Youth VideoVoice Engagement in Healthy Transportation Equity

This session will guide participants through a unique partnership between high school youth, educators and California WALKS in a healthy transportation equity data collection and engagement VideoVoice project. VideoVoice is a process by which community members self-select and collect video data on existing health and safety conditions and desired outcomes - from their perspective. Multiple outcomes are achieved including 1) education about safety, walkability and healthy transportation equity, 2) developing youth capacity and video skills as a research and communication tool for community planning, policy and environmental change, 3) partnering of youth with environmental equity civic leaders to build youth motivation, leadership and workforce development, with contributions to a worldwide Civic Voices project, and 4) developing a documented curriculum, with case study evaluation including lessons learned.

This project is timely for APHA 2012 as California climate action law (SB 375) now requires each regional transportation plans to include a sustainable community strategy reducing vehicle-related greenhouse gas emissions. Emerging strategies include increasing walking, bicycling and transit, with a great need for effective youth and community engagement. Youth-identified concerns, priorities and strategies are invaluable in local and regional processes. This work emphasizes a student-community partnership bringing youth voice into the dialogue for healthy, equitable transportation planning and programs and investments policy.

The presentation will focus on project process, outcomes and replicability for maximum participant benefit.