Safety Ambassadors Program
The Safety
Ambassadors program was developed in 2007 by the Mid-America Regional
Council and partner organizations to provide consistency in youth pedestrian
and bicycling safety education across the region. With the advent of the
federal Safe Routes to School initiative and increased
public emphasis on physical activity for young people, this program serves
a vital role in providing safety information, education and training to
residents of the greater Kansas City area.
The Safety Ambassadors program recognizes that the best way to teach children proper safety practices is to engage community members who have a proven commitment to building a better environment for walking and bicycling. This initiative draws upon the knowledge of these individuals and other partners to create a forum for promoting safety issues in our communities.
Jointly funded through a grant from the Destination: Safe Coalition and Kansas Safe Routes to School program, Safety Ambassadors trains and equips volunteers from a range of backgrounds including law enforcement, emergency response, health and fitness, public service, and education. These individuals work with schools and communities to educate children on how to be responsible pedestrians and bicyclists, giving them fundamental safety skills.
Ambassadors receive specialized training from instructors who have years of experience and a wealth of professional knowledge. Current course instructors include:
- Officer Dave Jennings, Leawood Police Department
- Officer David C. Winders, Leawood Police Department
- Rob Kort, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical
- Dr. Caryn Giarratano, Nonmotorized Solutions
- Aaron Bartlett, MARC Bicycle/Pedestrian Planner
The growing need for Safety Ambassadors
Safe Routes to School uses a four-pronged approach (Engineering, Education, Enforcement and Encouragement) to create safe routes to school for pedestrians and bicycle riders. The growing popularity of this program is driving the need for trained volunteers to help schools and communities with educational activities such as safety fairs and bike rodeos.
Previously, coordinators and trainers at safety-related events have been self-taught, and no formalized network existed for sharing experiences or lessons learned. The Safety Ambassadors program endeavors to provide standardized training for course instructors and to connect organizations interested in hosting activities and events with available ambassadors.
In the program's first year:
- 17 Safety Ambassadors have been trained
- Nine regional events hosted Safety Ambassadors education sessions
- Nearly 1,000 children have learned safe bicycle and pedestrian practices from Safety Ambassadors
- Approximately 810 helmets were given to children as part of lessons on proper fitting techniques
Contact Aaron Bartlett, Bicycle/Pedestrian Planner, at 816/701-8238 or abartlett@marc.org for more information.