Y.M.C.A.’s mini-bike scheme

Press, 29 March 1979, Page 14

Y.M.C.A.’s mini-bike scheme

While many people asso- I ciate youths or motor-cycles? with anti-social behaviour,' 1 [the Christchurch Y.M.C.A. | ■'plans to use mini-bikes in a i (scheme designed to keep : i young people out of trouble. ( I They call the new scheme (Rydum—Redirecting Youth ■ (Development Using Mini- j (bikes. It has been running • ! successfully in Hastings for , ■two years and similar pro- ■ (grammes have been set up ( in Avondale and North Shore. A Wellington pro-, (gramme is in the planning .'stages. I Forty young people aged; • between 10 and 13 will be! [invited to take part in the! (first programme, which will| run for nine months begin-! 'jning in July. i They will be divided into; two groups of 20, and will

be taken to a suitable place,, (such as an empty shopping‘j j mall car-park, or school!; playground, two or three; I times a week to learn Ii machine maintenance, roadp safety, and how to accept! authority and mix withh others. it The aim is to involved young people who are likely ; to become social The mini-bikes are the initial p attraction but the director of; programmes and camping ;< services in the Y.M.C.A. (Mrl* D. A. Nordhause) said that;] many young people who had i been involved with Rydumh (had shown interest in joining[l (other community activities; i [when their year with the! (course was over. | The programme is (for those young people who; I are “non-joiners” or do not! fit in at school and other organised activities.

In a report on the programme released by the ! • social work unit at Massey •University, the young people involved are described as being "at risk.” They are young people: who do not make friends, easily, and need to feel; wanted and respected. They; [are often referred to the pro-! (gramme by schools, social; (workers, or the police. ! “Clearly there was an in-; ■ crease in the self-worth and; I self-respect of the partici-; | pants,” said the evaluation! •report. Improvements in so-; Icial skills were uncertain [but general comments from [the Youth Aid sections of; [the police and social work: (staff in each area indicated; (support for Rydum as an (effective programme for young people “at risk.” ! Mr Nordhause said the

■ Christchurch programme: •1 would be concentrated on I ■ one area, probably Shirlev I ! or Wainoni. to achieve thei ; maximum effect on that com-! (tnunity. : Ten minibikes. costing; ;, $BOO each, will be provided I by the national council of; qthe Y.M.C.A. It will also pro-| • (vide S4OOO a year towards, lithe employment of one per-; ■ son to work with the young I • (people in the scheme. 1; The cost of a 12 months' ■ Rydum programme is about! i|512,200. The Christchurch I • (Y.M.C.A. is expected to find! rabout half of it. Mr Nordhause said the; fiY.M.C.A. would trv to raise! ejabout §4370 for the scheme! iiduring the next few weeks? yHe hoped local service I [groups would provide the ‘[bulk of the money and that; (petrol and oil for the mini-! ?! bikes would be gifted.