Project title: Safer Cycling and Walking Routes to Schools in Rural Areas
Project start date: 01/03/2022
Duration:12 months
Project end date: 01/03/2023
Project ID: KA210-SCH-611147DF
Coordinator of the project:
Opstinsko osnovno uciliste Petre Pop Arsov, s.Bogomila, Cashka, The Republic of North Macedonia
Partner Organizations:
Eco Logic, The Republic of North Macedonia
Vuelta Sportegyesület, The Republic of North Macedonia
Context/Background
Rural communities across European countries have a special need for safer routes to/from school, emphasizing walking and cycling as sustainable means of transport. On the other key stakeholders such as schools (teachers and pupils), parents, car drivers, civil society and municipalities need to put additional focus on the topic of road safety, emphasizing the ones that are the most vulnerable – the pupils. But, putting focus on this issue requires specific skills, knowledge and experience in order for all stakeholders to play a significant and efficient role in improving the mobility conditions of pupils in rural areas.
Objectives:
-Objective 1: To set the base for future actions for improvement of children’s (pupils) road safety in rural areas, thus contributing towards sustainable development of schools in rural areas.
-Outcome 1: A document: “Recommendations for improvement of sustainable mobility conditions for cycling and walking of pupils (safer routes to schools)” is developed with efforts, experience and knowledge from all involved schools and organizations.
-Objective 2: To increase the level of skills and knowledge of teachers and pupils regarding safer commuting from/to schools in rural areas,
-Outcome 2: A pack of informational/educational presentations is prepared, presented, and disseminated within the target primary schools from rural areas.
-Objective 3: Awareness raising and experience sharing among teachers from the target primary schools from rural areas on different mobility realities: Macedonia & Hungary
-Outcome 3: Delivery of a study visit (networking and exchange of experiences) in Hungary – mobility of teachers (school staff)
*Link to priorities:
-Objective 1: directly linked to the priority of “Development of disadvantaged rural and urban areas”, and “Community Development”, through the strengthening of the rural teacher profile as active citizens that are responsible for positive changes in their own micro context – schools in (disadvantaged) rural areas. This will be realized through the involvement of the teachers in the identification of challenges for rural mobility and development of according document with recommendations.
– Objective 2: directly linked to the priority of “Supporting teachers, school leaders, and other teaching professions” through the support they will receive from the participating organizations as part of the activities foreseen for increasing the level of skills and knowledge regarding the topics of interest. The partner organizations will adequately select, prepare and present materials and knowledge to the involved teachers through the planned presentations and workshops. This objective is also linked to the priority of “development of key competencies” taking the fact that the teachers involved will gain Interpersonal skills, and the ability to adopt new competencies.
-Objective 3: directly linked to the priority of “Inclusion and diversity in all fields of education, training, and sport”, and “Development of key competencies” through the thematic study visits, exchange of experiences & best practices, thus opening new horizons of teachers, especially linked to the increase of the cultural awareness and expression
Activities:
- Development of a document with “Recommendations for improvement of sustainable mobility conditions for cycling and walking of pupils (safer routes to/from schools)
- Package with presentations/lessons plans for delivery of workshops on safer routes to/from school is developed)
- Study visit / mobility of Macedonian teachers in Hungary)
- Transnational meeting in Macedonia
