Start a youth cycling program in your community with our Positive Spin Toolkit

Click here to download a copy of The Positive Spin Toolkit — a tried and tested guide which Bike Pittsburgh developed to bring innovative youth cycling programming to your community. Positive Spin is a youth cycling program that teaches youth the skills they need to safely explore their neighborhood on two wheels and become lifelong cyclists.

It provides the opportunity for youth to experience the freedom granted by a bicycle, improves self-confidence, teaches self-reliance, and integrates healthy activity into everyday life. This toolkit is meant to help you — whether you’re a Physical Education Instructor, Program Administrator, PTA Member or Community Leader, you can implement this transformative programming with youth in your community.

The Positive Spin program is engaging, fun, and powerful for youth

It provides key mentorship while onboarding the next generation of cyclists in a safe and accessible way. Participants learn how to utilize bikes for fun and transportation through regular practice rides alongside adult mentors.

Students learn skills and practice habits that they will bring beyond the scope of the program including bike maintenance, exercising for leisure and stress-relief, short and long-term goal setting, selecting routes for safe navigation, and participating in civic life through community engagement and advocacy projects.

We know that youth are capable of achieving great feats. During the 2017 Positive Spin Program at Summer Dreamers Academy (Pittsburgh, PA) staff and riders collectively rode 6200 miles, which is the approximate distance from the Equator to the North Pole.

In prior years, students completed daily rides of 8-16 miles per day; biked to neighborhood parks, libraries and museums; completed 30-90 mile culminating trail rides and camping trips; recorded their experiences through multimedia; wrote letters to the mayor and city council, and have met with city officials.

The real-world experiences and challenges students face while completing Positive Spin activities give practical experience while teaching problem-solving skills, perseverance and hands-on learning. Each year the program has continued to develop and refine itself. Help us continue the legacy of Positive Spin by adapting the program to fit the needs of the youth in your community!

Resources

Click here to download a copy of The Positive Spin Toolkit. Additionally, you can use this Google Drive Link to find: the program curriculum, lesson plans and accompanying activities; logo package; BikePGH’s Biking 101 Guide and Advocacy Toolkit; Printable worksheets; Templates for waivers, lesson plans, Achievement Cards, Shout out Slips and much more!

Questions?

Contact: Julie Mallis, Education Program Manager
Email: Julie@BikePGH.org