Creative Sustainability received a grant of £5,000 from the Main Grant programme towards their ‘Access Bike’ project in Stroud.
Access Bike, is a youth-led, inclusive drop in cycle workshop with peer to peer support programmes for disadvantaged, excluded and disabled young people
Creative Sustainability uses its own co-produced inclusive evaluation (CPIE) methodology for evaluating impact, which helps participants to take ownership of the evaluation process and to track indicators of change. The culture of Access Bike is a space for these young people to spend time with others like their peers, to chat about other interests and things they done during the week.
“Access Bike provides a fully equipped cycle workshop for young people, from 10am to 6.30pm three days a week. First part of the day is for vulnerable young people, with peer support and a co-produced personal development programme. From 3pm all young people can join in activities, share skills and socialise. Young people can work on their own bike, or if they don’t have one they can chose from donations, do one up for themselves or for sale to the wider community. There are bike rides, shared lunches and informal ‘Chatchups’ to support positive behaviour, model positive friendships and support connection with other CS offers – work advice, sexual and mental health support and other mental health and wellbeing activities.
We needed a second workshop leader, a much needed pair of hands when the workshop is busy. The leaders work with individuals and small groups, to support meaningful, safe and positive participation, to take groups outside to work on or test bikes or on cycling confidence rides along the canal. In addition to existing participants, we have had 14 new referrals of young people from the job centre and SCAPS since November, and it’s busy!”
Changes noted include that young people have:
- taken part in a new or personally challenging activity
- completed challenges with decreasing support
- taken initiative to chose tasks/activities without prompting
- been talking more freely about issues they face outside of workshop community
- been taking part more confidently in ‘Chatchups’ – weekly sofa chats for all
- taking part in team cycle activities
- been supporting someone else and working towards a leadership role
- taking more responsibility for tasks, jobs, enterprise
