Article originally published by iRAP

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam – May 14, 2025

In a groundbreaking development, the much-anticipated new version of the Youth Engagement App (YEA) has launched during the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, supporting the theme “Streets for Life: #MakeWalkingSafe and #MakeCyclingSafe”.

Funded by Google.org, this upgraded version introduces a vibrant, user-friendly interface designed to engage youth worldwide in road safety initiatives. YEA is an interactive platform that enables young individuals to identify and report road safety conditions in the vicinity of their schools with ease, contributing to tackling the biggest killer of their generation – road crashes. With its global scalability, YEA is expected to transform school safety in countries such as Vietnam, Chile, South Africa, and Peru.

Youth Sitting on the Decision-Making Table

Engaging youth in road safety initiatives is crucial as they bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to longstanding issues, fostering a culture of responsibility and awareness among their peers. By actively contributing to road safety programs, young people can help local authorities to prioritize interventions and tailor them to the community needs, reducing fatalities and severe injuries and ensuring safer roads for everyone.

A Leap Forward in Technology and User Experience

The new version of YEA brings a host of exciting enhancements designed to elevate user experience and functionality. The updated layout is more attractive and engaging, featuring vibrant new colors and dynamic graphs. User-friendly flows have been meticulously crafted to ensure that information is easily accessible and streamlining navigation. Additionally, the new version includes powerful tools specifically designed to support the implementation of Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) projects. These enhancements collectively make YEA a more intuitive and efficient platform, empowering users to achieve their project goals with greater ease and enjoyment. You can download the new YEA User Guide in English here.

Vietnam: Nothing about Youth, without Youth

Vietnam, the birthplace of YEA through the AI&Me: Empowering Youth for Safer Roads program, continues to see the application flourish through its ongoing partnership with the AIP Foundation. The new versions of YEA will be utilized in two distinct projects –Empowering Youth for Livable Cities and AI&Me: Leveraging AI tool for road safety impact encompassing secondary schools and high schools across three different provinces. These projects funded by Fondation Botnar, FIA Foundation and Google.org aim to enhance road safety education and engagement among students and support the direct contribution of young people in the school zones national programme.

A recent co-creation workshop with students played a pivotal role in shaping the future of YEA in Vietnam. During this workshop, students provided valuable insights and feedback, helping to establish new priorities for the app’s use in the country. They also identified essential functionalities that should be included in the next upgrades, ensuring that YEA remains relevant and effective in addressing the unique needs of the Vietnamese school community.

A Vision for Youth Engagement

The release of the updated YEA represents a major step forward in fostering youth participation. Rolled out in Vietnam, Chile, South Africa, and Peru, YEA sets a new benchmark for impactful engagement and enhances data collection through innovative technology. Its user-friendly design and scalability have been proven effective.

We extend our gratitude to Google.org for funding this upgraded version, and to Fondation Botnar and FIA Foundation for supporting the app’s initial development. Your dedication to promoting youth health and well-being is making school journeys safer and healthier for students globally.

YEA is now available in your application store and is free to use.

For more information:

Please contact: schools@irap.org or yea@starratingforschools.org