Young people have been at the heart of Monty’s Bike Hub since we began fixing bikes at youth group in 2015. What started as a practical way to help local teenagers has grown into a range of opportunities to learn skills, build confidence and develop positive relationships.
Our team has extensive experience of engaging young people from different backgrounds, including those facing challenges in their lives. Working together on bikes gives us a shared interest and a chance to talk, solve problems and celebrate achievements.
Youth Bike Workshop
Our Youth Bike Workshop takes place every Thursday after school at Monty’s Bike Hub. It’s a friendly, practical session aimed particularly at young people from Weston, Sholing and Thornhill.
Young people can bring their own bike to repair, help fix a friend’s bike or get involved in refurbishing donated bikes for sale. Along the way, they learn how bikes work, how to use tools and how to tackle repairs with support from our team.
Our junior mechanics play an important part too. These young people have developed their skills with us and now help others, sharing what they know and taking on more responsibility in the workshop.
The sessions run on a drop-in basis, and young people usually attend independently, without a parent or carer. Some arrive with a particular repair in mind; others come to help out, develop their skills and spend time with people who share their interests.
If your young person would like to get involved, please get in touch. We’re happy to explain how the sessions work and discuss any support they may need to take part.
School holiday rides
During school holidays, we organise rides for young people involved in our youth sessions, giving them opportunities to explore beyond their usual routes and discover new places to cycle. Along the way, they practise road riding skills, learn about Bikeability principles and build confidence riding together.
For younger riders, typically those in school years 5–8, our adventures include trips to Weston Shore, exploring the trails in Westwood and heading further afield to Hamble or Manor Farm Country Park. These rides help young people discover places they can enjoy by bike while developing their skills and experience.
For older teenagers, we have organised longer rides to Portsmouth and Chichester, as well as a ride back from Bournemouth. These trips offer a bigger challenge, encouraging young people to develop their stamina, work together and discover what they can achieve.
Whether it’s exploring a new trail or completing their longest ride yet, we want young people to enjoy cycling, feel proud of their progress and see where their bikes can take them.
School sessions and alternative provision
Young people have been at the heart of Monty’s Bike Hub since we began in 2015. Our experience of building relationships through bike maintenance led schools across Southampton to approach us about providing more focused support for some of their pupils.
We offer practical learning opportunities, including one-to-one alternative provision, for young people who would benefit from additional support or a different learning environment. Working together on a bike gives us a shared purpose and creates opportunities to develop confidence, patience, communication and problem-solving skills.
With support from our team, young people learn to use tools, identify problems and complete repairs. Each task offers a chance to take responsibility, overcome a difficulty and experience the satisfaction of achieving something for themselves. Sessions also provide time to talk and build positive relationships with supportive adults.
Our work with schools and local partners
In 2019, we began welcoming students from Compass School, a local pupil referral unit. Students attended weekly sessions at our workshop, held outside public opening hours to give them dedicated time and space with our team.
Our relationship with Weston Secondary School, formerly Chamberlayne College, began through a Sustrans project in Weston. This developed into a small workshop on the school site, supporting pupils in the school’s Base provision and others who benefited from practical learning. Activities included refurbishing donated bikes and repairing other pupils’ bikes, giving young people opportunities to develop useful skills while contributing to their school community.
In 2022, we began delivering sessions at Woodlands Community College. Starting with a small collection of tools, we helped develop a workshop within its alternative provision unit.
Our work with schools and services supporting young people has also included:
- Polygon School
- Oasis Mayfield
- Hightown Primary School
- Regents Park Community College
- Upper Shirley High
- The Youth Justice Service
Our alternative provision has been quality assured by Southampton City Council.
Arranging sessions
We work with schools and referring organisations to understand the young people involved, discuss their needs and agree what they hope the sessions will achieve. Sessions can take place at Monty’s Bike Hub or on a school site, with the location, activities and staffing agreed around those needs.
If you work in a school or with young people and would like to discuss alternative provision or practical bike maintenance sessions, please get in touch. We’re happy to explore how we could work together and what would be suitable for your pupils.