About bikes mwerre
Our Background
Bikes Mwerre is a community bike program, delivered in Larapinta and surrounding areas. Originally suggested by a Larapinta Dad, this idea has been further workshopped in depth with families and the Larapinta community who are supportive of activities such as this being available for children and their families.
A partnership was developed with the Larapinta Child and Family Centre and Bikes Palya who are proposed to deliver the program. Bikes Palya is the indigenous community development program delivered by Bicycle South Australia, SA’s peak body for recreational cycling. Since 2003, Bikes Palya has delivered remote community engagement programs, using bikes to promote healthier communities, school engagement attendance and diversionary programs in high-risk holiday periods.
Bikes Palya partnered with Larapinta community to establish and deliver a bike program over two years. OVer this time the program has successfully brought children and families together, embeded cycling in the community through a mix of intergenerational community workshops and events as well as targeted engagement through workshops mentoring youth through the rebuilding of donated bicycles that are gifted to the participant and younger community members upon completion.
The program is now based locally, and delivered in partnership with organisations based in and around Alice Springs with ambitions to grow the reach and impact of the highly effective community development model Bikes Mwerre has become.
Outcomes
- Provided over 100 community events, school holiday programs, in school and after school workshops
- Expanded to deliver services across Alice Springs and Town Camp
- Fixed 400 amount of bikes to the community
- Gifted 200+ bikes and over 500 community members reached
- Employed 4 local community members (two long term unemployed
- Engaged parents with their children, empowering them by learning new skills and being able to maintain bikes, as well as doing more family activities together.
Sustainability
The project is based on successful Bikes Palya projects and utilises asset based community development methodology. An initial audit of the community showed little access to bikes, mechanical knowledge and confidence riding were barriers to a thriving cycling culture.
The delivery model consists of a custom built trailer and fleet of bikes along with regular workshops. Participants build capacity in bike mechanics and riding skills. Bikes Mwerre aims to create a culture of riding that will exist for generations to come. The longer term goal is sustainability of such a culture, which supported by periodic programs and permanent facilities for safe riding and maintaining of bicycles.