How to pay it back

[ianrobo]

I have been looking at trying to pay back my enthusiasm to cycling to especially kids and difficult. For example I have looked at bikeability and yes they make kids wear helmets etc But with my enthusiasm for the sport, what I have done, what I can show kids I think I can give so much back.

It would have to fit in and around with a FT job and my current cycling habits but nothing is impossible if you try !

so I am now struggling to think of something and even after googling there seems not a lot around the place, any ideas ... this does not have to be a paid position

[fastpedaller]

Are you in a cycling club? If so, leading new and prospective members would be good. I recall a (now sadly departed) club member who used to give up a lot of his time mentoring us 'new recruits' and IMHO it would have been impossible to put a value on his contribution to our future enjoyment of the sport/hobby.

[ianrobo]

Are you in a cycling club? If so, leading new and prospective members would be good. I recall a (now sadly departed) club member who used to give up a lot of his time mentoring us 'new recruits' and IMHO it would have been impossible to put a value on his contribution to our future enjoyment of the sport/hobby.

I did think of that but I am not really a bike club member and would like to do something with kids more and get the enthusasiasm young ...

[whoof]

You could join a club and start a kids group.
http://mdcc.org.uk/youth
Unfortunately in the current climate it is unlikely that as an individual people will let you near their children. You will also need a CBR check.

[eileithyia]

What about GoRide? See via British Cycling website; to find nearest club. There are options there to join up, get involved and go on to do some training as a GoRide coach. But you will need DBS, as it is called now; disclosure and barring service.

Our local GR club has Saturday morning rides, and through the summer various other training and cycling options.

[ianrobo]

Cheers both, I have the clearance as I helped out at my kid’s dance school so that’s no problem .... so that’s an interesting thought

[gazza_d]

You could also volunteer for Sustrans and become a ranger and/or help out with workdays maintaining parts of the NCN that Sustrans own and manage.
In some areas (like Tyneside) they also have volunteers who man Dr Bike workshops or lead rides. Even helping as a marshal on a ride can be helpful and rewarding

If there's a cycle recycler or cooperative nearby they are usually looking for volunteers. It doesn;t have to be much, whatever time you can give would be greatly appreciated

[ianrobo]

Thanks Gaz for the ideas and the Sustrans idea sounds positive as it would be like two days a month

[pjclinch]

I have been looking at trying to pay back my enthusiasm to cycling to especially kids and difficult. For example I have looked at bikeability and yes they make kids wear helmets etc But with my enthusiasm for the sport, what I have done, what I can show kids I think I can give so much back.

If you want to pay back enthusiasm for the sport then Bikeability isn't an obvious avenue, because it's general utility riding and not sport.

Aside from volunteering at a JCC, BC do coaching qualifications that are reasonably accessible to anyone (I'm not a sport cyclist, but I'm a Level 2 (generic) Coach). If you take one of those you can be a lot more use to a JCC, and you'll learn some useful skills about transferring skills too. You'll all be wearing helmets, but in sport riding pretty much everybody does.

Pete.

[gaz]

You could also volunteer for Sustrans ...

In some areas there may be opportunities to support Sustrans "Bike It" officers, working in schools to get kids cycling: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/volunteer/g ... /vacancies

[Vorpal]

I was going to suggest either 'Bike it' or 'Go Ride' or both. If you look on BCs site, you can find a local Go Ride club, or if you are interested in a local club, you start Go Ride, there.

You could also potentially help one or more schools start after school cycling clubs, maybe in conjunction with the local 'Bike it' officer & a teacher at the school?

[Psamathe]

I have been looking at trying to pay back my enthusiasm to cycling to especially kids and difficult. For example I have looked at bikeability and yes they make kids wear helmets etc But with my enthusiasm for the sport, what I have done, what I can show kids I think I can give so much back.......

I know nothing about these schemes and without wanting to turn this into "yet another helmet thread", you say they make kids wear helmets but do they constrain what you say to the kids. Not suggesting using it as any sort of platform for pro/anti helmet campaigning. I've done courses before where I've been told "to pass a test you have to do <x> but in the real world everybody does <y> ...".

Ian

[Vorpal]

Bikeability don't actually make kids wear helmets.

In fact National Standards used to say (I haven't been teaching for a few years) that benefits and disadvantages of helmets should be explained, but nothing more than that.

Many Bikeability schemes are run by local authorities, however, and they require them. They will normally say it is for insurance or liability reasons.

Some independent providers do not require helmets.

[ianrobo]

thanks all this has been a very positive feedback and I will contact my local Sustrans (who I have visited) and see if they have anything, there are some vacancies there for sure ...

any other feedback I will continue to take on board

[531colin]

I have been looking at trying to pay back my enthusiasm to cycling to especially kids and difficult...........

I'm not sure how "difficult" you want it, but I was for a while handyman at a couple of childrens' homes. At the time, there was a scheme whereby "suitable" adults could officially "befriend" one of the kids, and it occurred to me that anybody who owned a couple of mountain bikes and a car to drive out to a suitable trail could give one of those kids something priceless. Its fair to say those kids were truly "difficult"...disenfranchised, whatever term you wish to use. But they has all seen things nobody needs to see, particularly kids. At one time suicide of a parent (or accidental overdose) was almost an entry requirement. Its a good 15 years ago, and just thinking about those kids still tears lumps off me. I don't know if the scheme still operates, but I would recommend going carefully, and I think you will need good backup, ie somebody to talk to.

Or, there are several schemes to get people with disabilities cycling....the cycling varies from circuits of a running track to tandems with blind stokers to partially-sighted people cycling off-road on solos. I've done some of that, its pretty rewarding. If you can't Google something local, "Open Country" in Harrogate will certainly have a list of some sort.