We are New Orleans youth (ages 14-24) asking big questions about youth experiences. Our Youth-Led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) drives change for and with New Orleans youth. Our goal is to impact policies and practices that affect our city’s young people, as outlined in the New Orleans Youth Master Plan.
Our Purpose:
This project, held by the New Orleans Children & Youth Planning Board (CYPB) and aligned with the New Orleans Youth Master Plan, provides skill-building, workforce development, and engrains authentic youth voices into community projects. This process is about learning and action. We shared our results with New Orleans youth during the Youth Connections event on July 27, 2024, and made recommendations that are about improving our lives, our communities, and the institutions intended to serve us.
Youth Master Plan Category: Space & Place
Young people need access to clean bus stops and public transportation. Things need to improve for the better without horrible price increases. We want to start changing public transportation for the youth and then everyone. Everyone needs to have access to affordable and not time-consuming TRANSPORTATION.
Our Key Questions:
-How do 16-24 year old’s experience taking public transit in New Orleans?
- What is most challenging and most enjoyable about taking public transportation?
Research Methods:
Our team created surveys shared in the community that asked 16-24 year olds to reflect on their experience around to public transportation in New Orleans. In total, our team surveyed 160 young people.
Key Insights:
- People enjoy sightseeing and the community created by the bus environment.
-Time is a major issue with RTA.
-Some people don't feel safe riding the bus.
-Riding the bus is affordable and convenient.
-When asked to list factors about public transportation that they enjoy, some riders could not find anything to say.
Project Team: Bethany (Bea) Barnes, Anastasia Hopkins, Tytiana Sanders, Toni Thompson
Thank you to our mentors and community of experts who have helped us to launch and grow this project! We couldn’t do it without you. Special thanks to Dr. J with the American Association of Communications and Dr. Asia with the LSU Storytellers’ Lab for your ongoing guidance and support!
