Youth Consultations - How was it done in Sweden?

Young people from across the world have been engaging in our Youth Consultations! Our Youth Consultations are a space for young people to come together, reflect discuss their futures. We want to hear your proposed solutions to transform our area into safer and sustainable spaces, considering topics such as health, environment, human rights, equality, poverty and other issues related to road safety and mobility. What issues do you face on the road? What could make your journeys safer? What needs to change?

Young people from Sweden recently completed a Youth Consultation using the simple Step-by-Step Guide. We caught up with consultation leader HelenaHelena Sjöberg to get insight into how the consultation was set up and what made it successful.

Where did you conduct your Youth Consultation?  
The youth consultation was conducted at the headquarters of the Swedish Transport Administration in Borlänge, Dalarna region, Sweden.

Where did you find your participants?
I found the participants by looking into who at my department matched the profile – we’re not that many below 29 working at my department at the administration so it was quick work.

How did you bring them together?
I casually explained the project when we were having lunch, and since all of them seemed positive and interested in participating, I sent them an invite via email.

What were the major issues identified by the group?
The group identified three major issues in Borlänge. Firstly, that the transport system is designed in a way that makes it unclear for many road users how they’re supposed to move around safely. Secondly, that many of the inhabitants of Borlänge are “car-addicted”, and have a hard time switching to more sustainable transport modes, even when these are available. Thirdly, that because of the car-addiction, the transport system and infrastructure in Borlänge is planned from the car users perspective, meaning that vulnerable road users often find the infrastructure lacking measures to keep them safe.

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What were the solutions identified?
The participants identified that part of the solution was to make the decision makers and city planners of Borlänge more aware of how to design an infrastructure that encourages sustainable modes of transport while protecting vulnerable road users. One way this could be achieved was by introducing international best practice-cases.

What went well?  
The group was very interested in road safety and had a lot to say about safe vs. unsafe areas from their own experiences. It helped that all of the participants were familiar with and moved around within the same area of Borlänge that we were discussing.
 
What was the youth’s commitment to safe mobility?
The group committed to be more active both in their professional roles within the administration, and in their personal lives, to promote road safety and to set good examples through their own behavior in the road transport system.

Top tips for other young people wanting to conduct youth consultations?
Just get out there! The transport system and road safety is something most people are passionate about, even when they don’t realize it at first. Also, set aside a lot of time for the creative expression – creativity does not have time limit.

Any final words about the consultation? Did you enjoy it?
It was so interesting and rewarding to discuss traffic safety with youths who do not usually work with it in the same way that I do. There are so many perspectives to take into account if we are going to create a transport system that is sustainable and inclusive for all, and I’m glad I got to take part of some of these.