Start Cycling Together in Utrecht
On the grounds of the COA location in Utrecht, laughter fills the air. Children are cycling around everywhere. “Hi teacher!” they shout when they see Jetske Hoppen, cycling instructor at SportUtrecht. Months after the cycling lessons have ended, she is still enthusiastically recognized.
Learning to Cycle Together
SportUtrecht organizes sports activities for young and old in every Utrecht neighborhood. Drawing on their experience, they developed their own cycling method: Trappen in Etappen (“Pedaling in Stages”), through which children and adults learn to cycle playfully and safely.
For the Start Cycling Together program, SportUtrecht joined forces with BYCS and Stichting Life Goals. Together, they developed the Social Sports Coach – Cycling Specialization, in which coaches learn not only how to give cycling lessons, but also how to use sports to teach important life skills—such as teamwork, communication, and mutual respect. This project is specifically aimed at people with a refugee background.
After completing the course, Jetske and her colleagues took on the implementation of Start Cycling Together in Utrecht.
Why people with a refugee background?
“For people who are new to the Netherlands, cycling is truly enriching,” Jetske explains. “If you can cycle, it’s easier to get to the supermarket, the sports field, or to people you know. Your world becomes bigger, you stay active, and it’s good for your health.”
The first lessons at the COA location
Last summer, SportUtrecht started cycling lessons at a new COA location in Utrecht in collaboration with Welkom in Utrecht. Welkom in Utrecht works in Utrecht’s asylum seeker centers (AZCs) and aims to connect residents with Utrecht locals by organizing various activities, such as Dutch language cafés, exercising together, cooking together, going to concerts together—and now, cycling together too!
Because there were still few activities available, interest was high: thirty children participated, all with little or no cycling experience. The group was split in two: one part practiced cycling theory, while the other carefully got on their bikes. Then the groups were switched so that both groups gained both theoretical knowledge and practical experience.
In addition to cycling skills, life skills also received attention. “Many of the children have experienced traumatic events, and we sometimes noticed this in their frustration or hesitation,” Jetske explains. “By working on respect and communication during the lessons, we saw that they also carried this behavior beyond the lessons. A more pleasant atmosphere emerged at the location, where the children—besides learning to cycle—also learned patience, waiting their turn, functioning in a group, and listening.”
Small Steps, Big Impact
The lessons proved to be a great success. Some children now cycle to school or to the park on their own.
We also spoke briefly with Kamal and Siyabonga. Kamal immediately showed that he still remembers what Jetske taught him: carefully looking right, left, and over his shoulder. Siyabonga is one of the children who now cycles weekly and can ride to school independently. Their enthusiasm shows how the children gradually build skills and confidence, and how great the impact of the cycling lessons is on their independence and self-confidence.
Not everyone is ready to go out on the road alone yet, but the foundation has been laid. “It’s a great stepping stone that they can build on by continuing to practice,” says Jetske.
Adult residents also became enthusiastic. “It’s wonderful to see that not only the children are inspired, but that adult residents are now also signing up for our cycling lessons in the city.”
Start Cycling Together is a collaboration between BYCS and Stichting Life Goals and is co-funded by the European Union.
The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).