Alternative mobility concepts for pupils in rural areas Erasmus Project

Project Title

Alternative mobility concepts for pupils in rural areas

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Environment and climate change; Transport and mobility; Rural development and urbanisation

Project Summary

In the bilateral school partnership project of the grammar school IES San Blas in Añover de Tajo (Castilla-La Mancha, Spain) and the Handelslehranstalten in Lohne (Lower Saxony, Germany), 3 to 4 teachers and 10 to 15 students of the 11th grades participate in an exchange program which has been planned for a period of two years. Whilst the IES San Blas is a grammar school, the applicants of the Handelslehranstalten attend a business college. The applicants of both schools are between 16 and 19 years old.
In both rural regions there is just a very rudimental public transport system which results in a high dependency of the population on the car as a method of transportation since there are no alternative mobility options. The mobility deficits in rural areas affect pupils as well as numerous parents, who are often used as ‘parent taxis’ to take children and young people to school, sports or friends. For both, parents and students, dependence on the car can therefore mean a loss in quality of life. In addition, in both regions the nearest bigger city centres can be reached by car in about 30 minutes and by public transport in about 45 – 60 minutes. At present, the private car is often the only way to reach services of general interest in both regions within an acceptable time.
Based on the analysis of the described mobility problems in rural areas, the two project partner schools splitted the goal of the project into three parts: At first, the participating pupils, teachers and other school staff become aware of their own behaviour regarding their mobility. Afterwards, different alternative mobility concepts are presented to them. Finally they are supposed to change their mobility behaviour in a sustainable way or make it more resource saving, healthier and independent.
This primarily refers to the daily way to school, which many of the participants could manage by taking a bicycle. Hence, a major goal of both schools is to significantly increase the proportion of people who come to school by bicycle or e-bike during the project period.
Especially for larger distances, a carpooling app to be created during the project should be an additional offer to make the way to school more resource saving. Due to the rather rural organisation of school bus transport in both regions, the journey is often covered by car. The introduction and use of the carpooling app intends to reduce the number of individual car journeys and increase the number of carpools.
At the beginning of the two-year project period, the participants will create a mobility diary in which they enter their daily distances. The analysis of the diaries, the statistical evaluation of surveys which have been filled out by students, teachers and school staff as well as the excursions and action days in Spain and Germany are intended to raise the participants’ awareness of alternative mobility concepts and contribute to change their behaviour.
During the excursions in Germany the participants will get to know the local mobility concept moobil+, the bicycle manufacturer Derby Cycle and the Hub Chain project. The excursion to Madrid will be themed “Mobility in a metropolis” and the World Heritage city of Toledo will be visited under the aspect of “Mobility in a historic old town”.
The action days “Bicycle for Future” and “El día de la bicicleta” are intended to highlight bicycles/E-bikes as a resource saving and healthy form of mobility and to encourage a switch to the two-wheeler as a means of transport for the way to school. As a result, the participants will create a mobile action plan in which they will consider how they will change their mobility behaviour and which of the alternative mobility concepts they will use.
During a business game, the participants slip into the role of various stakeholders (e.g. politicians, citizens’ initiatives, transport companies) who want to ensure long-term mobility in a fictitious rural town.
In the long term, the circle of users of the carpooling app can be extended to other schools, but also to the companies of the trainees or apprentices of the schools.
At the end of the project, a written concept for a resource saving and healthy way to school should be created. This concept should in the long run serve as a guidance for both schools and be included in the school programme.
The positive outcomes of a sustainable, healthier and more independent mobility do not simply regard the ways to school but also those to sports and leisure time activities. Consequently, the project is supposed to support more independence from the car on the whole and therefore to have a positive impact of the appeal of rural areas in general.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 65977 Eur

Project Coordinator

Berufsbildende Schulen I des Landkreises Vechta & Country: DE

Project Partners

• IES San Blas