ON TRACK | MACC

Mentor and Mountain Biking

Edmund Rice Community Services are in a unique position to offer the opportunity of a mountain bike mentoring program for teens (12 to 18 years old). The program will offer a fun, active, inclusive and supportive opportunity for teens to enjoy and learn about mountain biking.

It will give participants an opportunity to learn...

Mountain Bike Skill techniques.
Safe Mountain Bike riding.
Mountain Bike Maintenance and bike care.
Mountain Bike Track building know how.

.....as well as life skills like,

Resilience
Team work
Communication
Group decision making
Making safe choices
Expectance and understanding others
Goal setting and perseverance to achieve them.

Participants will be riding with and guided by positive mentors, to help steer and guide positive choices and social interactions. The mentors will ride with the group, facilitating and showing positive, real time responses to situations, challenges and frustrations. The mentors will have an open ear to what the young people wish to learn and want to discuss. We will raise social topics from time to time in a gentle but well timed manner to stimulate thinking and discussion.

Who is this program for?

Anyone (teens) that has an interest in mountain biking and wants to ride.

Basic riding level and fitness is helpful.

When and where ?

Every Thursday of term 1, term 2 and term 4 (2023)

Start time: 4:00pm

Finish time: 6:00pm

Mt Atkinson Community Centre

121-179 Greigs Rd. Truganina

What to bring?

Wear old clothes....we may just get dirty.
Wear what's suitable for the weather on the day.
We have bikes and helmets you can borrow.
If you want to bring your own bike and you can transport it, bring it along.
Bring a bike drink bottle. Other bottles don't stay in the drink bottle holder.

Directions to Mt Atkinson Community Centre.jpg

Meet the Mountain Bike Mentors

Our team of mentors is growing as our group grows. Each mentor brings their own skills and fun approach to mountain biking. They all share the same desire to support young people through an active, fun and engaging approach

Michael Naismith

Michael started in outdoor education in the early 90s, then moved across to “Bush Adventure Therapy”. He has worked with: youth with drug and alcohol issues on long expeditions; teens that are disengaged from learning; as an outdoor learning coordinator; with adults with mental health on multi-activity days. Michael is passionate about connecting people with the outdoors and its healing and learning benefits. Michael has been working at Edmund Rice Community Services since 2019. He enjoys getting out on the trails with friends and long rides on his road bike. Many years ago Michael completed a bicycle ride from California in the USA to his family home in Melbourne, taking over 2 years to complete.

His greatest joy of riding now is with his young daughter. He just likes riding

Andrew Lansdell

Andrew just loves riding bikes, even when the trails are muddy. He also loves family life and being a father to his baby son, Elliott. In a recent life he was a high school teacher in Melbourne, Arnhem Land NT and Beechworth. Other than family and bikes, he loves all types of food – whether it’s cooking, eating or growing it.

Why does Andrew love bike riding: It allows him to explore nature, it can be time alone or shared with friends, he has met many new friends through bike riding as well. Andrew regularly challenges himself to overcome difficult obstacles (Sure he's had a few stacks, but nothing too crazy – his helmet has saved him a few times though!) and he has learnt how things work and then how to fix them.

You ?

We are always looking for the right person, with a desire to help young people and a love of the outdoors and cycling.

If you would like to support the program and want to find out more, please contact Michael on

0466 597 145

mnaismith@edmunddrice.org

Next step

If you or the young person you are keen to get started, please send us a little description about them and we will get in touch.

If you just want to know more, please ask.

Use the format below or call

Michael on 0466 597 145

Or email him mnaismith@edmundrice.org