The need for community outreach delivery

Many young people do not cycle regularly or cannot cycle at all. In fact: 

• only 2% of all children cycle to school
• 1 in 4 can’t cycle at secondary school age.
• Only 35% of children currently access Bikeability Training.

Within the 65% that don’t currently access Bikeability training there are patterns that are representative of the inequalities across all forms of physical activity. Those most likely to not participate in Bikeability Training are: 

• Disabled children. Currently only 1% of those taking part of Bikeability Training are disabled.
• Secondary school aged children (11 to 16). In particular, female girls aged 13 to 16. Currently only 3% of secondary school aged children participate in Bikeability Training.
• Children living in areas of deprivation.
• Children from Lower Social Economic Groups and low-income households.
• Children from Ethnically Diverse Communities.

The biggest issue facing these young people is making cycle training sufficiently exciting and relevant. As Sport England’s ‘Under the Skin’ insight report puts it: 

As with all age groups, young people won’t enjoy an activity just because you’ve told them it’s fun. If only it was that simple. They rely heavily on the advice and recommendations of friends and messengers they see as expert and trustworthy. 

 

To get more information and express your interest in our Outreach Programme, please click here.

Outreach Projects within Making Trax:

• Girls BMX – We have a strong girls outreach with groups of girls. In our #BMXTogether project we work with vulnerable girls at risk of exclusion from school and use BMX as a tool to build confidence
• BMXercise – this programme engages women in fun, friendly and fitness-based BMXercise. These sessions are now running at clubs around the country giving more women the opportunity to take part in BMX.
• WoW Cycling – social cycling groups for women who are unable to cycle or not confident doing on a bike. These groups have been successful in engaging women who have never cycled or haven’t cycled in years to ride a bike and gain confidence from learning a new life skill and making new social connections
•  Wingz Cycling: The Wingz movement is an initiative to ensure disabled people have access to quality, local cycling. Within the Making Trax outreach project we work closely with Special Needs schools and provisions to help young disabled people to develop their confidence, riding ability and break down barriers in order to encourage them onto their local club Wingz session.
•  BMX Clever: BMXClever is a more intensive, adapted version of our mainstream BMX outreach programme and is often used with alternative provisions, pupil referral units or groups with behavioural issues. The programme uses core values such as confidence, cooperation, respect and focus as the basis for the sessions.

Head to our Project Page to read more about how we are specifically targeting underrepresented groups through initiatives such as our Making Trax Outreach, Wingz, WoW Cycling and BMXercise projects.

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