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.
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 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