Diversity and Inclusion

Our Trail Therapy Programme clearly shows a wonderful link between mountain biking and mental wellbeing and resilience; our Rider2Leader programmes demonstrate that with bespoke encouragement and a great role model we can build confidence in women looking to take that first amazing step into mountain bike leadership.

Our Off-Road Leadership (previously the Fundamentals of Mountain Bike Leadership), grassroots award is opening up the leadership doors for so many more people including those from within the disabled community (this was deliberate). We passionately believe a mountain biking community culture that embraces and welcomes diversity is a healthy community, creating an amazing platform for innovation, creativity and a wealth of perspectives that will leave us all the richer for it.

We are really excited to be able to offer, through sportscotland and Scottish Cycling, a coach and leadership education subsidy.

This new approach has the following aims:

• Build the capacity of coaches and leaders with a focus on inclusion.

• Support and develop a more diverse workforce.

• Ensure qualifications in Scotland are affordable and accessible.

• Embed equality, diversity and inclusion through the education system in Scotland.

It won't cover all your costs but it can certainly contribute to them! The Mountain Bike Leadership course subsidy applies to:

• The Off-Road Leader course (previously FUN-MBL),
• The training element of the following courses (but not the assessment section). • Trail Leader course (previously Level 2 MTB Leader) • Level 3 MTB Leader course • MTB Night Leader course

Please note this funding is not guaranteed, you do need to go through an application process and should the available funds be exhausted before 31st March, the funding will end.

We are making in-roads but we need your support in this. Your support can help us to mentor and train inspiring, keen individuals to be relevant role models from tutors and leaders to coaches in schools and clubs and in the community. We know we have a massively long way to go here, and role models are only part of the solution, but we hope it’s a start.

£1,000 enables us to train up to 6 new leaders (from 16 years and upwards) at the FunMBL Level giving them the most awesome skill set with a leadership framework that is congruent with leadership frameworks used across canoeing, mountain leader training and a number of other outdoor adventure sports.

£550 enables us to take a confident rider and train them to be a leader at Level 2.

£750 enables us to develop a bespoke framework for any schools including technical advice and guidance from one of our experienced Tutors

£5000 enables us to buy an adapted bike for a physically disabled child or young person to use enabling them to share the mountain biking experience.