Dismantle welcome UnLtd. as major partner

Dismantle is delighted to welcome UnLtd to its family of major partners. With an established presence on the eastern seaboard, UnLtd opened its doors in Perth last year, with Dismantle selected to be the first charity to join their portfolio in WA. 

UnLtd connect the media, marketing and advertising industry with selected charities that provide hope and opportunity for at-risk young people. With a long list of committed media partners from Facebook to Channel 7, UnLtd contributed $14M worth of social impact for Australian charities in 2019 alone. 

Dismantle and UnLtd kicked off their partnership at UnLtd's much loved BigClash cricket event held at Leederville Oval earlier this year. The competitive cricket event (pitting media agencies against media owners) raised over $14K for Dismantle. A big thank you to sponsors JCDeacaux, NewsCorp and Nine Radio for their support. 

UnLtd have also facilitated a number of valuable projects for Dismantle with the help of of their networks, including one of Australia's media heavyweights, the Dentsu Aegis Network, who've come onboard to create an awareness campaign for Dismantle.

UnLtd Perth GM, Carol Morris, says of the partnership: "Dismantle has all the measures of success that we look for in a charity.  We were inspired by their innovative business model and the powerful programs they deliver. I've recently had the pleasure of meeting some of the young people; their energy and positive mindset proved beyond any statistical metrics - that Dismantle has had a life changing impact on them.

Dismantle will be long standing partner of UnLtd's and we are thrilled to work with the communications industry to help share the the Dismantle story and impact they have on so many young people." 

Duke of Ed sends Dismantlers to Tasmania to conquer Overland Track

Four lucky Dismantle alumni from BikeRescue had a once in a lifetime opportunity to head to Tasmania's stunning Overland Track, thanks to The Duke of Edinburgh Award, Flight Centre and AwardsWA. 

The iconic Overland Track meanders through terrain ranging from sheer mountains, temperate rainforest, wild rivers and alpine plains, all in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. It's described by Lonely Planet as one of the best walks in the world. 

Six nights camping in the wilderness and 65 kilometres later, our adventurers came home with an unforgettable experience under their belts and an achievement to be very proud of. 

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!