Smart mobile seniors A self activation project Patrick Auwerx Mobiel 21 - Belgium Oktober 2006

Aims - Meeting elderly's mobility needs - Tackling social exclusion - Awareness raising & behaviour change - Sustainable mobility

Specific methodology... - NGO is steering - Social change approach - M21 facilitates the participatory process - Evidence based practice : From pilot to full project From (action) research to dissemination Policy advice - Partnerships (shared responsibility)

Specific methodology... - Communication - Mobility Management - Compare to... “local transition theory” - Integrate with supply measures (efficiency) - Sustainable change by integrating 4 E's Enable Encourage Exemplify Engage

4 E application “How to get more seniors on the bus?“  Enable: guarantee basic mobility  Encourage: social price policy...  Exemplify: offer chances to test PT  Engage: work with social networks

Public transport operator “How to get more seniors on the bus?“  Enable: guarantee basic mobility  Encourage: social price policy  '90: give citizens access to PT within 500 metres to their door!  65+ get free omnipass  High increasing amount of passengers  But… elderly stick to their cars  - 10% of total bus rides (20% population)

Mobiel 21 “How to get more seniors on the bus?“ Exemplify: offer chances to test PT Engage: work with social networks

Work with social networks of seniors What is important ?  Inform and recruit volunteers / local champs amongst local senior advisory board  Communicate transparently with them  Build relationships on mutual trust  Engage their own networks  Commitment  They have 'time' for volunteering  They are open to peer group involvement  Growing awareness of their stakeholder role

Offer chances to experience Step by step  Quick scan of peer needs  Peer to peer questionnaire  Fit needs assessment to a training programme  Train the trainer  Promote the “test the bus” training  Couple peer trainer to the demand site  Experience buddy-wise  Offer a target group oriented (practical) manual  Exchange experience  Repeat (create trust among newcomers)  Trainer evaluation

More self-activation Senior citizen organisations can choose their level of engagement!  Action 1: Test the bus  Action 2: Short distance trips - campaign  Action 3: Leisure trips with PT  Action 4: Local mobility scan

Short distance trips campaign  - 20 % of all car trips -5 kms  walking and cycling as feasible alternatives  wide public, different target groups  targeted design (images)  experience the benefits!  health is an important motivator for elderly!

Short distance trips campaign - Website - Calculator (personal + benchmark) - Feedback to local transport policy

Short distance trips campaign

Leisure trips with PT - Make use of PT more frequently - Experience and feedback ‘barriers’ - Complexity of DRT and multimodal trips - PT in rural areas does not match needs - Quality, punctuality - Social safety (metro, bus, train stations) - Information (search complexity, in time?) - Reservation system

Leisure trips with PT A comic strip of our PILOT (2007)

Mobility scan - Involve senior citizens in local transport policy - Commit to co-production (instead of complaints) -Focus on elderly’s needs -Hands-on, pragmatic methodology - In-depth analysis - Input for local policy - Competence building of elderly citizens and local policy makers

Senior citizens needs

Some tips (when engaging senior citizens) - KISS: Keep It Stupidly Simple - Fun is necessary - Elderly want to be heard! - Start from their needs! - Not a homogeneous target group

Thanks for your attention ! Patrick Auwerx Mobiel 21 vzw Vital Decosterstraat 67 A 3000 Leuven - Belgium Tel