Streets for Children project is making safer streets near schools and an environment friendly to all

A further ten primary schools in Bratislava are joining the citywide Streets for Kids project, which seeks to increase safety near to schools. Thanks to the partnership with UNICEF, the project will be expanded to include other activities in addition to enhancements of public spaces, such as participatory activities, activities involving children in the project's design, awareness-raising and educational activities to raise awareness of a healthy environment, and activities to increase the inclusivity of the environment.

More than 85,000 children a day attend kindergarten, primary or secondary school In Bratislava - including children who have recently come from Ukraine or other countries. In order to make the streets near schools safer ↗︎, to create an inclusive and child-friendly environment, to reduce traffic and the increasing smog around schools, a city-wide project entitled Streets for Children has been developed as part of a comprehensive initiative known as City for Children ↗︎. The project started last year at the pilot Tbiliská Primary School ↗︎ in Rača and currently involves a further ten primary schools, which will make this project the largest participation ever implemented by the capital city in terms of improving safety and inclusion near schools. The idea of the project also resonated with UNICEF, which has a long-standing commitment to helping children in Slovakia and, after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, began to look for ways to improve their lives in Bratislava

"A city that is good and safe for children is safe for all of us. This applies especially to the public spaces near to schools, where tens of thousands of pupils go every day. The space in front of schools should be functional, wheelchair-accessible and safe for all children to navigate without difficulty. I am delighted that, through broad participation, we will make improvements around the ten selected schools where traffic problems are most severe, that will make the space more welcoming for all children," says Mayor Vallo. _ "When you need to do something for children, you have to ask the children first. This is the key philosophy of the City for Children initiative, along with a commitment to act on the recommendations of our youngest citizens here in Bratislava. For UNICEF, this collaboration is much more than a grant: it is an investment in the well-being and inclusion of all children, whether they are Slovak or Ukrainian, and regardless of their social status, background or ability,"_ says Michaela Bauer, Emergency Situations Coordinator at UNICEF Slovakia.

List of participating schools in 2023: ZŠ Biskupická, MČ Podunajské Biskupice ZŠ Budatínska, MČ Petržalka ZŠ Černyševského, MČ Petržalka Základná škola Drieňová, MČ Ružinov Základná škola Malokarpatské námestie, MČ Lamač Základná škola Mudroňova, MČ Staré Mesto Základná škola Nevädzová, MČ Ružinov Základná škola Riazanská, MČ Nové Mesto Základná škola Vazovova, MČ Staré Mesto Základná škola Za kasárňou, MČ Nové Mesto

The MIB experts first selected the schools that were most suitable for the project, taking into consideration also the traffic situation or the condition of the public spaces. One of the key criteria for selecting schools was the number of Ukrainian children attending the school. Then, individual schools were approached and, if a school was interested in participating, the cooperation was established. The plan is to implement the project in other schools in the future.

Largest data collection on pupil safety in Bratislava

In each school, MIB will first conduct a participatory survey among pupils and parents to find out their current needs and problems and to arouse their interest in public space. Families of pupils of other nationalities who have moved to Bratislava and are trying to integrate into their new school and society will also be involved. This will be the largest survey ever carried out by the city in this area and, thanks to the volume of new data, it will be possible to take more targeted action.

"Available data show that almost every household has its nearest school within a 15-minute walking distance of its home. If safety near schools can be improved, the functioning of the entire city will improve. The issue of an urban environment in which children can live well resonates in a variety of big cities, which serve not only as an inspiration, but also as our partners. There is a great deal of research showing that a city designed for children works and is better for adults to live in. That is why we need to communicate much more with children and listen to their views and needs," says Ján Mazúr, head of MIB.

Based on the results of the participation and after gaining a thorough picture of the school surroundings and the functioning of the public space, the MIB experts will propose the best possible course of action to improve the traffic situation in the vicinity of the schools. In all ten schools, both short-term and long-term traffic changes will be made, such as reducing the maximum speed limit in front of the school entrance, installing traffic-calming elements, or measures to improve the visibility of children at pedestrian crossings. The improvements will be implemented during this year and the next.

The MIB's Project Coordinator Sandra Štasselová adds that the plan also includes various activities aimed at educating parents, children and teachers about safety, integrating children into their new environment, improving public space, as well as the health benefits of exercising. For example, a one-day [Walking School Bus]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMlvVNR960g ↗︎) will be organised at selected schools, which involved more than 150 children at the pilot Tbiliská Primary School in Rača. On the day of the Walking School Bus in Rača, there was no traffic jam in front of the school. For this activity, MIB received an award from the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic in the national European Mobility Week Award competition.

Once all the proposed actions have been completed in the schools, the MIB will conduct a final survey with children, teachers and parents to determine the extent to which the situation near to the school has improved.

MIB is also working with external transport, air quality and functional urbanism experts. The experts include, for example, traffic expert Květoslav Syrový, who is the author of many successful traffic- calming projects, including solutions for school streets in Prague, as well as foreign architect Simon Battisti, who advises the Albanian capital on how to improve children's lives in the urban environment.

UNICEF supports several meaningful projects in Bratislava

The MIB and the city are implementing several projects in partnership with UNICEF. Last November, an online platform City for Children ↗︎ was launched, through which all children can send the Mayor their ideas for a better life in Bratislava.

As part of the Leisure Centres, the city creates spaces for international playgroups and active afternoons for children (aged 3 to 7 years) to get to know each other, to gain a space to play in a safe and inclusive environment with teacher supervision, instructors and tutors. Activities such as art and creative workshops or sports activities are available in Slovak, Ukrainian and English.

Another area of cooperation is supporting activities in primary schools, where the city analyses the needs of schools and school communities, especially in relation to the inclusion of children from Ukraine as well as other children from abroad. Based on the identified needs, we provide methodological materials, training, psychosocial support to pupils (also in Ukrainian through a field team of psychologists), or other tailored support activities.

As part of the partnership, the city also provides free intensive Slovak language courses for children and young people of foreign origin aged ten to twenty to facilitate their transition to secondary school, as well as to improve their chances of entering the labour market.