SÍTYCLETA WITHOUT LIMITS
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
Sítycleta Sin Límites (Sítycleta Without Limits)is a volunteering service of tricycle rides for the elderly and people with reduced mobility in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.It aims to reconquer public space providing them the sensory experience of riding a bike, the most agile and happiest means of transport in cities as it allows us to move at a slow pace, attentive to the dynamics that arise around us along the route.It's made possible thanks to the volunteers who drive the tricycle.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
Which funds
Description of the project
Summary
Sítycleta Sin Límites (Sítycleta Without Limits) is a volunteering service of tricycle rides that is aimed at the elderly and people with reduced mobility in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This initiative was launched in June 2021 thanks to the partnership between SAGULPA (Municipal Parking Society of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) and the non-profit making association Mejor en Bici (Better by Bike). The project is inspired by the "Cycling Without Age" program, that emerged in Copenhagen in 2012 aiming to give elderly or dependent people the opportunity to ride an adapted tricycle. This initiative is being carried out in more than 2700 locations in 52 countries around the world, being example of Spanish city Barcelona among others. The tricycle rides give people the freedom to explore the city, its highlights, places from childhood and youth. During these rides, new relationships are generated between rider and passenger. In this way, bridges between generations are built, strengthening trust and respect, making a fairer and more caring society. The volunteers involved in this project are trained in the safe driving of the tricycle, in the philosophy of the project and the good treatment with the passengers. They are all offered a meeting place for the rides, to enjoy, reconquer the city, to break with the unwanted loneliness, lack of empathy and justice suffered by the elderly and people in situations of vulnerability due to mobility difficulties, an illness, psychic degenerative diseases, genetic disorders, at risk of exclusion, regardless of their age. The tricycle used for the rides is electric and the front part of it consists of a seat structure that fits two people. The estimated ride time is about two hours and there are three routes through the city along cycle lanes, pedestrian zones and zones 30. The project is fully aligned with the SDGs established by the international community in the 2030 Agenda, sepecifically SDGs 3, 10 and 11.
Key objectives for sustainability
Positive carbon footprint
- The main elements to achieve the implementation and objectives of this project are the human team made up of the organisations involved, volunteers and beneficiaries, as well as the tangible and intangible means to carry it out: the tricycle, the routes defined for the rides and the promotional campaigns. In these lies the origin of the energy that drives this project, which resides in sustainability, altruism, solidarity, organisation, committment, people's rights and duties
- The tricycle is electrical: when pedalling, the engine assists it. Its seat structure can fit two passengers and has a canopy for protecion from the sun and rain. Taking into account that its maintenance is carried out every 250km and that the average distance of a trip is of 8.2km, it is possible providing 30 trips monthy with full guarantee that the vehicle is in good condition and safe. In other words, a maximum of 60 recipients and 30 volunteers (+30 volunteers that accompany by bike the volunteer driving the tricycle) can be reached monthly: a total of 120 people, all beneficiaries of this experience whether they are volunteers or recipients. During the rides spare parts are carried as a preventive measure. The use as well as the maintenance of the tricycle have a positive environmental impact: provides a reliability of one month's duration prior to maintenance, and operates in a fully clean and environmentally friendly way.
Promoting the use of light mobility vehichles (e.g.: bikes, scooters) in the urban environment: Raising awareness of the need to change the mobility model reducing traffic density, CO2 emissions and sustainable mobility as a tool for change to improve the health and habitability of urban spaces.
Promoting slow pedalling, respecting and interacting with the environment.
To be added in future to the service: waste collection on beaches and dumping of used domestic oil at a clean point.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The project has a lot to offer in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience. It is not a project that involves an aggressive modification of the environment, it uses and takes advantage of the available means to be carried out: the tricycle, the city and the people. The combination of all of them reproduces a beautiful and admirable image for the enjoyment of all the inhabitants of the city: a ride driven by a couple of volunteers who altruistically carry out an action for the benefit of one or two people in a disadvantaged situation due to age, mobility problems, who suffer from some illness or who are at risk of exclusion. This picture of the union created between the volunteers and the people receiving the solidarity action travels through the streets of the city, reaching the conscience and hearts of everyone, spreading the message that we are all deserving of the opportunities for growth, improvement and all the good that this world offers us. The experience lived by both volunteers and recipients of the solidarity action fulfills with next objectives:
- Generation of a meeting point between the recipients and the volunteers, participating in a sustainable and healthy leisure activity
- Promotion of intergenarational dialogue and the values of volunteering
- Creation of new intergenerational relationships between older people, the cycling community, professionals and participants' families
- Transmission of knowledge and experience, listening and encouraging new stories.
- Creation of a positive space for interaction with the local community that can be exciting, fun, beautiful and meaningful for all ages
We share next videos to provide visual support to the objectives stated previously:
- 1st advertising spot of the project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHFmt66ULJo
- Project's Christmas advertising spot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g7HHmPNsFQ
- Encounter volunteer boat migrant and an elderly from Venezuela:https://www.instagram.com/p/CYEO9Bqh1W3/
Key objectives for inclusion
In terms of inclusion, the purpose is to leave nobody behind. In order to fulfill with its main goal (to offer older people and people with reduced mobility the opportunity to enjoy a tricycle ride around the city giving them back the sensations offered by this type of vehicle and combating situations of social isolation due to age or any kind of physical and/or intellectual difficulties) the projet must reach everyone
- In relation to the recipients of the solidarity action
- Reach elderly residents of the city of Las Palmas and also general population, with reduced mobility and/or any difficulty that prevents them from pedalling
- Involve public and/or private entities and institutions that work offering services to older people: day centres, social services, residences, accompaniment...
- Involve associations or entities that develop activities with groups that present some difficulty (physical or intellectual)
- In relation to volunteers
- General population registered on SAGULPA's website
- Members of the Mejor en Bici (Better by Bike) Association
- Students, workers in the socio-educational field
- Organisations and associations aimed at the social integration of different collectives: unemployed, correctional institutions..
The different phases of the project (communication, coordination, design of routes, insurance and permits management, volunteers training, outings plan and evaluation) make possible public participation and citizen engagement.Through the communication campaigns and events anyone interested can take part, the registration for both volunteers and representatives of recipients is accessible on SAGULPA's website,trainings to volunteers and follow-up meetings provide the project's philosophy, motivation, autonomy and sense of belonging. The routes designed are flexible and can be adapted on the go by recipients and volunteers if desired.The tricycle itself can carry 2 recipients and 1 volunteer, it's suitable for all.
Results in relation to category
Being the category we apply for: Prioritising the places and people that need it the most, next we present in detail the results obtained from the implementation of the project as well as its impact on volunteers and recipients of the solidarity action
The project was launched in June 2021 and its implementation began in July 2021, developing for 7 months, that is, until January 2022:
- Total number of tricycle rides undertaken: 312 rides
- Total number of people who have enjoyed the bike rides: 358 recipients (39,7% female vs. 60,3% male participation)
- Average age of recipients: 80 years (being 96 the age of the two oldest and 13 the age of the youngest)
- Travelled km: 2558 km (average of 365,4 km per month)
- Total duration: 350 h (average of 50h per month)
- Average journey time and distance: 1h 33' and 8,2 km
- Volunteers subscribed: 140 potential volunteers
- Total number of volunteers taking part: 64 volunteers (of which 14 are women and 50 are men)
- Autonomous volunteers: 10 volunteers
- Average age of volunteers: 42 years
- Training courses: 4 courses
Project's assessment surveys consisting of a total of 13 questions were carried out. The majority of questions were to be answered by a score (being 1 the lowest and 10 the highest), while just a few of them by a comment or personal opinion. The highest score given was 9,9/10, relative to the personal treatment received by the coordination team, and the lowest 9,2/10 related to volunteers' own thought about their capability to go out on the rides autonomously with other fellow volunteer
- Project's assessment surveys completed: 48 surveys
- The average score given to the project: 9,6/10
- In overall, users' opinion about the project and acceptance: Fabolous, moving, unbeatable experience. Demand an increase in the number of tricycles, wider dissemination reaching more people, implication of other mobility-related companies for project's greater visibility, the pandemic posed a threat to the start of the project.
How Citizens benefit
The society was involved in the implementation of the project thanks to its voluntary, altruistic and supportive action, moved through the promotional campaigns on social networks of the 'Sítycleata Sin Límites' service. In this way, they intervene with the social reality and with people in situations of vulnerability, deprivation or lack of rights and opportunities to achieve a better quality of life, greater cohesion and social justice.
Benefits related to volunteers
- Provides personal enrichment, training and relational networks.
- Fosters a spirit of solidarity and co-operation, strengthening civil society
- Occupies leisure time in a positive way.
- Encourages coexistence, relationships with other volunteers, associates, workers and recipients.
- Allows acquiring a critical vision of social reality
- Promotes values of solidarity and a sense of social co-responsibility
- Promotes the defence of rights.
- The community is developed and improved, increasing the quality of life in a fairer and more caring society.
Benefits related to recipients of the solidarity action
- To combat/ward off feelings of loneliness, exclusion, lack of justice... having a positive impact on their physical and mental health, improving their mood and self-esteem
- Feeling that they are part of the community, that their rights, welfare and health are taken into account, understood and respected
- Feeling of being useful to the community as they can bring invaluable experiences and teachings that touch the hearts of everyone
- Enjoying of an outdoor activity visiting the city's highlights, observing its dynamics, reconnecting with the community, breathing the sea breeze and enjoying beautiful landscapes
- Lasting relationship created with the volunteers.
- Peace of soul, understanding, justice, empathy, affection, union, warmth, love.
- Back to feel that we all, without exception, have come into this life with the right to develop ourselves and access the abundance and prosperity of this world.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
The city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has a public bike rental service Sítycleta (framed in Civitas Destination Project), operating for more than 3 years, with several stations throughout the city offering mechanical and electric bikes, and very soon electric scooters too.The general population has the possibility to move from one part of the city to another in an economical, sustainable, pleasant, health enhancing and fun way, but what about those people for whom this system does not suit?The simple act of riding a bike, pedalling and covering a few kilometres looks very simple, isn't it? Sadly, the majority of people who do not have barriers imposed by physical or health limitations lose awareness of how fortunate they are and that a part of the population does not have it so easy. Then, if everything can and must be available and achievable to everyone, why not make it happen when it is a right and duty for all? The service Sítycleta Sin Límites was designed and implemented to serve exactly this purpose and this is where its innovative character lies.
Pioneering in the Canary Islands, stands out for its use of available resources:a tricycle equipped with a seat structure, people willing to volunteer, recipients of the altruistic action, the possibilities for exploration and joy that the city offers along the routes, the use of social networks and the rides themselves as a means of dissemination and outreach to the population, the facilities for suscription, the initiative and coordination from SAGULPA (Municipal Parking Society of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), the City Council and Mejor en Bici (Better by Bike). The combination of all these parts does not simply result in the equivalent of the sum of all of them, but in a result on a larger scale: the materialisation of a wonderful, humanitarian event of which absolutely everyone is a beneficiary and that is sustainable, flexible enough to replicate and bring its virtues everywhere.
Learning transferred to other parties
It should be noted that the Sítycleta Sin Límites (Sítycleta Without Limits) project is also possible thanks to the support from the public bicycle rental service in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, so called 'Sítycleta', on which it is based. The latter service is currently expanding not only within the city but also to other municipalities, therefore it is logical that Sítycleta Sin Límites experiments the same growing too. The experience gained in the implementation of the project and the feedback received from users allows the service to be improved and consolidated.
Taking into account the good acceptance of the service and the positive repercussion on all those who enjoyed the experience, it is clear that transferring it to other locations would be a success as well as a fair action, as we should all enjoy the positive impact that the implementation of Sítycleta Sin Límites has on society: improving people's quality of life and creating a better educated community in terms of values, and the environment, getting it to be more aware, involved and fair. The service is not only limited to the driving of the tricycle by the volunteers, but can be extrapolated to other types of activities focused on the inclusion of the elderly and people with reduced mobility, suffering from any illness and at risk of exclusion. Examples of other types of activities the service can cover are those such as handbike learning workshops for patients with spinal cord injury and other pathologies that cause disability such as achondroplasia, cerebral palsy and polio, in which we have in fact taken part. The spread of the service would strengthen and enrich it as the number of associations reached would be higher, as well as the beneficiares. The same way the support received to secure further funding to sustain the service over time.
