Background
Children have a right to a safe and healthy environment. Active school travel (AST) is a means of getting school-aged children more active during the day, through encouraging movement before and after school. Across Canada, AST rates have declined over the last 50 years with only an estimated one-third of children using AST regularly. Reasons for the decline have primarily been attributed to increasing automobile use and associated traffic congestion. In Nova Scotia (Mi’kma’ki), Canada, many schools located in rural communities serve a large catchment area, making interventions to increase AST yet more challenging. One rural community school in Nova Scotia, Hebbville Academy, is overcoming these barriers through the creation of a Bike Buddies Club and seasonal bike bus. In this case study, we are exploring the experiences of child and youth Bike Buddies club and bike bus participants at the school from an equity perspective. We want to understand who is participating in the Bike Buddies club and bike bus, and what motivates them or constrains them when it comes to participation.
Research Questions/Objectives
Our objective is to interview children and adults at Hebbville Academy who are involved in the Bike Buddies club and/or the bike bus, along with the perspectives of caregivers on these initiatives.
Study Area
The community of Hebbville, near Bridgewater in the South Shore of Nova Scotia.
Timelines
2025 – 2026
Participating Partners
Hebbville Academy
South Shore Regional Centre for Education