Bikes Palya Healthy Lifestyle Program, SA Healthy Towns Challenge Grant Winner 2018/19
Applying organisation
Fregon Anangu School, APY Lands
Towns/communities where project is situated
APY Lands communities: Fregon, Indulkana, Mimili, Ernabella, Kenmore Park, Amata, Pipalyatjara and Murputja
Grant purpose
To engage children and young people in physical activity and healthy eating activities across the APY Lands schools and communities.
Target population
APY Lands school communities, with a focus on children aged 5-19 years enrolled in schools.
External partner and their role
Bicycle SA: Bicycle SA visited the APY Lands and worked closely with eight community schools to deliver the Bikes Palya program, based on cycling activities to promote physical activity.
Project outcomes
Over the 12 months of the project Bicycle SA visited all eight schools in the APY Lands communities with their Bikes Palya program. School curriculum ideas and community activities with a focus on cycling were provided to encourage children and young people to be more physically active.
Fun, interactive lessons were delivered with a focus on the health benefits of good nutrition and being active, with practical classes including; bike skills, road safety and community rides and races. All the schools participated in the “Bikes Palya Be Healthy Challenge”, a
10-week inter-school competition, and undertook a range of activities with their school bikes.
Another key activity was the servicing and repairs of more than 100 bikes for use by the school communities. Schools have made the bikes available outside of school hours for children who don’t own a bike through a loan program. In addition, 12 community bike mechanic workshops were conducted for the broader community to teach skills to keep bikes operational and road worthy. Bikes SA also donated 10 bikes to one school that did not have its own fleet of bikes.
Three youths with exceptional participation in the 'Be Healthy Challenge' won a personal bike lock and helmet each. The two schools recording the greatest cycling participation rates received customised BMX bikes to add to their existing fleets. The success of the challenge has led to requests for it to be repeated in 2020.
Photo courtesy of Bicycle SA