Training takes place in the local schools and workplace where the bicycles are delivered, and has two parts - safety and maintenance. In the safety program, we take new bicycle recipients in the safety of the school or workplace and teach them the basics of road safety - hand signals, emergency stops, balance, and navigation of a set out course. Thereafter, when the cyclist is a little more confident, we move to the roads around the school or workplace and allow the user to become more used to cycling in a shared environment. In the second part of the course, bicycle recipients are taught the basics of bike maintenance, such as puncture repair and gear and brake roadworthiness.

Nedbank Bike to School Cycle Tour Program

Since 2005 BEN has assisted Nedbank and the Sports Trust in identifying new school learners from previously disadvantaged areas to participate in the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour. Nedbank and the Sports Trust facilitate the purchase of the bikes, helmets, accessories and cover the costs of training the kids. BEN, as an NGO, trains the learners and sets them up with their bikes and with safety procedures. This is a tremendous program, and many of the previous year's participants from this program come back to ride the event again in the following year. These are kids that live too far, are too poor, and/or have been away from the media exposure of the cycle tour, who live in rural areas such as De Doorns. In 2010 the program distributed 141 bicycles to Wemmershoek Primary, Hex Valley Senior Secondary, Steenberg High, Fairmount High, Bonne Espenat, Mbekweni Primary, Crystal High, Kwamfundo High, Rocklands High, Matthew Goniwe High, Van Cutsen High, and Orchard Primary. The bike recipients are mostly black and coloured kids in low-income rural areas, and whilst the numbers are still small, this process greatly enhances the re-dressing of the demographics of the tour and brings new hope to very poor communities - introducing the bicycle as a means of transport for school and for sport. This proved to be a tremendous success once again.