Look, OKAN cycle!
The Cycling School not only teaches adults how to cycle, in Leuven it now helps OKAN youngsters without cycling experience in the saddle for the first time. With success.
Cycling lessons for non-native speakers
A lot of newcomers to Belgium have never learned to ride a bike in their country of origin. That is why De Fietsschool has been organising low-threshold cycling lessons for adults for years. And now, for the first time, cycling classes for young people are being added.
Together with three Leuven schools, De Fietsschool selected a number of foreign-speaking boys and girls who urgently need cycling lessons. Specifically, this concerns 47 OKAN pupils from the Welcome Classes for Other-Speaking Newcomers of SALCO, Ter Beuken and Heilig Hart.
From noob to pro
These youngsters learnt how to cycle in seven lessons. The majority of them really did so from scratch, as they had no cycling experience at the start of the lessons.
But no challenge was too big for the trainers and volunteers of The Cycling School. Thanks to their experience and a dash of enthusiasm, they managed to get all 47 participants on their bikes. Moreover, they also imparted information on traffic rules for cyclists during the lessons.
Now that the lessons are over, we see that 19 participants have really mastered their bikes. They can reach their destination independently. For the others, cycling alone on the street, among the busy traffic, remains difficult. They need some extra practice even after the lessons are over.
Do you help others in the saddle?
Voor het geven van de fietslessen steunt De Fietsschool op de hartverwarmende inzet van tientallen vrijwilligers. Heb jij ook een liefde voor de fiets en zin om volwassenen of OKAN-jongeren op weg te helpen? Meld je dan zeker aan.
Questions about cycling lessons for OKAN youth?
Our colleague and cycling expert, Ine Bosmans, is happy to answer them. Contact her using the form below.
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