Description of the Small Project

Evaluation study (magyar, német)

Projectconcept
Starting points and justification (necessity of implementation) of the Small Project

Need for institution development
We have executed several projects since our establishment in 2005.In 2011 involving the members of board and our volunteers we decided to take part in international projects. Forthe sake of this cause we contacted the Serbian SVI, the English Migration Yorkshire and of course the Swiss ProVelo. We plan to participate in international projects to be able to exchange experience in order to strengthen our and our partners’ organisations. Besides, we decided to improve our BringArt project and to create contacts with civil organisations who are working inthe field of bicycle use promotion.

ProVelohas executed several projects with Western-European organisations but has hardly any partners from the Eastern-European region. Though, due to the Swiss Contribution several Polish and other Eastern-European organisations got in contact with them, only the Hungarian partner had the capacity and knowledge to create a jointapplication. ProVelo’s aim is to learn about the working methods and structure of the Hungarian partner and to create new partnerships as well.

Needs in the field of motivating bicycle use
Though more and more people are using bike sin Hungary and the more and more roads and facilities are created people, mainly school children do not have the right experience and knowledge of rules and maintenance in this this field. We are planning to bring a change by the adaptation of Swiss good practise. Though there have been similar initiatives in Hungary that targeted primary school children instead of high school teenagers and didn’t use the knowledge and experience of former executers. With our project we complement former initiations and by exchanging knowledge with the Swiss partner we also widen our national knowledge in this field. Most importantly we will learn about the sustainability methods.

Contribution to reduction of economic and social disparities within the enlarged EU
On one hand–We contribute to the reduction of economic and social disparities by improving the involved staff’s capacity. There widened knowledge will give them greater chances in the employment market. The Hungarian management members will be unemployed (one of them is already is) by the beginning of the project. We directly contribute to the reduction of their disparities.

Onthe other hand–Irrespectively of gender, age, living area bicycle is the most simple, healthiest and cheapest mean of transport. Inthe past years, successful projects are implemented throughout the EU in this field. We plan to bring these projects to Hungary and to exploit the possibilities of bicycle use. Promoting bicycle use is not only important for tourism but it contributes to health improvement as well. Better health conditions increase living standards hereby contributes to the reduction of social disparities. Besides, bicycle users create new demand for touristic services as well hereby contribute to the reduction of economic disparities. We not only plan to promote bicycle use but we want to spread good practice and valuable information on international developments among political and professional decision makers.

Development of bilateral partnership
-    All project items were jointly developed and will be executed by the two partners. We will both learn about each other’s working structure and culture and will be able to rearrange our own organisations.
-    The Hungarian partner will visit Swiss project executers in Switzerland. The experts of ProVelo will meet Hungarian civil organisations during one of their visits and will meet Hungarian decision makers involved in bicycle use development.

Purpose and objectives of the Small Project and indicators of completion
The general aim of the project, to contribute to the reduction of economic and social disparities, is based on a double set of direct objectives:
-    on the one hand the goal is strengthening the relationship and cooperation between the cooperating organizations;
-    on the other hand we aim at developing cycling culture in Hungary.
Aims wihin strengthening cooperation
-    Strengthening cooperation between the partners (indicators: 1 jointly executed project, tested system of keeping contact, mapped further joint project facilities, 4 new personal connections)
-    capacity building (2+2 colleges gain experience in the execution of an international project, 4 colleges will have wider knowledge in the target field, 1 study visit, 10 good practice, 1 study)
-    wider network (1 workshop with the participation of the Swiss partner and Hungarian organisations working in the target field –a at least 3 new partnerships, representatives of 2-3 organisation participate inthe study visit to Switzerland )
-    added value for both partners.
Aims within the promotion of bicycle use
The aim of the “Hopp on and ride!”campaign is to promote cycling, the sustainable and environment conscious way of mobility and to motivate the most sensible age-group to use bicycle. Through students we reach parents and other inhabitants and aim to improve their attitude towards cyclists as well.
-    most possible students should learn about safety and rules of cycling, and school use bikes (3-4 involved schools, we reach 450-500 students, 150-200 participate in the competition)
-    We aim at the improvement of drivers attitude towards cyclists (city light posters 50 pcs, reach: 400.000)
-    decision makers’ knowledge on adaptable developments are improved (1 study, 500 publication, 1 meeting with the Swiss partner and decision makers and professionals of the Municipality of Budapest)

The indirect aim is to contribute
-    to widening cycling (reach:10 000)
-    decrease pollution (0,5% decrease in car usagewithin 3 years),

By the distribution of the publication on adaptable cycling projects we reach 50-70 organisation/institution that has direct effect of the developments inthe target field.

We reach 700.000 people indirectly with the project.Other result:City light poster: 50 pcs, Stickers of T-shirts: 200 pcs, Car stickers: 300 pcs, leaflet 9000 pcs.,publication 500 pcs, posters involved schools 15 pcs, table for collecting points 200 pcs.Images: 40- 50 pcs, Short films: 5-10 pcs, essay: 5-10 pcs, Website: 1 pcs (+ facebook)
Partnership

The Swiss side took it with great joy and enthusiasm that their ‘bike2school’ program has found interest beyond their country’s borders. The ProVelostaff has participated in the preparations for the implementation of their project in Hungary and has contributed to the development of the adaptation options. During the implementation they are going to exchange experiences with the Hungarian partner organization and get useful information about the project developments. They are going to utilize these experiences in their own projects. During the visits to the other country, both parties gain insight into the local bike transportation culture, get knowledge about related projects, developments, their advantages and disadvantages. The experiences are going to be beneficial to both parties and lay the foundation of a long-term cooperation.

The Swiss partner organization is going to conduct a study for us about the possibilities of adapting their best practice. The study is to be sent to the appropriate ministries, local authorities, cycling organizations, schools and other stakeholders in the improvement of the domestic bicycle traffic. In addition, during their stay our partner organization from Switzerland is going to meet with the local policy makers and experts responsible for bicycle traffic development. Through a workshop they are going to be introduced to the invited representatives of Hungary’s cycling organizations to present the possibility of adapting their best practice and exchange experience with the representatives of national organizations.

We are going to share the experience and results of our "driver taming" campaign with our Swiss partner organization, which they can use for their own projects. The visits contribute to the development of personal relationships and the acquisition of deeper cultural knowledge as well. Accommodation has intentionally not been designed into the project because during the visits both parties are going to take care personally of receiving guests in their own homes. Apart from cost efficiency, this way the partners can better understand each other's cultures, customs and lifestyles, and their relationships can deepen. Based on the above mentioned, both parties are going to gain useful information and their new personal and organizational relationships may develop, therefore gaining mutual benefits throughout the project implementation.

Related activities
Activities of the preparation phase
•    Development of the project idea
•    Research and checking projects executed in this field
•    Search for the Swiss partner, project development
•    Deepening partnership, writing the joint application
•    Budgeting, minimizing costs, finalizing own contribution.
•    Horizontal issues
•    Involvement of schools

Planned activities
1.    Starting the project, setting up the project management
2.    Collecting best practice, study visit to Switzerland
The Wheel of Future staff and the invited representatives of two or three other cycling organizations of Hungary are going to take part in a three-day study visit to Switzerland in September. The Swiss partner organization is going to collect the ‘best practice’ projects in Switzerland and the best practice and organize visits to the implementing organizations. During our stay in Switzerland in September we are going to visit the largest "cycle market" held in Bern on 15th September, and get to know the ProVelo’s organizational operations and staff as well. In addition, the Wheel of Future is going to present Hungarian projects and provide insights into the most important national problems.
During our stay in Bern, using the opportunities of the government-supported free bike rental project, and also gaining insights into its practical implementation, we are going to be using bikes in the city, while in case of projects implemented outside the city we are going to travel by train.
During the study visit we are going to take photos and video recordings of things learned there. The recorded material is going to be used to make short films to be published on the websites of the partner organizations and video splitters.
3.    Writing up the study
Our Swiss partner organization is going to come for the first two-day visit to Hungary in early December. In the course of the visit we are going to provide them with a deeper insight into the local cycling traffic culture, the developments that have been implemented and their shortcomings. From the collected programs involving bicycle transport promotion and support programs and best practice, designed not only for school children but for citizens of all ages, in light of the situation in Hungary the Swiss partner organization is going to assess the individual projects in terms of their adaptation options. They are going to write up a study about the bicycle transport development possibilities for the purposes of the decision makers and professionals in the sphere of Hungarian cycling development. The study is going to be prepared as a publication of 500 copies and distributed to ministries, municipalities, cycling organizations, schools and other organizations.
The study is going to provide a basis for the maintenance of long-term partnership and also for the implementation of future projects included in it.
4.    Campaign
Preparation phase
To ensure that the campaign is clearly recognizable and that the target group can identify with the project, a special visual should be planned to which all prepared campaign material can be adjusted. After this we are going to have the graphic design of individual materials (billboards: 35 pcs, car stickers: 300 pcs, T-shirt iron-on stickers: 200 pcs, published material: 500 pcs, leaflets: 3 x 3000 pcs, school posters: 3 x 5 pcs, point collection boards: 150 to 200 pcs) and the necessary elements prepared.

‘Hopp on and ride!’
Our Swiss partner organization is going to visit us for the second time in April 2013, when they are going to participate in preparing the Hungarian campaign version of their ‘bike2school’ project. The first day of the visit is going to be devoted to the presentation and monitoring of the campaign preparations, while on the morning of the second day we are going to organize a meeting with the city and district level decision makers and experts responsible for bicycle traffic development. In this meeting together with our partner organization we are going to present our campaign, and discuss the adaptation possibilities of further Swiss best practice. For the afternoon we have planned workshops to which we are going to invite Hungarian cycling organizations. Our partner organization is going to present their own organization and the programs they have implemented and their results.

Along the lines of the Swiss ‘bike2school’ projects, we are going to organize point collection competitions among three schools. The winning school is the one to which the most children cycle, and which collects the most bike miles (points) proportionally. With proper rout planning, in order to raise higher awareness, organized into smaller convoys students can reach the schools safely. Young people who take part in the competition are going to receive iron-on visibility stickers for their T-shirts, thus calling attention to themselves and to the project. The non-cyclists can also help collect points. Every at least one A4 page long essay that initiates bicycle transportation, presents a related problem or proposes a project (one of several topics can be chosen) brings extra points. For the duration of the competition the two competing teams of the participating schools, i.e. the students are going to use the three HD GoPro HERO 2 head cameras purchased for the purposes of the project. Thus through the eyes of school children the recorded and photographed discriminatory or dangerous traffic situations that have negative effect for cyclists are going to be gathered and sent in in the form of essays for evaluation (e.g. discriminatory behaviour of motorists, disabling traffic on bicycle paths, not enough side space, dangerous intersections, not granting priority, etc.). The collected video material is going to be posted and evaluated on the project websites and on video splitters.

For the program we have selected three schools from the 14th district that can be reached by bicycle paths and that lay outside the crowded inner city transport zones. We have contacted the schools, presented the project and with their declarations of support they expressed their intention to participate in the project. The declarations are attached as an annex to the project documentation.

The implementation, of course, involves the students of the schools, the teachers and the parents as well. In each school there is going to be a contact teacher who is responsible for daily project-related tasks (validating cyclists’ point collecting booklets etc.) as well as for communication and helping the organizational work in the school. We are also going to call the attention of traffic safety organizations to the increase in bicycle traffic. In order to learn about bicycle traffic safety in the three schools we are going to organize trainings, and for the period of several days we are going to set up a free mobile bicycle service for young people using their bikes. Technicians are going to set up and repair children's bikes and in case of more urgent need to do service work they are going to inform the children and their parents. This way young people can acquire knowledge and share experiences about the importance of proper route planning for safe cycling, the need for and usage of awareness raising reflective lighting devices and the relevant transport regulations.

In order to support team spirit and also encourage individual students to participate in the   competition, we are going to assess and reward the contest both in terms of individuals and the schools (or classes – depending on the number of candidates). The rewards for the winning school (or class) -- equal opportunities in mind --  are going to be two bikes that children in need may use in cycling camps and for bicycle tours. The student who collects the most points is going to be awarded with a valuable bike, the runner-up is going to become the owner of the GoPro HERO 2 HD head camera used in the campaign, and the student in the third place is going to receive 25,000 HUF worth of bicycle accessories. The project website is continuously going to be updated with newly acquired experiences, photos and videos. During the competition, we are continuously going to keep in touch with our Swiss partner organization.

“Driver taming”
As part of the local motorist campaign we would also like to make a positive influence on motorists’ traffic culture towards cyclists. We have prepared billboards and placed them around the district for the purposes of drivers’ 'taming'. We raise their awareness about protecting cycling children and encourage them as well that they themselves, ifpossible, get on their bikes. The project website is going to be updated continuously with newlyacquiredexperiences, photos and videos. Students are involved in the ‘driver taming’ part of the campaign as well. Those arriving by car are going to receive stickers with the campaign logo and information leaflets from the children. By putting the stickers on the back of their cars, drivers attract the attention of other motorists to the protection of children traveling by bicycle.

5.    Efficiency Assessment, exchanging experiences with the Swiss party -  Analysis of further joint developments, project closure

At the end of the project we are going to study the efficiency of the bicycle use program. The Swiss side is going to provide technical assistance for the conduction of the efficiency test. We are going to share the results with our partner organization and summarize them together, so that both parties can build them in their own individual and joint programs.

For the purposes of further cooperation we are going to examine the possibilities of developing and maintaining the campaign, especially in the sense of making the campaign a self-sustaining program as it is the case in Switzerland. To this end, we are going to contact the local government and we consult with the school management about the incorporation of the program into their annual plan.

On the other hand, we are going to outline at least three new project ideas which we can implement in partnership and begin their project development. In any case, we are going to examine the possibility of the joint implementation of the campaign, which is organizing a common competition of Hungarian and Swiss schools and the feasibility of the adaptation of the “Used Bicycle Market” of Bern.