Taking to mountain bike trails gives these teenage boys and their mentors a chance to share their love of riding, but also to chat 'shoulder to shoulder'.
It's 2pm on a hot, sunny day and a small group of men and boys on mountain bikes have taken over the picnic area in Walmer Forest Reserve, near Castlemaine in central Victoria.
"It's using mountain bikes as a way of bringing teens together to work with mentors, enjoy riding, enjoy each other's company, improve their riding, but more so just improve who they are as beautiful people," said recreation coordinator and mentor Michael Naismith.Mr Naismith has 30 years of experience in outdoor education, working with drug and alcohol-impacted youth and disengaged adolescents, and just loves mountain biking.
The program started late last year and is only open to boys at the moment, but that could change if they find an appropriate woman mentor. "The boys have just climbed more in 10 kilometres than they have in any other bike ride … you could just see the sort of energy that it gave them, because it was a little bit out of their comfort zone. But they had the skill to do it."The program, run out of the Mt Atkinson Community Centre, has a fleet of 30 mountain bikes, which are also used by local school groups.
He epitomises the aim of the program to offer a fun, active, inclusive and supportive opportunity for teens to enjoy and learn about mountain biking."I can tell the difference from the start of the year to now, it just makes me feel better about myself, I guess.""They have experience and stuff, but they're good working as a team and leading us to learn new things and try new things," Blake said.Mr Naismith has also seen a positive impact on some of the young participants.
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