Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce the Youth Bike Summit! Inspired by the League of American Bicyclist's
National Bike Summit that takes place each year in
Washington DC, the Youth Bike Summit will address youth, cycling,
education,
and advocacy. We are currently seeking speakers, workshop leaders, and
moderators for the three day conference. Please feel free to share and distribute this information as you see fit. If you'd like to speak or lead a workshop, please visit Recycle-A-Bicycle's website. And
be sure to save the date!
WHEN: Friday January 14 - Sunday January 16, 2011
WHERE: The New School in New York, NY
DESCRIPTION: The Youth Bike Summit is a three day gathering geared toward students,
educators, and advocates in New York City and in the Northeast United
States. The conference aims to bring people from different
educational disciplines together to explore, network, and learn how
bicycling can be a legitimate and safe form of transportation for
today's youth. With this mission in mind, the Youth Bike Summit will
offer educational workshops and panel discussions on subjects ranging
from how to advocate for bike lanes to basic bike maintenance. It will
also provide tools and information on fundraising and best practices for
schools that wish to incorporate bikes into the physical fabric of the
learning environment.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE:
- Friday (6pm-9pm): Welcome + Registration
- Saturday (9am-6pm): The full-day program will
consist of Breakfast, Workshop Sessions, a Keynote Lunch, a "Speed
Learning" Session, and a Tabling Area for Schools, Organizations,
Community Groups, Bike Shops, Sponsors, etc.
Workshop Categories: Environment, Education, Policy, Management, and DIY (Do-It-Yourself)
Workshop Topics May Include: How to plan a bike-friendly neighborhood, How to get rid of traffic congestion, Cycling infrastructure, Bicycles as a form of sustainable transportation, Pedal Power and Carbon Footprint/Impact, How is foreign oil and wars related to youth and bicycling?, How to start an Earn-A-Bike program, How to start a Ride Club, How to conduct a Learn to Ride program, Bike Drivers Education, Bike Maintenance 101, Safe Routes to School, Map making as an organizing tool, Social Media, Fundraising, Directors Panel/Best Practices, Youth Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Student Organizing, etc.
- Sunday (10am-1pm): Interactive brunch with moderated breakout sessions that
explore a) cycling issues that youth
feel are most important and b) specific ways to be
proactive in addressing these issues.
ADMISSION: $10.00 per person for the three-day event
HISTORY: In
March 2010, Recycle-A-Bicycle attended the National
Bike Summit with two high school interns who had completed a
comprehensive job training and Earn-A-Bike program at
RAB. Both participants learned they loved bicycles and expressed an
interest in learning more about how bicycling fits into policy, the
environment, social entrepreneurship, and community-building.
Traveling to Washington DC for the first time, the 17 year old
participants explored the
nation's capital on an 8 mile bike tour led by a representative
of WABA (Washington Area Bicyclist Association) and met with elected
officials. Needless to say, we learned a lot. As we debriefed on the bus
ride home, we discussed the importance of engaging youth in the
national dialogue of cycling and cycling education. As a result, the
idea of the Youth Bike Summit came into being. Both young advocates have
been active participants in the planning of the conference thus far.
Photos of our trip to DC can be seen here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Recycle-A-Bicycle/62453932286?v=photos&ref=ts#!/album.php?aid=159466&id=62453932286 and in this video by Streetfilms: http://www.streetfilms.org/voices-from-the-national-bike-summit/
FOR MORE INFORMATION: More information can be found on Facebook and Recycle-A-Bicycle's Website
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and thank you for all the wonderful work you do! I look forward to hearing your ideas!
Best regards,
Pasqualina