sportscotland is celebrating ‘being active’ for the month of April. Active Schools across the country work incredibly hard to encourage more young people to be more active every day.
We spoke to Active Schools Aberdeenshire, to hear about the ‘Rock Up and Ride' initiative, in partnership with Scottish Cycling and Deeside Thistle and funded by Transport Scotland, where they are enabling and encouraging more young people to get on a bike!
Rock Up and Ride
Stuart Grant, Active Schools and Community Sports Manager, spoke to us about the project:
“The Active Schools team have been developing some amazing projects throughout the current academic year. Participation levels in our activities are close to reaching pre-pandemic levels and in some areas surpassing these.”
“One project we were fortunate to be involved with was the ‘Rock Up and Ride’ programme, funded by Transport Scotland and delivered at eight pilot sites across Scotland.”
The project is aimed at children who would not otherwise have access to their own bike, giving them the chance to acquire new skills, techniques, and confidence for cycling in an inclusive environment.
“In Aberdeenshire, we worked with Deeside Thistle cycling club, to deliver the project in Stonehaven, identifying pupils from areas of higher deprivation through discussions with local schools. All 14 pupils involved praised the coaches for their supportive coaching style and highlighted the different ways they plan to continue using their new bikes for fun, fitness and to travel to and from school.”
Making an impact & building confidence
The project is having a significant impact on the lives of young people who may otherwise have missed out on the opportunity to experience cycling and is allowing them to feel included and engage with their local community, all whilst being active and learning new skills.
Stuart commented:
“The programme has given young people an opportunity that they would otherwise have struggled to access."
"Developing confidence to ride a bike safely, and then being given their very own bike was massive for them. Many are now riding to school, and some are planning to get involved with their local cycle club – Grampian Tigers.”
“Robert Kupris, Lead Active Schools Coordinator for South Aberdeenshire, added:
“It has been great to see the participants build their cycling confidence over the four-week block and we hope to see them continue to enjoy using their bikes for physical activity and active travel on an ongoing basis.”
Kathleen Fraser, Deeside Thistle coach, said:
“It’s a privilege as a club to be asked to deliver these sessions as our ethos is to help all riders, whatever their ability, to reach their full potential. We coach riders who range from British Champions to beginners learning the basics. Rock up and Ride takes this one step further as it targets children who don’t have access to a bike and often have never had the opportunity to ride before.”
Ian McGregor, sportscotlands partnership manager for Grampian area commented:
“I was delighted to see the Rock Up and Ride programme come to Stonehaven. It’s fantastic to see this sort of partnership working that really can change lives and remove the barriers that prevent youngsters participating in sport.”
“Aberdeenshire has a growing reputation as a destination for cycling and programmes like this will help ensure young people can get involved, stay active and enjoy the benefits of cycling.”
Importance of being active everyday
Being active every day is beneficial for young people, and Stuart emphasised:
“In an age where technology is ever more consuming, it is important for people to take time to remove themselves from screens and stimulate themselves in a natural environment.”
“Physical activity is proven to reduce the risk of developing health problems physically, whilst being active will support individuals to reduce stress and feel less mentally fatigued.”
“Active lifestyles help give a natural energy boost which can encourage a healthy appetite and support a better sleep pattern, whilst the social benefits include improved confidence, the ability to develop positive relationships with others and even leadership skills.”
“It’s important that we continue to encourage young people to get and remain active to ensure they benefit from all of the above, with a focussed mindset that supports their learning and development to become confident and healthy young adults.”
Supporting young people
There is plenty of learning from engaging in a project such as ‘Rock Up and Ride’, Stuart said:
“The main thing is to keep exploring new opportunities that appeal to the target group. Many of the young people involved had not previously engaged in Active Schools programmes but have said they would like to do something in future.”
“They were unaware of the club opportunity that exists in their area and through the project have the equipment and skills needed to be able to attend with confidence in future.”
“The funding of free bikes obviously helped with this project, and it is always good to explore funding opportunities that could help in other ways – but really, it’s about finding an activity that will attract young people, get them excited and always wanting more!”
