BikeRescue re-enage youth at Banksia Hill Detention Centre

Curtin's University's AHEAD initiative, which aims to bridge the gap and get disadvantaged students into tertiary education, engaged BikeRescue for a five program stint at Banksia Hill Detention Centre. 

The exploratory program aims to measure BikeRescue's efficacy in demonstrating good outcomes for incarcerated youth, including community engagement following release. Participants restored a bike to keep each and even got to test their new rides out in the prison courtyard. Project Officer at Curtin AHEAD, Len Neilsen, commented: "Feedback from the Dismantle programs was really positive. Banksia Hill management and teachers strongly supported the programs, noting that the kids participating in the workshops were highly engaged and more positive about their studies throughout the program. As a result, Curtin is committed to supporting the program as much as possible into the future!" 

Upon release, participants are invited to visit Dismantle to pick up their bike and be introduced to our work-readiness programs. If interested and eligible, they’ll be encouraged to take on one day a week of paid, supported employment with ReNew Property Maintenance.

"I can say with certainty that BikeRescue was a success at Banksia Hill. When the young people heard about the program, their curiosity and interest was spiked and they couldn’t wait to get started. Through Bike Rescue, we noticed  an improvement in our students willingness to have a go and were impressed with how open they were with the mentors." - Sandra Dusz, Principal Youth Education, Banksia Hill Detention Centre.

We'd like to thank Curtin and Banksia Hill for a wonderful experience and look forward to re-connecting with the participants at Dismantle following release. 

COVID fundraiser earns Dismantle $20K, keeping staff employed during lockdown.

How do you keep a team of experienced bike mechanics/youth mentors busy during a global pandemic? This was a question we never thought we'd have to answer, but answer it we did. Last year, Dismantle received a donation of two shipping containers full of new bikes from a now dissolved Melbourne ride-share company.

While rusty old bikes are normally what we're chasing, the COVID shutdown gave us a unique opportunity to quickly retrofit our workshop into an online bike retail warehouse (of sorts). 

To date, we have sold, assembled and delivered over 160 bikes across Perth, keeping our casuals busy with safety checks and deliveries, and raising over $20,000 to put towards our at-risk young people doing it extra tough during the pandemic.

There's still a few weeks left to grab one at $160 a pop. Best be quick as the program needs to finish before we get too busy with term 3.

Thanks to everyone who shared the link over social media!

ReNew hits the headlines and Spotless joins client list

ReNew would like to extend a very warm welcome to their newest client, Spotless. The ReNew crews started doing garden maintenance and enhancement work for the company and have already received some positive feedback. 

ReNew’s also been in the public eye lately, with a recent article published in Business News. The article highlights some of the brilliant feedback ReNew teams have been receiving from major clients including the City of Vincent and Colliers International: 

“From the time we first reached out, ReNew has been something that we are all proud of. The teams ReNew employs provide high quality work, and our clients have been very impressed with the professionalism and are very keen to embrace socially responsible practices.” - Phoebe Laing, Colliers International.

City of Vincent Mayor, Emma Cole, recently shared that the council have been receiving consistently positive feedback from residents. “Our parks team have received lots of positive feedback from residents about the works carried out by ReNew. One resident contacted the City after the work was done because she wanted the workers to know ‘that their work and care is truly appreciated’. The resident described the cleaning as ‘a standout’ and said she would give them ‘top marks’. ‘I was so impressed. This was the best job done ever – and I have lived here since 1968,’ the resident said.”  

Post COVID Program Update

As the government moves into stage four of lifting restrictions, things are ramping up here at Dismantle. Term 3 is set to be our busiest ever, with the full gamut of regular BikeRescue programs running, in addition to those that were postponed due to the pandemic. BikeRescue is in full swing over the July school holidays and as many as 15 during term 3. 

ReNew is back in action after getting by with a skeleton crew during the pandemic, as most trainees had to be temporarily stood down. Trainees kept in touch with their mentors over social media during lockdown, and continued to receive social support and training while they were at home. The team is very happy to be back on the tools now and have hit the ground running with hands on training at Kennards Hire and are busy servicing ReNew's latest client, Spotless.

Our Karratha BikeRescue Local program is gearing up for the next stage, with facilitator training scheduled to take place during the first week of August. Several new partners have been confirmed or are in the pipeline, including City of Karratha and Roebourne District High School, who will be contributing funds to the project and having staff trained as facilitators. Karratha village will also be coming on board, a mining workers’ accommodation service run by Civeo, will be providing financial support and in kind access to accommodation.