#1 2013-11-30 07:43:53

AusTexMurf
Member
From: South Austin
Registered: 2008-11-21
Posts: 439

Austin Bike Explorers-Youth Cycling Program-Ghisallo Foundation

Austin Bike Explorers
Chrisopher Stanton
Ghisallo Foundation
Video Here

Project Description

The goal of the Austin Bike Explorers project is to begin to develop youths into well-rounded lifestyle and recreational cyclists. Our aim is to create cyclists who have the skills and ability to not only use their bicycle for fun and recreation but to develop the qualities needed to use it safely for transportation and to teach others to do so as well. Active transportation can also help fight obesity by making the exercise part of an activity which can rather than just exercising which can feel like a chore. Encouraging bicycle transportation also has a beneficial impact on the environment in that it reduces carbon emissions produced by motor vehicles, resulting in improved air quality and reduced resource utilization.

The program is built on top of Cycle Academy material which is a structured educational program geared toward youth cyclists concentrating on bicycle riding, safety, and maintenance skills. It focuses on learning by doing, self-sufficiency, developing a healthy lifestyle by integrating bicycling into daily activities, and community service. The curriculum is split into discrete education modules so we can track individual student achievement and measure their progress in becoming subject material experts. The long-term goal is to develop youth cyclists who can be teachers within their own peer groups and families.

This program provides a high-volume introduction to cycling and cycling skills through bike rodeos and also provides in-depth instruction through smaller group instruction. Classroom instruction is paired with group rides where learned skills can be further refined, knowledge reinforced, and Austin’s parks experienced first-hand. We aim to create awareness of the various on-road and off-road bicycle facilities and accessible green spaces in East and Central Austin while also helping students develop safe riding skills and bicycle maintenance skills so they and their families can properly utilize the network of routes to reach their desired destinations. Students who do not own a bicycle can use one from our lending library or build their own in our free earn-a-bike program.


PROJECT GOALS

What do you want to do?
Help kids earn bikes, learn to ride them safely and responsibly and explore their community and parkland. Their city, active transportation and the environment.

How will you spend the $10k
Instructor wages for direct services, tools and spare parts to fix the kids’ bikes, incentives they can earn through skills development. Teaching materials.

What impact do you hope to make?
To develop youth riders into cycling experts who integrate bicycling into their daily lives while actively discovering their city and green spaces by bike.

WEBSITE

http://ghisallo.org

Last edited by AusTexMurf (2013-11-30 07:44:45)

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