foot, by scooter, or by bicycle)
21 October: Workshop directed towards faculty to communicate the results of the school commute assessment on Google Maps.
31 October: Institutional declaration from the plenary session of the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council to support the project for active and autonomous mobility in school commutes.
31 October: Theatrical performances run by Eneko Etxebarrieta to familiarize children from 1st and 2nd years of Primary Education with bicycles as a mobility alternative in commuting around the city.
3 November: Safe bicycle traffic courses begin in schools directed towards children from 5th and 6th years of Primary Education and 1st and 2nd years of Secondary Education.
21 November: Execution of 1st workshop with parents to reflect on the barriers that make school commute projects difficult and on the opportunities that favour child autonomy across school routes.
4 December: Safe pedestrian traffic workshops begin directed towards schoolchildren from 3rd and 4th years of Primary Education.
4 December: 1st workshop on bicycle maintenance and the use of appropriate safety devices directed towards students from 3rd and 4th years of Secondary Education, college students ('Bachillerato'), and other training modules.

Documents

Links

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