Eco-Schools
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Repairing unwanted bikes and learning new skills

The young people at the Innovate Project repair unwanted bicycles from the local community to create a sustainable transport option for themselves.

What did you do and how did you involve the whole school?

Learners at the Innovate Project take old, broken, unwanted bikes donated by the local community and repair them. This requires learning new skills, helps develop confidence and rewards those participating with a new bike at the end. All the young people are involved in the project.

How and why did you decide on this target?

The bike project first came about following a consultation with the young people, they expressed an interest and most of the didn’t have their own bikes, so Kevin (lead youth worker) developed a bike maintenance project on site and asked the community to support us by donating unwanted bikes.

How has the project impacted on your school and your community?

The learners benefits sufficiently from this project as not only do they get to keep their bikes once completed, they learn new skills, get to participate in an activity chosen by them which helps develop team work skills, basic skills, builds on confidence as well as incorporating literacy and numeracy. Also helps to build links within the community. It also reduces waste in the local community and promotes a healthy and sustainable form of transport.

How did you celebrate success and what are your next steps?

Once the bikes are completed the young people will go on bike rides around the community and learn bike proficiency

We have 11 young people on the project and each young person will have the opportunity to participate in the bike project, the project will be on going and any new young people will be given the opportunity to take part.