Rārangi Hīkoi Walkability Checklist

The Walkability Checklist series also connects with other activities such as:

• Movin’March
• Walking School Bus
• Park and Stride (coming soon)
• Walking Pou (coming soon)

Walkability and walkable: 

Walkability is how an area supports or encourages walking, by providing pedestrians with a level of comfort and safety.  There are many aspects that contribute to ‘walkability’ such as the walk being pleasant, safe, connected or within a reasonable distance.  People can experience walkability in different ways depending on a wide range of factors that might include: outlook, age, gender, ability, or a sense of belonging.   

The kerb drill: 

• Find a safe place to cross.
• STOP – one step back from the kerb.
• LOOK and LISTEN – for traffic coming from all directions.
• WAIT – if there is traffic coming and then look again.
• If there is no traffic coming:
• WALK – quickly, straight across the road. 
• While crossing, LOOK and LISTEN for traffic, wherever it may  come from.

Sneaky driveways:      

These are driveways that are difficult to see down, and it is hard for pedestrians to see cars coming out. Perhaps there are buildings, trees, or fences in the way.  Remember that drivers may also have limited visibility of pedestrians. Discuss with your ākonga how to check these and remind them to stop, look and listen, before crossing.  

Mauri:  

In the Walkability Checklist, ākonga will rate the mauri (life force/energy) of your neighbourhood. They will tick the list of things they noticed that made mauri stronger and the walk more pleasant, or that made the mauri weaker, and therefore, less pleasant.  Discuss the concept of mauri with your ākonga, so they gain a deeper understanding. Explain that in te ao Māori (the Māori world view) mauri is the essential quality and vitality of a physical object, individual, ecosystem or social group. It is felt, seen, and heard in the health, beauty and strength of a person or place. For example, if a place has many thriving trees and is filled with birdsong and the local stream runs clean, mauri is strong. If the waterways are fed through pipes, the few trees are surrounded by concrete and roads filled with commuting traffic, the mauri is weak.  

Kaitiakitanga: 

This is guardianship and protection. It is a way of caring for the environment, based on the Māori world view. A kaitiaki is a guardian. A person or group that cares for an area such as a lake or forest is supporting the kaitiakitanga of that area.  

Manaakitanga: 

This is hospitality, generosity, support, respect and care for others; nurturing people so that they feel valued and looked after; and encouraging a feeling of belonging in this place.  

Citizenship: 

This is the status of being a citizen. When you have citizenship in a country, you have a right to be there, to do things such as work and vote, to express your thoughts and feelings, and to make a difference there. You also have a responsibility to respect others, to participate, and to contribute. A person exercising citizenship can be defined as someone who contributes to make the group, community, country, or planet a better place to be. 

Maps 

Download and print maps from: www.google.com/mymapsopen_in_new

Greater Wellington regional maps (GIS): GW mapping - Homeopen_in_new

Safety

Visit the Waka Kotahi NZTA education portalopen_in_new for a range of road safety curriculum resources.

Watch the Wellington Paranormal Scooter Safety videosopen_in_new for tips on how to keep safe around sneaky driveways and crossings.

Further activities:

Contact your local Police School Community Officeropen_in_new or a local community representative that is appropriate and relatable for your tamariki, for road safety advice. 

Contact your local Enviroschools’ facilitatoropen_in_new for support.   

Visit Greater Wellington Regional Council’s School Travel websiteopen_in_new for other safety related resources: to explore with ākonga and whānau more ways to develop safe and active ways to get to school.  

Sign up for safety skills sessions with Greater Wellington Regional Council’s programmes such as Pedal Readyopen_in_new or Scooter Readyopen_in_new.