Young people who graduate from an Earn-A-Bike session are given the opportunity to continue participating as an instructor, to “teach back” to other young people who come through the program. Also, once a month, a large group ride is organized for all past and present Earn-A-Bike youth to take part, riding to culturally significant places around the island and back. Young people learn bike mechanics, repair their bike throughout the course of the session, go on group rides together and at the end of the session, ride their bike home. Nevis Earn-A-Bike brings young people together from communities around the island to take part in 5-week Earn-A-Bike sessions to learn about bikes, to learn about each other and to build lasting connections and friendships. An alternative approach is needed to support young people to gain skills, become leaders and work together to build the future of Nevis. Related to this lack of opportunity is a trend toward cross-community territorial conflict among young people. The economy is mostly focused around tourism, and while this tends to beautify the island and bring money into the economy, it does not sufficiently create opportunity for young people to develop skills and empowerment.
Nevis is a relatively small island, with excellent social services, but not many jobs for young people. Nevis Earn-A-Bike is modeled after BNB's Boston-based Earn-A-Bike Program in which young people learn to fix bikes, go on group rides, develop community together, gain leadership skills and Earn Bikes! through their active participation in the program. Nevis Earn-A-Bike is a grassroots youth bicycle program that provides mechanics training, leadership development and bicycles to young people throughout the island of Nevis in the Eastern Caribbean.
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