In WeCount, we have developed and improved the user-friendliness of a traffic counting sensor and open data platform and applied this in 5 citizen science pilots. We started with the first 2 pilots in the first year of the project, deploying a first batch of sensors in Leuven and Madrid/Barcelona in a gradual way. The 3 other cases have started at the beginning of the second year in the project. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, deployment has been delayed and more gradual, but the shift from face-to-face citizen engagement activities to an online/hybrid format has been implemented with considerable success, though COVID-19 is expected to be a challenge for the duration of the project.
Project output summary:
· The project has engaged directly with more than 1,000 citizens and stakeholders through workshops, seminars, mutual learning and science-policy dialogue workshops, as stipulated in the bid.
· A total of 368 citizen scientists from WeCount case studies directly engaged with the project over its 24-month duration.
· An estimated 230,000 people were engaged indirectly through social media and the project website.
· There were 11,085 visitors of the project website, and over 218,916 social media impressions.
· There was a nearly perfect split of males (51%) and females (49%) participants in the project. WeCount was able to attract a younger demographic than most citizen science projects with 29% of participants being younger than 16. This skew towards younger audiences reflects the effort of staff in reaching them when possible. WeCount citizens were highly educated (82% had a degree or above) which maybe a reflection of the online and digital conduct of the project due to COVID-19 restrictions.
· WeCount reached 16 schools across Europe and engaged with 305 school children.
· Across case studies a total of 52 events and workshops took place, most of these were online. These events and workshops engaged a total of 843 citizens across Europe (number is higher than WeCount members as some may have attended more than one workshop).
· Overall, citizens tended to enjoy the activities the project; 75% saw some improvement in their knowledge and almost half (48%) of citizens plan on using the data after the project ends.
· At the time of submission, 10% of participants had taken action and policymakers see huge added value in the project.
