A Journey Through Care

Cycling2Care is an action-research project made by:

1. Intergenerational Rides

Join trishaw bike rides with elderly residents from Barcelona, listening to their stories and sharing moments of presence in the beautiful Barcelona ruban parks and seasides.

2. Learning Modules

Cycling2Care is also a 20-hour sustainability education program that blends the trishaw rides with:

  • Tools for emotional resilience

  • Practical sustainability education

  • Life Cycle Thinking and storytelling

  • Inner development goals (IDGs)

3. In practice

  • 5 rides, two hours each

  • 2 in-person workshops for team building and follow-up

  • Bitacoras, Padlets and whatsapp dedicated group to explore "What does it mean to care?"

  • 1 final workshop for harvesting a community map of care and memory

Bonus:

  • UPC students: Earn 2 ECTS credits

  • No bike experience needed—just a willingness to be present!

“Mi primer paseo de C2C y la primera vez que he conducido un triciclo sin miedo! Me siento muy afortunada por haber tenido la oportunidad de acompañar a personas tan risueñas, amables y agradecidas :)” — Young C2C participant

Where Science Meets Care

Cycling2Care is a participatory research study. Our scientific goals are:

Objectives:

  • Measure emotional and ecological co-benefits of slow mobility & care practices

  • Assess changes in eco-anxiety, resilience, and social connection

  • Prototype scalable education tools for inner sustainability

Hosted at ISGlobal

As one of Europe’s top urban health institutes, ISGlobal provides scientific supervision for:

  • Health & emotional well-being surveys (before/after participation)

  • Evaluation of mental health impact from nature-based and social prescribing activities

  • Data to inform urban planning and care policy models

Research Questions

  • What happens when young people engage emotionally with the climate crisis through embodied, community-based care?

  • How do intergenerational relationships support emotional healing?

  • Can shared mobility act as a tool for social inclusion and sustainable urban health?

“I used to think the top global environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that with 30 years of good science we could address these problems. But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a spiritual and cultural transformation, and we scientists don't know how to do that.”

-James Gustave (Gus) Speth

Ready to Ride With Us?

We’re inviting young adults aged 18–35 living in Barcelona to join a transformative, gentle journey this spring as a pilot and then all along 2026 and 2027 for the longitudinal study.

What’s Required

  • Commitment to attend:

    • 5 trishaw rides

    • 3 reflective workshops

    • 20-hour educational component

  • Open mind, open heart, and time to listen

When & Where

  • May 20 – June 20, 2025

  • Fort Pienc & Poble Nou

  • Ride times: Morning (10:30–12:30) or Evening (17:00–19:00)

Bonus for Students

  • 2 ECTS credits for UPC participants

  • Open to students and non-students alike

Apply for this pilot before: April 21, 2025

👉 Application Form →

What we want to explore

Emotional Support Networks

Sense of Purpose & Agency

Empathy (IRI & Intergenerational Dialogue)


Pro-environmental Attitudes & Behaviour


Climate Emotions (eco-anxiety, hope, motivation)

Emotional Well-being (PANAS)

Nature Connectedness

Our Research Structure

SO1 – Understanding Emotions & Climate Anxiety


 Surveys + Focus Groups + Interviews

  • Emotional well-being

  • Climate-related emotions

  • Empathy and compassion

  • Connection to nature and others

SO2 – Designing a New Kind of Sustainability Learning


 A hands-on module blending...

  • Emotional resilience training

  • Trishaw ride experiences

  • Reflective nature-based workshops

  • Intergenerational dialogue

Who's Behind Cycling2Care?

Cycling2Care is a collaboration between:

Giulia Sonetti

Researcher in sustainability transitions and emotional well-being
Institut de Sostenibilitat (UPC) | En Bici Sense Edat | MSCA perspective Fellow at ISGlobal

ISGlobal

Urban health science and climate resilience evaluation
→ Designing surveys & impact assessments

En Bici Sense Edat (EBSE)

Catalonia’s branch of Cycling Without Age
→ Training volunteers, managing rides

UPC

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
→ Academic partner, ECTS accreditation

Why It Matters

In an era where many young people feel anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected from nature and community, C2C offers a simple, grounded intervention: show up, ride together, reflect deeply. This is not just about data—it’s about finding what gives us hope, and how we might plant those seeds in education, policy, and everyday life.

Whether you're participating as a student, a cyclist, or a curious community member, your experience helps build knowledge that can ripple far beyond Barcelona.