Mini-Case Study: Girl Guides Transit Rally
Building confidence, independence, and real-world transit skills through a city-wide youth experience
Introduction
Through a partnership between Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) and Edmonton Area Girl Guides, more than 550 youth ages 7 to 17 years navigated the transit system in a guided, city-wide scavenger hunt, increasing confidence and reducing barriers.
How It Started
Like many transit providers, Edmonton Transit Service faces several challenges when it comes to encouraging youth to take transit. These include a lack of familiarity, concerns around safety and independence, and perceptions shaped without firsthand experience.
The Edmonton Area Girl Guides identified an opportunity to change this: create a structured, supportive environment where girls could learn about transit and build confidence through a fun experience.
How It Works
The Girl Guides Transit Rally is a one-day, experiential learning event designed around real-world transit use.
To manage the volume of participants coming from different parts of the city, participants begin at four transit hubs across the region – three locations within Edmonton and one in Strathcona County. This also ensures accessibility and reflects how transit is used in real life.
Equipped with pre-loaded transit cards and a scavenger hunt activity sheet, participants experience boarding buses, paying fares, and navigating routes around their city.
Ultimately, participants converge downtown for interactive booths and activities, lunch, and a closing “campfire” celebration.
Photos Supplied By: Edmonton Transit Service
A key detail is that women in transit roles (operators, staff, safety personnel) are present as mentors – creating space for questions, inspiration, and representation.
Why It Works
Participants don’t just hear about transit, they use it in a structured, safe, and supportive fashion. This reassures parents and empowers youth. The cooperation between ETS and Girl Guides results in a joint event that is well-resourced and supported and reaches the target audience from a trusted source. In fact, the first rally was ranked as one of the top activities in Girl Guides programming.
“Some parents were nervous… that’s exactly why we wanted to do this—to educate and empower.”
Photos Supplied By: Edmonton Transit Service
What’s the Impact
Thanks to a one-day event, more than 550 youth gained experience and confidence using transit in their community. The event strengthened relationships between community organizations and sparked continued collaboration.
