Youth En Route
Inspiring safe, active travel to school and beyond
Students at Robert Thirsk HS adjust gears on a bike during outdoor education class.About Youth En Route
Look at any bike rack at a High School on a sunny day. Chances are you won’t find many bikes. For many youth, bikes were fun in elementary school, but usage as a mode of transportation decreases with age.
Why? It’s more difficult than you might think. Many schools have bike racks that aren’t secure. Student’s don’t have strong U-Locks and are worried about theft. Students who only see Calgary from the seat of a car don’t know the safest routes or the rules for biking. At one of our schools, 11 per cent of students told us they’d never ridden a bike.
This is why Youth En Route was created in 2021. We want youth to have a green, healthy choice to get to school. Our programming and projects empower youth to be able to make this choice.
Take a look at what we are doing:
Youth en Route delivers adaptive trikes to special classes in CBE High Schools
See our recent posts
Bike Bike rack gives broken bikes a new stationary life
We’re hiring a Website and Communication Assistant
Inspiring maps to get you on your way
Spring clean up season means bike donations
Adaptive Bike Project gets special kids rolling
Video aims to reduce bike theft in Calgary
About Us
About our Organization:
Youth En Route aims to break down the barriers that stop students from using active transportation to get to school. It could be lack of secure storage facilities, not knowing the safest or easiest routes to use or lack of basic equipment – wheels, helmet or locks. We will help on all fronts. We will engage to understand the barriers, and then secure funding, partners and provide support to break them down.
Mission
Youth en Route champions, inspires and supports active transportation to school and beyond.
Vision
Youth are empowered to use active and independent ways to get where they are going.
Incorporated on May 11, 2021 as 13008037 Canada Association. Registered Charity 758178461RR0001
Shiv Ruparell: Chair
Laura Shutiak: Executive Director
Join us in supporting active student transportation! We always welcome new groups to partner with. Let’s work together on shared infrastructure, ideas and equipment – to make all of our funds go further, and get more kids out of cars and using independent, active and green transportation.
How to get involved
There are various ways that you can get involved in our initiative.