Does Your School Support Active Living, Child Safety and the Environment?
Not all children participate in team sports, many don’t feel comfortable throwing a ball or taking on other players. Many children don’t participate in group activities outside of school and if they do, it’s often only once each week for a few weeks each year.
However research shows that 73% of our Australian children currently ride a bike in some form but only a fraction of these children are trained, leaving them vulnerable to accident and injury. By teaching these kids (and those who don’t currently ride) to ride safely and confidently we are giving our children a relevant lifestyle activity to partake in safely at any time, which will improve their health and quality of life.
Cycling is a low cost, convenient form of exercise that children can participate in by themselves, with their friends, as a family activity or as a means of transport. It suits all age groups, backgrounds and demographics. It is a relevant activity for all Australian children.
Currently 1 in 4 children and 60% of adults in Australia are overweight or obese. Getting our kids out of cars and using active transport instead is believed to be the single most effective way to improve physical activity rates and reduce obesity in children.
Whilst cycling can drastically improve the health of our children, it can also help to improve traffic congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution in our communities.
Over the last few years there have been some fantastic improvements in active transport, cycle pathways and cycling infrastructure, which will continue into the future. Teaching our kids to ride bikes as a lifestyle alternative and use this new infrastructure will help develop a strong cycling culture in Australia and start to overcome some of the environment and health statistics that are currently facing our country.
Cycling Training in Schools is Vital
Research shows that over 73% of school age children ride bikes but only a fraction of those children are trained, leaving them vulnerable to accident and injury.
Getting children out of cars, and using active transport instead, is believed to be the single most effective way to improve physical activity rates and reduce obesity in children.
With some basic training you can ensure the majority of your children who already ride as well as those who don’t have the skills and confidence to ride for leisure or for transport to and from school or between local activities.
In a nutshell, kids should be taught to cycle because…
- It’s fun.
- It’s affordable and available to every Australian child.
- Kids who ride are more alert at school.
- It provides children with a sense of freedom that is important for their physical and mental health.
- It keeps children fit and healthy and helps reduce childhood obesity.
- It improves kids self-confidence and self-esteem.
- It is good for the environment and provides a sustainable future for our kids.
- It reduces traffic congestion around schools.
- It is a great activity to do on their own, with friends or with the whole family
- It teaches Australian children an active lifestyle activity that can be used throughout their whole lives.
- Cycling is inclusive, sustainable and accessible for all Australians.
Why Choose AustCycle as your School's Cycling Training Provider?
- AustCycle is Australia’s only national cycling accreditation program teaching bike handling skills to community members.
- All AustCycle Teachers must attend a Level 1 Training Course and a First Aid Course.
- All AustCycle Teachers must agree to a Code of Conduct and pass a Working with Children Check.
- All AustCycle Providers are insured to deliver cycle training to all community members.
- The high quality AustCycle national training program is funded and supported by the Australian Government.
If you are interested in booking a training course for your school or in finding out more about the courses available, please contact info@austcycle.com.au.
To find a Provider near you click here.
