Bwlch Scrambling Bike Project

With the support of the Prince’s Trust and Communities First, the Morfa Youth Forum, in association with the Carmarthenshire Youth Service is embarking on a venture to achieve a Motorbike Scrambling Project.

Through interaction with local young people, it has become clear to youth work practitioners that motorbike scrambling is a pursuit that young people are passionate about and they continually enquire about the opportunity to partake in this activity.

The young people in question often have experience of the activity through maybe owning a bike of their own or through using their peer’s bikes. However, the activity is seldom done through official channels – the young people in question are often ‘scrambling’ illegally on land which they have no permission to ride on.

The implications for this sort of activity raise issues over the young people’s safety and wellbeing while partaking in what can be a dangerous pastime. There is also an anti-social behaviour issue as the scrambling often takes place in residential areas which causes tension between the young people and other residents.

Huw Thomas, Senior Youth Worker for the Llanelli area said:

“Engagement in this activity is something which is of great interest to many young people and could be an excellent arena in which youth work can take place.

“As one of the aims of youth work is to educate young people through informal learning by participating in leisure time activities it seems a good opportunity to create a project which young people will want to engage with while also facilitating their personal and social development.”

Open College Network certificates [OCN] will also be available in Motorbike maintenance and riding.

Other impacts include:

• Enhancing skills for young people at risk leading to positive outcomes such as reintegration, further educational opportunities employment or voluntary opportunities.
• Participants demonstrated a return to or an increase in school attendance.
• Voluntary opportunities for young people.
• Positive images of young people in the media and the community thus building up trust and capital.
• Young people see themselves as community stakeholders.
• Safe, included and responsible young people.
• Diversion from anti-social behaviour and negative lifestyle choices for young people.
• Running this project would help reduce illegal riding and keep young people energised in a sport that many enjoy.