Get Cyced

Our goal is to encourage cycling and walking amongst our school and local community, from our numerous, workshops, events and initiatives. We want to convey cycling as a fun activity for people to join in on, rather than a chore. We also aim to get a cycle to school scheme proposed to the government. This scheme would grant secondary level students with a €100 voucher for a bike. It would work similarly to the bike to work scheme, but would increase the number of students travelling to school by bike as it would grant them with the equipment to do so. We have wonderful cycling infrastructure in our town and we would love to see it being used regularly. Another main goal of ours is to develop an app that would work by tracking kilometres walked or cycled. There will be a point system in place where kilometres will be turned into points that are redeemable in local businesses in the form of a voucher or discount. This will increase foot traffic and support for our local businesses as well as providing people with an incentive to cycle or walk.

Our Social Issue

Our issue of social concern focuses on the fact that the car has become so essential in recent years. We took a look to our local community and noticed that a number of our peers who live within walking or cycling distance of school, choose to take the car as its easier and more convenient. We decided on this issue as cars pollute the air with emissions and create traffic in our local area. If people could choose to walk or cycle short distances, it would remove a great amount of traffic and pollution from our town, as well as increase fitness and encourage an active lifestyle amongst peers.

Why We Chose It

Our team decided to focus on our issue as we noticed that many of our peers who live close to school, choose to take the car, as its easier and more convenient. This creates unnecessary traffic and pollution from car emissions. This issue is very important as it affects so many people and because of the massive amount of work that has gone into our town and schools cycling facilities and infrastructure, yet it isnt used. We feel strongly about this issue because it can be solved by just making a small change, but collectively can make a tremendous impact.

Our Goal

Get Cyced aims to create a positive image for cycling and active travel, and to present it as a fun activity for everyone to join. The Get Cyced team want to achieve this by making cycling more enjoyable, encouraged and supported. We aim to get a Cycle to School scheme in place to make cycling more accessible for students. Another goal that we have is to create an app, that we were granted support for, by the YSI den, that would provide people with motivation and an incentive to travel by cycling or walking.

Our Innovative Action

We visited the ploughing championships to ask people their primary mode of transport, also surveying our school, we found that most people use their cars! We organised an event with the primary schools and rewarded students for cycling to school, and held a bake sale and raffle for Cycle against Suicide. We created a competition in our school that rewards the top cyclists monthly. We were granted means from the YSI den to create an app.We organised a Bike/walk to school day. Recently, we held a cycle safety workshop in a primary school and students decorated Hi-Vis vests.

Our Impact

Firstly our project has made a positive difference on us. We grew as people by leadership, empathy, and problem-solving skills through hands-on, community driven experiences. Our project has made an impact on the environment as we continue to campaign to get cars off the road and reinforce the usage of bikes. Our project has made a positive difference on our community not only bringing our school together but also our town. Our project also promotes a healthy lifestyle which had a positive impact on people’s general wellbeing. Our project also has a positive impact on transport accessibility and sustainability.