Bicycles are needed for Equal scheme
An upcycling project being run by the Equal team is appealing for donations of bicycles that colleagues no longer need.
The Equal programme is a supported employment service that guides people with long-term health conditions and disabilities into work and training.
It comes under the banner of our Employability Service’s Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire programme.
It offers a wide range of tailored support to get people back into work, start work for the first time or take a step up the career ladder.
Colleagues at Equal are currently running a bike initiative that sees unwanted bikes being serviced, cleaned up and offered for free to members of the community who cannot afford to buy their own.
The programme is also currently training four of its trainees to attain Velotech Cycle Maintenance Qualifications and SQA accreditation for Customer Service and Responsibilities of Employment.
How to get involved…
If you have a bike in relatively decent condition to donate that is lying unused in a shed or taking up valuable space in your garage, the team would like to hear from you.
You can donate an unwanted bike, or if your child has outgrown theirs, you can swap it for a bigger one and someone else will be gifted their original bicycle. If you donate a bicycle, the trainee bike mechanics will check the gears, brakes and other bike parts for wear and tear – and give it a service.
The project is helping to stop unused bikes going to landfill and is also giving families and individuals a chance to get one for free that they otherwise could not afford.
If you are making a donation, the team can arrange delivery or collection – but please only offer bicycles that are worth restoring.
To find out how you can donate a bike, or receive one, please email supportedemployment@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
Colleagues across Council services who have a client, or someone they know, who could use a newly-refurbished bike are encouraged to get in touch with the Equal team using the above email address as they currently have some lovely bikes looking for new homes.
“This project has many benefits, including helping the local environment by reducing the number of bikes that are sent to landfill and giving people bikes who otherwise couldn’t afford them.“It would be really great if colleagues in the different services could donate bikes, which they no longer need but are worth restoring. All donations will be greatly appreciated.”
– Equal Employment Advisor Rod McIntosh
The Council’s Employability Service delivers a range of support through its Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire programme.
Contracted partners delivering Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire include We Work for Families and CEIS Ayrshire, who all contribute to delivering a wide range of support to help individuals prepare and progress into employment.
If you have a friend or family member who could benefit from any of the opportunities delivered by Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire please ask them to email employability@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
You can also find out how Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire help people with things like CVs, application forms, Modern Apprenticeships, paid work experience, interview techniques and secure employment at Help finding work (north-ayrshire.gov.uk)
Follow the team on Facebook at Working North Ayrshire.