LinK4All Partners with YOURS Academy to Pioneer Youth-Led Road Safety Action in the Philippines

LinK4All Partners with YOURS Academy to Pioneer Youth-Led Road Safety Action in the Philippines

by | Jun 24, 2025 | New Partnerships, News & Blog, Project Launches

At YOURS – Youth for Road Safety, we know that meaningful change begins with equipping young leaders with the knowledge and tools to transform road safety in their communities. Yet, too often, road safety planning happens without the people most affected by unsafe roads: youth, local communities, and the professionals who shape transportation policies.

That’s why we’re proud to announce a groundbreaking step forward in a new collaboration between our mutli-award-winning YOURS Academy and Ligtas na Kalsada for All (LinK4All) Project in Western Visayas, Philippines. This marks the first time a regional government has integrated our global evidence-based training t into official road safety action planning.

Road safety policies and initiatives are too often developed based on traditional assumptions of what works, without the voices of those most affected and youth initiatives are often only aimed at education. , young people and local communities. The LinK4All x YOURS Academy collaboration flips this script. This partnership changes that. Through this Road Safety Online Training Program, 50 young leaders, government planners, and private sector professionals will undergo specialised training to develop the Western Visayas Road Safety Action Plan (WVRSAP), a blueprint for safer, more sustainable mobility in the region. This isn’t just another workshop; it’s a global first, proving that meaningful youth engagement and evidence-based learning must be at the heart of road safety solutions.

As Engineer and Filipino civil servant Ray Adrian explained, the project will develop a comprehensive road safety action plan that will establish priority action points for the region over three years. Ray has been actively involved in the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety and saw first-hand the transformative educational programme of the self-paced YOURS Academy. In his role in the Government of the Philippines, he championed the Academy’s usage in a systematic programme to ensure road safety practitioners in his country are equipped with crucial road safety knowledge that will inform better solutions for the Road Safety Action Plan.

In an opening message from Emillio S. Diez, President of Iloilo Business Club Inc., “We are gathered here today not just to unveil a new training platform but to mark a significant step forward in our collective journey toward safer roads and a more empowered and informed community.”

This initiative is special because road safety policies are often created for communities rather than with them and this programme gives road safety planners an insight in the scope of the road safety problem, the lived realities of youth and the particular issues that are affecting them.

  •       It’s youth-centred. Empowering Youth as Leaders, Not Just Beneficiaries: By prioritising young professionals and planners, the initiative ensures the next generation of decision-makers are already champions of safer roads.
  •       It Bridges Global Expertise with Local Action: The YOURS Academy—an award-winning  an online self-paced and interactive training platform—will equip participants with the latest evidence-based strategies, from the Safe System Approach to the ties between road safety and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This ensures the WVRSAP isn’t just theoretical but rooted in proven global best practices and specific issues young people are advocating for through the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety.
  •       It Bridges Sectors for Shared Responsibility: With participants from government, academia, private businesses, and youth organisations, the program embodies the truth that road safety is everyone’s business.

“.. And I must commend you. You know! Capacity development is often seen as an afterthought in terms of understanding the road safety principles, theories and methods. It’s exciting to see a government believe in our brain-friendly methodology to empower real road safety decision making on the ground,” Manpreet Darroch, YOURS Capacity Development Director, highlighted during the launch.

The YOURS Academy Difference

The YOURS Academy shoots from an expert-led evidence-based background, with key global thought leaders like the George Institute for Global Health, John’s Hopkins University and the World Health Organisation contributing to its content. globa and  It provides youth with access to information, motivation, resources, and skills that they can apply in local and global initiatives as road safety leaders and advocates. The Academy presents the data-rich modules in an easy-to-follow, engaging, and gamified format aimed to resonate well with young people, giving it rave reviews. 

Since its launch, YOURS Academy has trained thousands of young leaders worldwide in road safety advocacy and policy. This partnership with LinK4All reinforces its role as a global leader in youth capacity-building, now directly shaping regional policy in the Philippines.

A Milestone for Youth Leadership

This partnership proves what YOURS has long championed: Young people can’t just be recipients of road safety information aren’t just beneficiaries of road safety but can and do act as  essential partnersleaders in designing solutions that work. As DEPDev VI Regional Director, Engr. Arecio Casing, Jr. noted, “The YOURS academy training marks a crucial step in equipping the formulators of the Western Visayas Road Safety Action Plan with the knowledge and global best practices needed to design effective context-specific interventions.”

Follow the journey as these young leaders transform training into action, and stay tuned for more opportunities to engage with YOURS Academy’s global initiatives.

Learn more about YOURS Academy: claimingourspace.org/yours-academy

YOURS joins SuM4All: Elevating youth voices in global mobility

YOURS joins SuM4All: Elevating youth voices in global mobility

by | Jun 24, 2025 | New Partnerships, News & Blog

Sustainable mobility is a global challenge and a shared mission. As cities grow, temperatures rise, and traffic-related deaths remain alarmingly high, the need to redesign transport systems has never been more urgent. Safer, greener, and more inclusive mobility is not just a goal; it’s a necessity.

That’s why initiatives like Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All) matter. SuM4All is a powerful global platform that brings together over 60 organisations, from UN agencies and development banks to civil society and the private sector, to shape a common agenda for the future of mobility. And now, youth have a seat at that table. We’re proud to share that YOURS – Youth for Road Safety is officially part of the SuM4All Consortium!

As the only youth-led organisation focused on road safety and sustainable mobility within the consortium, YOURS brings the creativity, determination and global reach of a movement driven by young people. Our role is clear: ensure youth are not only present in the conversation, but fully shaping the direction of sustainable transport solutions.

“It is a true honour for YOURS to have been accepted to join the Sustainable Mobility for All (Sum4All) initiative and contribute to the collective mission of creating safer, more equitable, and sustainable transport systems worldwide. We believe that young people must be at the centre of global mobility solutions, and through meaningful collaboration, they can contribute to and influence global dialogues on sustainable mobility.  With Sum4All and its partners, we look forward to bringing youth vision to the initiative’s important work, fostering innovation, creativity, technology, and other hands-on elements, and ensuring that youth-led perspectives are integral to shaping policies and initiatives that affect their present and future.”  Raquel Barrios, Executive Director of YOURS.

This milestone builds on what YOURS has already been doing around the world. Through our Local Actions initiative, young leaders are designing and leading projects that connect road safety with climate, accessibility, and equity in their communities. These efforts prove that youth-led change is not just possible, it’s powerful. Discover Local Actions here. 

With SuM4All, we’ll amplify that impact. Together, we’ll ensure that road safety remains at the core of global mobility conversations and that youth-led ideas help shape practical, inclusive solutions.

Being part of SuM4All unlocks new opportunities for YOURS: joining expert working groups, contributing to global strategies, and building partnerships that strengthen advocacy and action. This isn’t just a new membership—it’s a meaningful step forward in embedding youth leadership at the heart of sustainable mobility.

Learn more about SuM4All: https://www.sum4all.org

YouthOnTrack kicks off in the State of Mexico with the first virtual session

YouthOnTrack kicks off in the State of Mexico with the first virtual session

by | Jun 18, 2025 | News & Blog, Project Launches

More than 15,000 people die on the roads in Mexico each year, and young motorcyclists are among the most affected. In the State of Mexico, the numbers are even more alarming, with traffic crashes being a leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 29. Faced with this reality, YOURS – Youth for Road Safety, in partnership with the Autoliv Safety Foundation and Liga Peatonal, launched YouthOnTrack, a programme to enable young leaders to take action for safer streets.

The programme kicked off on 7 June with an introductory session where participants had the chance to connect, share their motivations, and explore what it means to lead change from the ground up. That space set the tone for a powerful and participatory process. On 14 June, the first content-based session brought the group together again to explore the root causes of road traffic injuries and the specific challenges young motorcyclists face. Fifteen participants from Mexico State joined the session, engaging in dialogue and reflection with experts and peers.

“Road safety is an issue that deeply affects our country, which is why initiatives like this are so valuable. They help raise awareness and empower us to take part and become active voices for this vision of change.” Ricardo Rodríguez, Communications Coordinator at Autoliv, gave his welcome remarks during the orientation session.

The session introduced the Safe System approach and helped participants link national statistics to their local realities. It also created space for personal reflection, and for many, it was a turning point in how they viewed their role as youth in road safety. “During the sessions, we learn about statistics and understand why it is crucial to view motorcyclists as vulnerable users on the road, especially given the lack of regulation and infrastructure that supports their safety. My expectation at the end of the program is to make an impact at both the municipal level and within the community to improve road safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.” Diana Bobadilla, a young participant in the program and Head of the Department of Mobility and Geostatistics in the Municipality of Toluca.

This is just the beginning of a four-part process that includes three virtual sessions and one in-person workshop in July. After the training, participants will lead their own community-based actions to promote motorcycle safety and share what they have learned with their peers.

“Youth are not just riders—they are key stakeholders in designing the future of motorcycle safety. This initiative recognises their vision, lived experiences, and leadership to continue positioning road safety as a non-negotiable value for future generations. To do so, through the #YouthOnTrack project, we are equipping young people with motorcycle safety knowledge so they are ready to lead change and make informed decisions. With the partnership we have formed between YOURS and Autoliv Safety Foundation, we foster a culture where safety is not imposed but co-created.” Raquel Barrios, Executive Director, YOURS

The programme is implemented closely with Liga Peatonal, a national organisation advocating for safer and more inclusive mobility in Mexico. “We are very excited to begin this journey through the State of Mexico, through the eyes of a group of talented young people, and accompanied by international experts.” Aldo González, Secretary General, Liga Peatonal

What’s next?

The following virtual session will take place on 21 June, and the in-person workshop is scheduled for 12 July. In the following months, participants will lead the design and implementation of their own local initiatives, sharing their message and inspiring others to reimagine road safety in their communities.

Stay tuned as these young changemakers take the following steps to create safer streets across the State of Mexico.

Where Local Voices Meet Global Change: A Story from India

Where Local Voices Meet Global Change: A Story from India

by | Jun 18, 2025 | News & Blog, Partnerships

Earlier this month, YOURS – Youth for Road Safety joined the Dialogue to Action: National Summit on VRUs and Road Safety (TRAX) as an official partner, delivering opening remarks through a video message by our Executive Director, Raquel Barrios. The summit brought together policymakers, researchers, civil society, and community leaders from across India to tackle the country’s urgent road safety challenges, especially those impacting vulnerable road users (VRUs) like pedestrians, cyclists, and young motorcyclists.

Our message was clear: young people must be at the centre of designing, implementing, and evaluating road safety solutions. Because when youth lead, mobility systems become more inclusive, responsive, and just.

And in India, this vision is already coming to life. In our journey to put young people at the centre of road safety, India has become a powerful reminder of what’s possible when youth-led action meets opportunity.

This is not a story of one project or one city. It’s a story about how local action, driven by passion and persistence, can spark the kind of change that ripples far beyond borders.

In the buzzing streets of Mumbai, a group of young people began asking hard questions. Why do potholes take months to fix? What happens when citizens are left out of decisions about their roads? Can youth help reshape the very systems that ignore them?

 

Meeting-the-Officers-under-Infrastructure-department-scaled.

That was the seed of Community Connect, a youth-led initiative launched by Akash Upase and carried forward by Pankhuri Jain through the Blue Ribbon Movement. Over the years, it mobilised hundreds of young people to take civic action, not just cleaning streets or filing complaints, but engaging directly with local officials to demand structural change.

It’s leadership built from lived experience, shaped by workshops, petitions, and the belief that cities get better when citizens are invited to build them.

In Delhi, another story was taking shape. This one involved metro pillars, bright colours, waste management, and a bold belief that art can be activism. Led by Shagun Sharma and the Vrikshit Foundation, the Clean India for Road Safety project brought together over 800 youth to clean, paint, and reclaim public spaces. But this wasn’t just a beautification project but a call to action.

Graffiti became messages, clean streets became safer crossings, and environmental justice became a conversation about road safety.It was local, creative, and deeply political in the best sense of the word: built by the people for the people.

Both of these stories, and many more across the globe,  were made possible through the Local Actions programme by YOURS. This programme supports young leaders with: Funding, mentorship and technical support, a global platform to share their impact, tools to connect with the broader road safety community; through Local Actions, YOURS, not just funding projects;  it is growing a movement of young advocates who are reimagining mobility from the ground up.

India isn’t the only country where young people are reimagining the streets they walk, ride, and live in. But it’s one of many where we see the power of our glocal approach in action: Working with young leaders locally to shape safer mobility systems globally.

From Tanzania to Colombia, from Morocco to the Philippines,  our Local Actions programme is scaling youth-led change, one street at a time. And as this global movement grows, we’re opening doors for deeper collaboration in countries like India, where momentum is real, and partnerships can take it further.

A Final Note of Gratitude

None of this momentum would be possible without allies like TRAX (Dialogue to Action: National Summit on VRUs and Road Safety), who share our belief in youth-led solutions. Thank you for being a steadfast partner in centring young voices—and for convening the policymakers, researchers, and advocates who turn dialogue into action.

If you’re working in India as a policymaker, funder, civil society group, or youth collective,  and believe in the power of youth to change systems, we’d love to talk. Contact Molly Stoneman at Molly@youthforroadsafety.org. 

Learn more about TRAX’s critical work here: trafficzam.com

YOURS at ITF 2025: Youth Voices Calling for Safer Vehicles and Smarter Policies

YOURS at ITF 2025: Youth Voices Calling for Safer Vehicles and Smarter Policies

by | May 23, 2025 | News & Blog

YOURS – Youth for Road Safety – joined global leaders in Leipzig, Germany, for the 2025 Summit of the International Transport Forum (ITF), the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers and mobility experts. Throughout the Summit, YOURS brought forward bold and urgent youth perspectives to ensure road safety remains a global priority.

Because there’s no sustainability without safety, and no meaningful planning without youth participation.

Calling for stronger global vehicle safety standards

As part of our advocacy efforts, YOURS joined over 30 organisations in signing a joint letter to Dr. Juan Carlos Muñoz, President of the 2025 ITF Summit and Chile’s Minister of Transport. The letter urged ministers to protect and strengthen global vehicle safety regulations — not weaken them.

The key asks included:

1. Encouraging Trade Ministers to avoid negotiating vehicle safety standards in trade deals

2. Supporting global collaboration through the UN World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations

3. Ensuring that recent progress in safety standards is reinforced and not reversed

This action, in collaboration with partners like Global NCAP, reinforced our shared belief: safer vehicles save lives — especially young lives — and must be prioritised globally.

    Read the full letter here

    Bringing the funding conversation to life

    YOURS also took part in the UN Road Safety Fund Media Event, which brought together senior officials and advocates to spotlight the urgent need for increased and sustained financing for road safety.

    The session featured:

    • Jean Todt, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety

    • Tatiana Molcean, UNECE Executive Secretary

    • Ministers from Chile, Ghana, and Slovenia

    • Pierre-Martin Huet, Sustainability & Impact Director, Michelin

    • Moderation by Nneka Henry, Head of the UN Road Safety Fund

    The event showcased how global partnerships and funding are already delivering results in countries such as Chile and Ghana — and why investing in proven road safety measures must remain a global priority.

    Influencing the next Decade of Sustainable Transport

    YOURS was invited to contribute to the closed consultation on the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035), alongside key global actors including the Ministry of Transport of Chile, ITF, UN DESA, ADB, UNECE, ECLAC, Walk21, iRAP, TUMI, and GIZ.

    We brought forward one clear message:
    Young people must be recognised not just as users, but as co-designers of transport systems.

    Our inputs focused on three core areas:

    • Road safety at the centre:
      Integrate Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach across all mobility plans, and ensure infrastructure investments are safe by design.

    • Transport as a health and climate issue:
      Highlight road safety co-benefits in national climate goals and promote youth-led solutions like cycling and walking infrastructure.

    • Meaningful youth participation and accountability:
      Institutionalise youth roles in planning, monitoring and reporting mechanisms — and track youth-related targets with disaggregated data and clear indicators.

    We also called for the creation of a Youth Movement for the Decade, co-led with civil society, to keep youth at the heart of sustainable transport action.

    The message we’re carrying forward:

    •  Safe streets and vehicles must be a non-negotiable part of every transport agenda

    • Global safety standards should be protected  and strengthened for future generations

    •  Youth are not just beneficiaries  we are key stakeholders, actively shaping the future of transport

    From policy to planning to financing, YOURS continues to push for a transport future where road safety and youth leadership go hand in hand.

    There’s No Sustainability Without Safety: YOURS at TUMI 2025

    There’s No Sustainability Without Safety: YOURS at TUMI 2025

    by | May 23, 2025 | News & Blog

    This week, YOURS – Youth for Road Safety joined global leaders and advocates at the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI) Conference in Leipzig, Germany. As the world explores bold ideas for sustainable transport, we brought a powerful reminder: there’s no sustainability without safety.

    Because what’s the point of building green cities if young people can’t walk, bike, or move safely in them?

    Youth voices shaping urban mobility

    At TUMI 2025, YOURS actively contributed to the conversation by bringing the youth perspective to the forefront. As part of the official programme, Sanaa Khasawneh, Advocacy and Campaigns Manager at YOURS, joined a key panel discussion focused on how society shapes urban mobility systems. The session featured diverse voices, including:

    • Serhiy Derkach, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ukraine

    • Bright Oywaya, Global Road Safety Partnership, Kenya

    • Sanaa Khasawneh, YOURS

    Together, they explored how local leadership and lived experience can drive lasting change. Representing youth voices, Sanaa shared the importance of designing cities with young people, not just for them — ensuring their experiences and ideas are part of the solution. She closed with a powerful spoken word poem, capturing the stories and emotions behind the fight for safer streets.

      Honouring remarkable youth leadership

      TUMI 2025 also marked the launch of the publication: Remarkable Young Voices in Transport
      This collection highlights inspiring young changemakers from around the world, including:

      • Sanaa Khasawneh, recognised for her global advocacy work with YOURS.

      • Cecilia Melgar, a passionate advocate for safer and more inclusive cities, whose legacy continues to inspire. Cecilia’s memory lives on through Pedalea Seguro, a youth-led project in Lima, Peru supported by the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety. The initiative promotes cycling as a safe and efficient mode of transport by improving infrastructure, raising public awareness, and building partnerships for a bike-friendly city.

      Cecilia’s story is a reminder that behind every bicycle is a dream, a journey, and a life worth protecting. Her spirit continues to guide this movement with empathy, courage, and love.

      Read the full publication here

      At YOURS, we’re committed to ensuring that youth voices are heard, respected, and included in every decision-making space. TUMI 2025 was another step in making sure that cities of the future reflect the needs, dreams, and leadership of young people today.