Youth attitude research Infrabel
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The Challenge
Infrabel, the organisation responsible for Belgium’s railway network, wanted to educate and warn young people about the risks around trains, railways, and level crossings.
To do this effectively, they needed to understand how Belgian youth perceive these dangers, how they act around trains, and which communication methods capture their attention. The challenge was compounded by the COVID-19 situation, which limited in-person engagement and made traditional research methods more difficult.
Our Approach
Trendwolves partnered with Infrabel to design a youth-centered research approach. Our goal was to uncover both awareness and behaviour around railway safety and identify the most effective ways to communicate with young people.
We combined field research and focus interviews, leveraging our network to engage a diverse group of Dutch- and French-speaking youngsters. This mixed approach allowed us to gather both real-world observations and in-depth personal insights, even under pandemic restrictions.
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Activation
Our research included two phases:
- Street research – We talked to young people in public spaces to gauge their awareness of Infrabel and railway safety risks. These conversations informed the design of our next phase.
- Focus interviews – We conducted 12 structured sessions with 24 youngsters, exploring their experiences near trains and level crossings, opinions on existing campaigns, and preferred ways of communicating.
Throughout, we carefully documented and analysed the findings, identifying patterns, knowledge gaps, and opportunities to improve engagement.
Our impact
The research provided valuable insights into how Belgian youth interact with and perceive railway safety. It highlighted both knowledge gaps and the communication channels most effective for reaching this audience.
By sharing the results with Infrabel, Trendwolves helped shape a more targeted, youth-friendly communication strategy. These insights will inform future campaigns to educate, influence, and protect young people, ensuring they navigate the railway safely and confidently.
Every project is different, but they all start with the same belief: youth culture is the key to relevance.
