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Dirtskool
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in-depth story on stuff.co.nz
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Dirtskool is proud to celebrate our programme as a
finalist in the Community Initiative category of the
2022 Wellington Sport and Recreation Awards
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The Dirtskool programme is run during school time, integrated into the phys-ed class offerings of high schools across the Wellington Region. |
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While students are raving about the fun they're having as they attain new skills and confidence, teachers and parents are remarking about the positive changes in attitude and engagement they are seeing in their teenagers. |
has been shown to have positive health benefits
throughout a person’s life, and we are seeing
previously inactive youth purchase their own
equipment to continue riding outside of class.
Proper riding instruction also improves rider safety
and reduces accidents across all riding environments.
For many participants this course is also often their
first experience spending time in our beautiful
natural bush, and they develop personal
confidence, personal responsibility, and risk
management skills while exploring our environment.
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We endeavour to deliver the Dirtskool programme at no cost to high schools or their students to make this active recreation accessible for rangatahi that may otherwise not get the opportunity to engage in this type of activity, and is inspiring many who are less active, and a larger proportion of girls, to get involved. We have been able to do this for the past two years through a partnership with Biketec, a local bike fleet maintenance service provider, and the assistance of Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa funding. We currently have the capacity to deliver the programme to 8 schools, with many more wanting to join in. We are looking for new funding streams that will allow us to offer this opportunity through more schools and reach more rangatahi. Our goal is to try to offer a gateway to this activity in all colleges in the region. Please get in touch if you are aware of opportunities that could assist. |
mountain bike trail parks by qualified instructors in
collaboration with the phys-ed department at each
of the participating high schools. A teacher is
always present with their class during the
programme sessions and assists with class/student
management, and encouragement. Full risk
management procedures are followed, with an
emphasis on safety equipment and knowing your limits.
Dirtskool has two fleets of high quality mountain
bikes and a full range of safety equipment to fit all
sizes. Participants can use their own bike and safety
equipment as long as they are in good condition
and meet the relevant safety standards. The
instructor will check personal equipment is
appropriate for the activities.
Dirtskool
Curriculum
Know your activity
- What is mountain biking, types of mountain biking, trail grades, and difficulty levels.
- The trail park environment, and the layout of the park being used.
- The importance of appropriate clothing, footwear, food, drink, and what else to bring out on the trails.
- Managing yourself in the wilderness while riding, and what to do if you get separated from the group.
- How to recognise and ride within your ability.
Know your equipment
- The different types of mountain bike.
- How to set up your bike correctly for you.
- Mountain biking safety equipment.
- How to check your bike and equipment are safe to use before each ride.
Have fun on the trails!
- Safe and efficient rider position, balance, pedalling, cornering, braking, and use of gears.
- Types of trail features and terrain, and how to safely ride them.
- Reading the trail, hazard awareness, evaluating risk, and identifying steering lines.
- Advanced bike control techniques.
Each skill progression involves different trail elements that are discussed, walked, and slowly ridden to learn the features and how to ride them safely and efficiently before linking them together in full speed trial riding. Students should be able to safely negotiate a grade three (low risk) trail by the middle of their first term in Dirtskool before advancing as their skill levels develop and confidence grows to more challenging grade four trails, and eventually grade five for those that are keen and capable.
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Our goal is to engage young people in the healthy, rewarding, physical, recreation activity of mountain biking. Delivering not just trail riding skills, but introducing them to self confidence and personal responsibility in the outdoors. Teachers, if you want to incorporate this fun activity into your phys-ed/outdoor-ed classes bring them out to the Wainuiomata or Porirua Mountain Bike Trail Park with Dirtskool, for a couple of introductory sessions or as a regular activity term long to develop ongoing skills and confidence, we make it work for your classes. Teachers,
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Want to know more?
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