In March 2022 Modeshift, in partnership with The Bikeability Trust, was awarded funding by the Active Travel England to deliver a pilot Active Travel Ambassadors programme across England as a means to increase walking and cycling levels and encourage more secondary schools to produce a Modeshift STARS accredited Travel Plan.

The scheme involves training, resourcing, and supporting students to deliver actions in the school, to their peers and teachers. This approach is welcomed by teachers, it contributes to student leadership skills and academic results. Over the course of a school year, with the support from designated staff, Active Travel Ambassador (ATA) teams research and develop behaviour change campaigns focussing on active travel, road safety improving passenger experience.

A package of measures was prepared to offer pupils the skills, information and motivation to walk and/or cycle to school and for future.

Using the Active Travel Ambassadors youth engagement model, Modeshift recruited five fabulous ATA Coordinators who have been  working  with selected secondary schools to recruit between 6 and 12 Active Travel Ambassadors (ATAs) to deliver behaviour change campaigns to their peers, over the course of an academic year. Campaign initiatives can include themed assemblies, walking and cycling competitions and community events.

In order to give the school ATA groups the opportunity to develop and deliver effective campaigns they were recently  given the opportunity to present and receive feedback from transport professionals via Dragons Den style regional events.  Students had the opportunity to pitch for funding of up to £250 to support their campaign ideas.  All the schools were awarded the funding after demonstrating their commitment and successes at their individual schools, and creative campaign plans to increase levels of active travel!

Here are the results so far!

Here are our brilliant ATA’s in action!