Young people across West Yorkshire are being challenged to help drive the future of greener travel, as part of a skills initiative from operators Arriva, First and Transdev alongside the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) which has engaged over 8,000 young people to date.
The bus operators and WYCA, together forming the West Yorkshire Bus Alliance, are entering the third year of their education engagement programme delivered by Ahead Partnership, which is designed to inspire young people to learn more about the public transport sector and promote greener modes of travel through ‘hands-on’ activities and real-life challenge briefs.
Aligned with broader ambitions to tackle the climate change emergencies declared within the region, the latest exciting activity, the Bus to the Future challenge, was recently launched by Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire.
Secondary school and college students were invited to create a piece of media such as a poster, social media campaign, animation or even a TikTok that persuades friends and family to use the bus for their journeys. As well as offering students the opportunity to develop skills like creativity and communication and get a glimpse into careers in areas like transport, marketing and environmental sciences, the challenge gave entrants the chance to win a goody bag of prizes including bus travel vouchers.
The Mayor said: “In West Yorkshire we’ve set ambitious targets to take responsibility and help address the climate challenges we face, and the way we use transport is central to these efforts. Young people have an integral role to play in this, as the future of the workforce who can help lead the way to deliver action that makes a difference. The Bus to the Future challenge is a really practical way for young people to help promote greener modes of travel. By giving young people a better understanding of public transport, and providing the opportunity to develop the skills needed to work in this industry, we can in turn support young people to pursue rewarding careers in the sector.”
The challenge is open to any young people aged 11-18 years old and living in West Yorkshire, and entries must be submitted by 31 March 2022.
