About Making Tracks
Making Tracks helps children and youth develop active transportation skill competency, confidence and safety, encouraging them to choose active transportation as a means to travel within their communities. Using an educational leader training model, Making Tracks enlists the help of adults and youth in teaching children and youth safety skills in walking, cycling, in-line skating, scootering and skateboarding. Making Tracks uses skill-based, multiple session, experiential learning workshops so children and youth have hands on time to practice and learn, all while having fun!
Participating schools and youth-serving organizations receive free coordination and materials along with a training workshop for a small fee. Making Tracks is approved by the Department of Education and meets multiple cross curricular outcomes. Its flexible, modular design makes it suitable for recreation, community, safety, school, club and afterschool programming. View our brochure to learn more about how Making Tracks works or have a look at our new Making Tracks promotional video.
More than 13,000 children and youth have received Making Tracks training since the program began in 2008 and over 800 adults and older youth have become leaders of the program. Through regular evaluation, Making Tracks demonstrates its effectiveness at increasing safety and safe routes knowledge, skills, confidence and use of active transportation.
Modes
The Making Tracks program offers specialized, hands-on training for five different modes of active transportation. Program components include safety, preparedness, rules of the road and etiquette, technical skills, equipment maintenance and community route planning.
Walking Safety (participants: ages 4-7, training as youth mentors: ages 11-19+)
In the Making Tracks Walking Safety program, children learn about the rules for walking and crossing the street, how to dress appropriately for weather and terrain, and how to deal with some of the dangers they may encounter.
Cycling (participants: ages 8-13, training as youth mentors: ages 13-19+)
Much more than the typical one hour bicycle rodeo, Making Tracks Cycling teaches children how to identify bicycle parts, what they and their bikes should be wearing to be safe, bicycle maintenance and repair skills, proper riding safety and skills, safe route mapping and road rules and responsibility, with lots of time to practice and gain confidence in their skill building.
Skateboarding (participants: ages 8-13, training as youth mentors: ages 13-19+)
In Making Tracks SkatePass Skateboarding, children learn about safety and equipment, skateboard control, riding, grabbing, carving on skateboard, how to pick a safe route and lots of other fun skills. It is great for children and youth who have never skateboarded, and those that do have some experience can still learn tips and tricks (and can help mentor those that are learning!).
In-line Skating (participants: ages 8-13, training as youth mentors: ages 13-19+)
In the Making Tracks In-line Skating program, participants learn about proper use of equipment and skating skills such as stopping, turning and speed control. They will also learn how to find safe places to skate.
Scootering (participants: ages 8-13, training as youth mentors: ages 13-19+)
In the Making Tracks Scootering program, participants learn about proper use of equipment and scootering skills such as stopping, turning and speed control. They will also learn how to find safe places to scooter.
How do I get Involved?
1. Become a Leader in Making Tracks (youths and adults, one day training, 5-8 hours)
Our Expert Trainers deliver one-day leader training sessions to certify older youth and adults to lead Making Tracks programs for children and youth. Once trained as a Leader, youth can work with adults to deliver Making Tracks or adults can deliver the program on their own. Each year that Making Tracks is delivered ensures that new youth are trained who can assist with future program delivery. Staff and volunteers from schools, recreation centres, camps, clubs, community organizations, universities and colleges around Nova Scotia are Leaders in Making Tracks. After taking part in one leader training program we'll provide you with support to help ensure that your first Making Tracks program is a success. If you're 13 years-of-age or older you can become a Leader in Making Tracks. Why not sign up for one of our leader training sessions today by visiting our events calendar?
2. Hire an Expert Trainer to deliver Making Tracks (children and youth, multi-day training, 8-15 hours)
We provide an Expert Trainer to deliver a full Making Tracks program to children and youth on your behalf. This is run as a mult-day program for schools, recreation centres, camps, clubs and community organizations. These sessions do not certify children or youth to lead Making Track programs.
3. Become an Expert Trainer (adults only)
Are you a savvy cyclist? A perfect pedestrian? Do you inspire others with your scootering? Or perhaps you’re a superior skateboarder? Do you have leadership or teaching experience? If so, the Ecology Action Centre may want to hire you as an Expert Trainer to deliver occasional leader training and/or direct-delivery programs. For more information on becoming an expert trainer, please view our Becoming a Leader or an Expert Trainer document.
Resources
The Making Tracks program provides safety and skills Leader training in five modes of active transportation: Cycling, Walking Safety, Skateboarding (Skate Pass), Scootering and In-line Skating. The teaching materials for Making Tracks consist of Teaching Manuals and Passports for each mode as well as an accompanying User Guide. All of the materials that you need to deliver a Making Tracks progam are included in our manuals. However, the program is not meant to be implemented simply by downloading the Making Tracks materials. Leader training is mandatory before leading the Making Tracks program. Contact the Making Tracks Coordinator to learn how to arrange training.
Teaching Manuals
User Guide (Walking, Cycling, Skateboarding, Scootering and In-line Skating)
Walking Safety Teaching Manual
Cycling Teaching Manual
Name That Bike Part activity sheet with no labels
Cycling Care and Maintenance Teaching Manual
Skate Pass®: Skateboarding Manual (not available online due to copyright)
In-line Skating Teaching Manual
Scootering Teaching Manual
Passports
Walking Safety Passport
Cycling Passport
Skate Pass®: Skateboarding Passport (not available online due to copyright)
In-line Skating Passport
Scootering Passport
Equipment Loans
We offer free loans of cycling tool kits, safety kits, skateboards, scooters and safety gear to assist your program. However, to access these loans your session leader must have taken our leader training (train-the-trainer). Loans are free but we require you to pick up and drop off the loans or cover the costs for shipping. Simply download and print the Borrowing Agreement then contact us to arrange pick up dates.
Promotional Resources
Brochure
Becoming a Leader or an Expert Trainer
Youth volunteer call-out
Program two-pager
One-pager for physical activity practitioners
Promotional video
Quick Leader Session Resources
Evaluation and Reporting Agreement
Incident Report Form
Participant Attendance Form
Post Program Questionnaire for Participants
Post Program Questionnaire for Leaders
Program Funders
