New staff keen to empower Calgary youth with transportation options.
Youth En Route’s funding from Canada Summer Jobs will help us ramp up our ability to support youth to choose active travel. Many kids face barriers to school and life because they lack transport options, and Youth en Route tackles this head on. We love hiring students because they remind us of our key audiences, connect us to our communities and help us be better at what we do.
Take a second to learn about Bon, Mia and Jakob and what excites them as they start their summer employment.
Bon: Skating through the summer as a mechanic
Bon, a Saskatchewan native studying at the University of Calgary, has a passion for bikes. He’s keen to learn more about bike mechanics to support his own riding. You’ll find him in the Bike Hub, working on bikes for the Kids Bike Trade Up and for youth program grads who want bikes, as well as supporting the DIYer’s that come in to use the space.
Bon’s spare time is spent training as a speed skater out of the Olympic Oval and cycling is great cross-training. As a political science major at UofC, he keeps his finger on the pulse of Canadian politics, both local and cross-country.
Working for a charity like Youth en Route has given him a new appreciation for a non-profit’s role in municipal politics.
“I definitely think working at a small charity makes you appreciate more of the effort that’s put into some of this,” he said, “because it’s done on a tight budget.”
Mia: Our Jack of all cycling trades
Mia is one of Youth en Route’s bike mechanics and school support staff. Freshly back in Calgary after graduating in Civil Engineering at UBC in Vancouver, she’s excited to get experience as the Bike Hub’s newest mechanic. Aside from fixing bikes for youth, she’ll be helping conduct our school programs, assisting on guided rides, and teaching students safe cycling skills
Working at Youth en Route and supporting new cyclists, Mia will see how the bike-friendly infrastructure she works on empowers people. Going on rides with students at schools across the city will give her a chance to see how this work is implemented at the community level.
“I’ve worked for companies that have done bridge infrastructure and the bike lanes,” she said, “and active transportation infrastructure has become much more relevant and commonplace recently.”
Mia used her bike to get to and from school and work daily in Vancouver and will test Calgary’s bike lanes to get to the Bike Hub and schools. She’s also passionate about hockey, playing on the UBC women’s hockey team.
Jakob: Staying on message
I’m Jakob, and this blog post is my first assignment as Youth en Route’s Communications Summer student. So pardon the transition to first person. I’ve just finished my third year in Mount Royal University’s Journalism and Digital Media program. This placement will be my school work term and I’m keen to see how my work can advance Youth en Route’s important mission. I’m ready to roll.
Already, I’ve been at the front of the organization, working at our booth at Bike to Work Day and letting people know how our work gives kids access to opportunities. Behind the scenes, I’ve started to produce social media posts and connected with local businesses while growing Youth en Route’s online presence.
I’m excited to delve into a variety of story telling opportunities to help share the amazing impact that Youth en Route has in our community. I know this summer will test my skills in a varied, fast-paced environment, with plenty of opportunities to explore many facets of communications work.
Outside of work, you’ll usually find me in the gym or at one of Calgary’s tabletop gaming establishments. I love to be active, be outdoors, and keep myself physically fit.
Reach out if you’d like to engage on any of the work we do.
