Migrant and refugee students in Tas TAFE’s English course are getting extra help to ride to classes thanks to a bicycle education program being delivered by an alliance of cycling interests.
Funding from the 2A4 small grants program has been used by English teacher Gini Ennals to coordinate the program delivered by Hobart Bike Kitchen, Cycling South, Bicycle Network Tasmania and My Ride Sandy Bay.
The program aims to get students their own bikes and helmets, learn about their bikes and road safety, and basic bike handling skills.
About 40 students aged between 18 and 25 are part of the project, with many of them never having ridden a bike before and few having access to a bike.
Students have been in Hobart from 1 to 6 years and come from countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Burma, Iraq, Syria and Thailand.
Gini realised many of her students lived close to the Intercity Cycleway, making riding a cheap and easy transport option for them as well as removing the fear of having to ride on roads.
![](https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/TAFE-ride-group.jpg)
When she asked why they wanted to learn to ride, the most popular responses were to have fun, get exercise and fight climate change, and secondly to save money and have more transport independence.
The project involves the following elements:
Hobart Bike Kitchen: Volunteers have been working with about 20 students since mid January to teach them to fix donated bikes which then become the students’ bikes; further sessions are being planned with remaining students.
Cycling South: Has presented classes to educate the students about the parts of the bike, road safety, locking bikes and where to ride in Hobart.
My Ride Sandy Bay: Provided discounts for equipment such as helmets and locks.
Bicycle Network Tasmania: Is running 3 bike handling and riding sessions for students and loaning bikes for use during the sessions.
The first session was delivered on Monday 1 March, with many of the students who hadn't ridden before quickly picking up the skills.
Other students with more experience practised their bike handling skills by riding through a slalom course and learning to turn their heads to count someone's fingers while keeping their bike facing ahead.
Thanks to the volunteers who have so far helped out our instructor to deliver this course.
![](https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/TAFE-slalom-riders.jpg)