Organizing kids mtb days.Advice needed.

papac

My local primary principal and I have been dicussing the possibility of organizing some Saturday mtb sessions for our local kids.Help them to get the most out of their bikes and maybe a bit of fun racing.We have a nice place we can use, we both have a lot of cycling experience but we are a bit nervous about liability issues etc.
Anyone who has done anything like this care to offer advice.??
I had thought it might be a good idea to form a club and become affiliated to Cycling ireland.Would that help with liability issues??
Any help appreciated.

lazy-biker

try here www.epicmtb.com

they organise a few underage days they may be able to point you in the right direction

GlennaMaddy

Thinking of doing something similar in north county Dublin, the Community Games has grass track racing for kids on any kind of bike.
Like you, the liability issues are weighing on my mind.

RobFowl

If its organised in conjunction with a registered cycling club and according to the rules CI has then liability is covered under its insurance policy.
Anyone working with children needs to consider getting Garda vetting in process. I had this done and takes about 6 months to complete (was a requifrement of my line of work).
That said grass track style events, skills based events and fun days are a great idea and entry route for the Sean Kelly's of the future.
Best of luck, don't be put off and go for it.

papac

with a registered cycling club

Is there any reason why we couldn't just form our own cycling club and register with CI.??
I may give them a ring in the morning and see what they say. Can't find any info on their site.
Ive already been looking into the Garda vetting. Seems like they could get their fingers out a bit.(I know they have to be thorough but...)

RobFowl

papac wrote: »

Is there any reason why we couldn't just form our own cycling club and register with CI.??
I may give them a ring in the morning and see what they say. Can't find any info on their site.
Ive already been looking into the Garda vetting. Seems like they could get their fingers out a bit.(I know they have to be thorough but...)

None whatsoever, you need at least 5 (i think) members and there is a registration fee of €150 or so.

Re the Garda vetting mine took a bit longer 'cos I had moved around alot after I left college and every address you lived at needs to be declared and cross checked !
( was junior doctor and moving all over the place was part and parcel :rolleyes:)

RobFowl

http://www.cyclingireland.ie/Key-Documents/New-Club-and-Members-Forms.aspx

Here are the documents you need, 3 members needed not 5 and the fee is 100 as long as you have no sponsor.
If you phone the CI office they can be quite helpful.
Worth asking a few local clubs, there is often alot of expertise there as well as an existing structure.
Willow wheeers is I believe a school based club so might be a good source of advice.

papac

Thanks for all that Robfowl.
Lots to do and haven"t even started a club yet.mmmm:)

I led a bit of a nomadic life myself for years so I am not really feeling any better about the garda thing.Must have had about forty addresses in my twenties in four different countries-oh dear.:)

elinehan

Go talk to CYC and CDYSB too. CYC in particular can provide garda vetting, child protection training, youth leadership training and insurance (that covers adventure sports). They may even have some bikes. CDYSB may be able to provide funding and / or facilities.

papac

Go talk to CYC and CDYSB too. CYC in particular can provide garda vetting, child protection training, youth leadership training and insurance (that covers adventure sports). They may even have some bikes. CDYSB may be able to provide funding and / or facilities

.

Cdysb no good. We in rural cork.
CYC.I presume you mean Catholic Youth Care.(Oxymoron anyone?)I am a commited Darwinian aetheist. Do you think they will mind if I tell the kids that the RC church are a bunch of fairytale peddlars who hide serial child rapists from justice and stash their assets in phoney trusts in case victims might get properly compensated.??? If they don't mind this and the local shaman keeps miles away from us I could probably deal with em.That's a serious question btw.

elinehan

I though the same when we were told to go talk to them. I run a youth project in Dublin. Basically they have more money, resources and staff than the government for youth services. It's not staffed by priests, they have a professional staff. It was actually CDYSB who are supposed to provide the services who told us to talk to them.

papac

Thanks Elinehan. As I say I have no bother getting help and advice from anywhere.Just don't want to be a vehicle for their (as I see it) self serving nonsense.
Its a sad situation that they have funding and the government doesn't.

I am sure they must have an equivalent organization in my area- I'll look into it.Thanks.