Comunidades Activas y Seguras (Active and Safe Communities) Program

Comunidades Activas y Seguras (Active and Safe Communities) is a joint program of UC Berkeley SafeTREC and California Walks (Cal Walks). After working with communities of a wide variety of backgrounds through our statewide Community Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program Training (CPBST) program, we learned that we needed to create a curriculum tailored to meet the needs of Spanish-speaking communities. To that end, Comunidades Activas y Seguras (CAyS) takes a community centered and culturally/linguistically sensitive approach to identify and address walking and biking safety concerns.

• Improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists in Spanish-speaking communities in California;

• Engage communities to be involved in active transportation safety discussions and be a part of decision-making processes;

• Connect participating communities to each other and create opportunities for collaboration; 

• Work with partners working on issues to transportation safety (ex: environmental justice, housing, access to health food, etc.); and

• Create shareable educational content for social media and other virtual outlets.

Explore our interactive map of the CPBSP Program to view summary reports where available of each CAyS workshop, including ideas identified during the process and recommendations for pedestrian/bicycle safety projects, policies, and programs. If you prefer, CAyS reports can also be viewed on our web accessible, text version of the CPBSP Interactive Map.

What to Expect

Assessment during the Comunidades Activas y Seguras training in Wilmington, CA (Photo credit: A. Morales)

The CAyS program creates awareness about the Safe System Framework to help participants understand the context of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and thus direct strategies that could help improve safety for all road users. Through collaborative work it helps build rapport between residents, local officials, agency staff, coalitions, and other stakeholders.

Activities may include presentation and discussion of:

• Walking & Biking Crash Data Overview: An overview of crash data to identify high injury networks, and primary crash factors;

• Safe System Overview: A review of Safe System principles, layers of protection, and strategies to help eliminate fatal and serious injuries on the road and implement education efforts;

• Walking and Biking Assessments: A discussion of pedestrian and bicycle safety concerns and road user behavior patterns; 

• Arrival and Dismissal Observations: Observe desired and risky behaviors of people walking, rolling, and driving in school zones;

• Radio Novela Activity: Develop audiovisual tools for advocacy using community; and

• Experiences and Stories: To increase understanding of effective advocacy approaches.

Communities can use this training to:

• Support grant applications for infrastructure and community education programs;

• Implement education efforts;

• Build or strengthen local coalitions;

• Increase understanding of effective policy change approaches; 

• Expand outreach within communities; and

• Explore and implement Safe Routes to Schools Programming.

2024 Trainings

This year, the Comunidades Activas y Seguras (CAyS) project team will partner with three communities throughout California with large monolingual Spanish-speaking populations to take a community centered and culturally/linguistically sensitive approach to identify and address their walking and biking safety concerns. We prioritize working in communities that are at higher risk for road traffic injuries and addressing the safety needs of people who are underserved by traditional transportation planning and resources. Explore our upcoming CAyS workshops below!  

Applications are now closed for the 2024 CAyS Program. Thank you to all who applied for your time and interest in the program. If you would like more information about the program, or have questions, please contact us at cpbst@berkeley.edu.

Access executive summaries and Radio Novela content from the 2024 trainings:

• Tulare Summary and Recommendations Report: English | Spanish
• Orange Cove Summary and Recommendations Report: English | Spanish 
• Knights Landing Summary and Recommendations Report: English | Spanish (Coming soon!)

We are offering follow-up support to former CAyS sites! 

This year, we will be providing follow-up support to two former CAyS sites in California to support their community’s implementation of programs, projects, and recommendations outlined in their community action plan. We will partner with these communities in two overarching areas: strengthening data-driven narratives and community leadership and capacity strengthening.

• Lamont (Kern County) Safe Routes to School Training for the CAyS Program: English | Spanish

• Oxnard (Ventura County) Community Mapping: Follow-Up Technical Assistance for the CAyS Program: English | Spanish 

To learn more about follow-up support, please contact us at cpbst@berkeley.edu.

2023 Trainings

Access executive summaries and Radio Novela content from the 2023 trainings:

• Pico Union Summary and Recommendations Report: English | Spanish
• Lamont Summary and Recommendations Report
• Fresno Summary and Recommendations Report

2022 Trainings

Access executive summaries and Radio Novela content from the 2022 trainings:

• Oxnard Executive Summary and Recommendations: English / Spanish
• Bell Executive Summary and Recommendations: English / Spanish
• Stevenson Middle School, Los Angeles Executive Summary and Recommendations: English / Spanish

2021 Trainings

Access executive summaries and Radio Novela content from the 2021 trainings: 

• Greenfield Executive Summary and Recommendations
• Wilmington Executive Summary and Recommendations

Interested in learning more about the program or an upcoming training? Please contact us at safetrec@berkeley.edu.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.