Female and gender-diverse teenagers face complex challenges when it comes to exercise, and a Bicycle Network program in Melbourne's west is helping high school students overcome these barriers.
Research has shown that teenage girls are active for less than 30 minutes a day, half the recommended amount, and that factors such as fear, ridicule, self-esteem and confidence play a big role.
Mind.Body.Pedal was conceived as a holistic program to help high-school students overcome these factors and live healthy lifestyles through bike riding.
With funding from Sports Recreation Victoria, the program was delivered at six schools between 2021 and 2023, and more than 265 female and gender-diverse students took part.
The results were a 29% increase in students being physically active, a boost in riding confidence around their neighbhourhoods and changed views of bike riding as a fun form of exercise.
In June the program returned to action for the first time since Bicycle Network’s Ride2School funding was discontinued in 2023, thanks to support from Maap and generous individual donors.
Students at Wyndham Central College took part in four workshops across one day, all of them tied to the themes of the mind, the body and pedalling.
Youth workers from GrowClub spoke to the students about the concepts of inner critic and self-esteem, and concerns about how they are perceived.
A yoga instructor from Embodied Movement took the students though mindfulness techniques and yoga movements, while Australian Paralympic Cyclist Emily Petricola brought along her gold medals and spoke about overcoming mental challenges.
To build confidence on the bike, the students were taken through a helmet fit and check, a bike check and they were taught riding skills such as hand signals and verbal cues like “car ahead.”
The students were then taken on a 6km ride through the community, following off-road paths along Werribee River and quiet residential streets.
“Speaking with the teachers, it was clear that many of the young women have not had this type of opportunity before,” says Bicycle Network CEO Alison McCormack.
“Promoting physical and mental well-being, confidence, and inclusivity goes a long way in making a positive impact on the lives of these young individuals.”
To make a tax-deductible donation to our Mind.Body.Pedal Female Empowerment Program, visit our campaign page here.
Read more about Mind.Body.Pedal here.
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