Why practical skills, wellbeing and supported routes into work matter

By Zoe Portlock, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Bikeworks

The report names the problem. The next question is what works.

Alan Milburn’s Young People and Work interim report sets out the scale of the challenge facing young people who are not in education, employment or training, and identifies the issues that now need serious attention.

Nearly one million young people in the UK are NEET. The report also challenges the idea that this is about young people lacking aspiration. In the survey carried out for the review, 84% of NEET young people said they wanted to find a job, education or training.

The issue is more complex, and more serious. More than six in ten NEET young people have never had a job. Health, disability and mental health are now central to the picture, with 44% of NEET young people reporting a work-limiting health condition in 2025. The report also names warning signs that too often go unaddressed, including SEND, persistent absence, low attainment, challenges at home, poor mental health and weak exposure to work.

The issue is not whether young people want to work. It is whether they can access the right support, practical experience and paid opportunities to move into work and progress.

This has been part of my work for more than 20 years

Before Bikeworks, my work at Tower Project included setting up an employment service for people facing significant barriers to work. That experience shaped the thinking that followed. It showed that employment support alone was not enough.

The Neighbourhood Renewal Fund was part of that story. In Tower Hamlets, it funded the setting up of the Job Enterprise and Training service for Disabled people, based on a clear case made to the local authority about need, exclusion and the importance of specialist employment support. That mattered because the funding reached the right place: a local response shaped around people being excluded from work.

What was still missing were enough supported workplace environments where people could build practical skills, experience paid work, develop routine and confidence, and move towards longer-term employment.

My research confirmed what the employment service had already shown in practice: people needed access to paid work in a supported workplace, with training, supervision and progression built in. That thinking shaped Bikeworks.

Bikeworks was created as a practical solution

Tackling unemployment and exclusion was part of the original concept for setting up Bikeworks. From the experience at Tower Project, it was clear that advice, encouragement and job-search support had a place, but they did not create enough routes into paid work.

What was missing were supported workplace environments where practical skills, routine, confidence and paid employment could be built together.

Bikeworks was built as an entrepreneurial solution to that institutional problem: creating a bridge between long-term unemployment and sustained work, using cycling as the route into skills, employment and opportunity.

That mattered in East London. When Bikeworks was created in 2006, the Olympic and Paralympic Games were bringing growth, investment and change. The question for us was whether local people already excluded from employment would be able to access the jobs, skills and economic opportunities being created around them.

Even during periods of relatively high employment, people can still be locked out of opportunity because standard routes into work often assume networks, confidence, health, stability, qualifications and support that are not equally available.

We know what works when investment reaches the right place

By 2011, Bikeworks had developed a model that could be grown. Barclays’ involvement in Cycle into Work showed what became possible when investment backed the whole route, not just the training.

The programme connected cycle mechanics with workplace skills, employer links and progression into the cycling industry. It gave people access to practical learning, a real sector and a supported route towards paid work.

Years later, during Covid, Kickstart showed the same principle again. It was created in response to the risk of rising youth unemployment and funded paid six-month work placements for young people.

At Bikeworks, those placements worked because they were not treated as work experience on the margins. Young people came into real roles, with support around them, and we retained and employed those who came through our doors. Many other organisations saw similar success.

That is the point. When investment pays for the conditions that make progression possible — practical work, supervision, support, employer links and time — young people can move into paid work and build from there.

Cycle mechanics is one route into skills, confidence and work

Cycle mechanics matters in this argument because it shows what practical skills can do when they are part of a supported route into work. It is not only about learning a trade. It is about creating the conditions for young people to build confidence, develop workplace behaviours, understand a real sector and move towards paid employment.

For some young people, cycle mechanics can lead directly into work: workshop roles, e-bike maintenance, adapted cycle servicing, Dr Bike, fleet maintenance, cycle hire, community cycling and active travel. These are real jobs connected to healthier, more sustainable places.

For others, the value is in the transferable skills built through the process: following instructions, solving problems, communicating clearly, working with others, developing patience, completing tasks and seeing progress. These are skills needed in any workplace.

This is also where wellbeing and employment connect. Confidence is not built by telling a young person to be more confident. It is built through experience, responsibility, support and the chance to succeed at something real.

That is why practical skills should be part of the response to youth unemployment and economic inactivity. They can create a different starting point: one based on capability, trust and progression.

The problem is not knowing what to do. It is how this work is funded.

Over the past 20 years, funding has changed significantly. Programmes such as the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, New Deal for Communities and the Working Neighbourhoods Fund were not perfect, but they allowed local need to be understood and acted on. They gave councils, local partnerships and community-rooted organisations the ability to build practical responses to unemployment and exclusion.

That mattered because this work takes time. Supporting people into employment is not always a straight line. It requires trust, practical skills, supervision, confidence-building, employer links and progression routes that can respond to people’s lives as they are.

At the point when Bikeworks wanted to grow its supported employment model, funding was already moving in a different direction. Larger contracts, apprenticeships, levy arrangements, further education routes and payment-by-results models became harder for smaller providers to access or carry.

Payment-by-results caused real damage to smaller organisations working with people with complex lives and higher support needs. It expected providers to carry the cost of delivery upfront, absorb the financial risk if outcomes took longer, and still achieve results with very limited resource.

That model favoured scale, cashflow and lower-risk participants. It rewarded quicker outcomes and made it harder to support people whose route into work needed more time, more trust and more specialist support.

The consequence was that people furthest from employment were pushed further to the side, while organisations with the skills, relationships and experience to support them found it harder to access the funding needed to do the work properly.

The training centres are still here

Bikeworks still has two cycle mechanics training centres. These spaces are not just about tools, workstands and technical training. They create the conditions for confidence to build: routine, trusted relationships, a sense of belonging, practical skills and progression.

We have the tutors, knowledge and experience to connect young people into cycle mechanics, e-bike maintenance, adapted cycle servicing and fleet maintenance.

These spaces used to be full each week with funded programmes for young people. Today, without the same funding routes, they are more often used for paid public training.

Bikeworks has not lost the ability to deliver. What has weakened is the availability of funding that allowed young people to access this kind of training, support and relationship-based learning.

As Bikeworks came through Covid, we tried to reopen those routes. We explored the Flexible Support Fund, rewrote applications, responded to requirements and put significant resource into trying to rebuild the model we knew could work. But even with the evidence behind us, it did not translate into a viable funding opportunity.

For an organisation like ours, that meant scarce resource was pulled into navigating funding systems rather than opening the doors of our training centres to young people who would have benefited.

The next response needs to be shaped with those who know how this work happens

The Milburn report should make us stop and think. If young people are becoming detached from employment, education, health and work experience, the answer cannot sit in one part of the system.

It also cannot be designed only around national targets, large contracts or simplified assumptions about young people’s readiness for work.

The next response needs to invest in trusted, local routes that connect wellbeing, skills and employment. It needs to fund the time it takes to build trust, not just the qualification. It needs to value community-rooted providers, not only large contracts. It needs to recognise that practical skills development can also be wellbeing work.

Bikeworks was created in that space. Twenty years on, the need has not gone away. If anything, the report shows that the need for practical, supported routes into work has become more urgent.

As the next stage of policy, funding and investment is shaped, those designing it need to draw on the experience of organisations that have built supported routes into work before. That means speaking to organisations that know how to support young people to move from exclusion into confidence, skills, paid work and progression.

Come and talk to us, and others like us. We do not need to reinvent the wheel.

Bikeworks exists to reduce barriers to cycling.

For two decades, we have used cycles as a tool for good. The work has always been practical: finding the cycle, setting, support and maintenance that make riding possible where conventional cycling provision does not reach far enough.

In our 20th year, No Child Left Behind brings that mission into sharper focus. Access to cycling should not depend on being able to ride a two-wheeler, join a mainstream session, or attend a school or community setting with its own specialist fleet.

The need is clear. Activity Alliance’s Play, Move, Belong research found only 26% of young disabled people say they can take part in sport and activity at school all the time, compared with 38% of non-disabled young people.

Cycling can bring movement, independence, skill, time outdoors and shared experience. The question is not whether cycling has value for children and young people. It does.

The question is whether the right conditions are in place: a cycle that fits, instructors who can adapt, a setting that works, and a practical plan to keep the offer active, safe and maintained.

At Victoria Park All Ability Club, Phoenix College students are showing what changes when those conditions come together.

What changes at Victoria Park

Phoenix College students have been spending Saturdays with Bikeworks at Victoria Park All Ability Club.

Each session starts with the cycle. Trained Bikeworks Cycle Instructors work with students to find the right fit, position and way to get moving. Specialist and standard cycles are available, so riding is not limited to one type of bike or one way of taking part.

The starting point is not whether a child or young person can fit into a pre-set cycling session.

The starting point is what needs to be in place so cycling becomes possible.

Students ride through Victoria Park. They spend time outdoors. They move, laugh, concentrate, try again and take part together.

The cycle is the tool. Around it, something wider opens up: movement, shared activity, social connection and time in the park.

A member of staff from Phoenix College reflected on the impact:

“Social interaction can be a challenge, but the club’s friendly and supportive atmosphere encourages positive communication and connection with others. Being able to engage in a shared activity helps them develop social skills in a natural and enjoyable way.”

That is the heart of the work.

Not asking young people to adapt to a fixed cycling offer.

Changing the offer so cycling becomes possible.

Why the right cycle matters

A specialist cycle is not an add-on.

A trike, handcycle, recumbent, wheelchair platform cycle, side-by-side or adapted cycle can open up cycling in a different way. The right choice depends on the rider, the site, storage, staff support, servicing and how often the cycle will be used.

Those decisions are hard to make from a catalogue alone.

A catalogue can show a product.

A Bikeworks session shows the product being used: how the cycle fits, how the rider is supported, how instructors adapt the session, and what needs to sit around the cycle so it can be used safely and regularly.

That matters for schools, colleges, local authorities and community organisations thinking about their own fleet, site or inclusive cycling offer.

From the right cycle to the right offer

Bikeworks can help organisations move from interest to practical delivery.

That can mean visiting an All Ability Club to see specialist cycles in use.

It can mean arranging test rides, talking through product options, choosing the right fleet, or purchasing specialist cycles through Bikeworks.

It can mean putting a maintenance package in place so specialist and standard cycles stay safe, roadworthy and ready to use.

It can also mean bringing Bikeworks into a school, college or community setting with trained instructors, specialist cycles and a delivery plan shaped around the site, the students and the outcomes wanted.

The product matters. The fit matters. The maintenance matters. The instructors matter. The setting matters.

When those pieces are planned properly, cycling becomes possible.

That is cycling equity in practice.

Talk to Bikeworks

If you are a school, college, local authority or community organisation, Bikeworks can help you explore what inclusive cycling could look like in your setting.

We can talk through specialist cycles, test rides, fleet advice, cycle sales, maintenance packages, visits to our All Ability Clubs and bespoke cycling delivery.

Email: all.ability@bikeworks.org.uk

No child should be left behind when it comes to cycling.

Counting Women: What This Moment Reveals

Zoe Portlock, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Bikeworks

Looking Back as We Approach Twenty Years

As Bikeworks approaches its twentieth year, Jim and I have been reflecting on the values that have shaped us since the beginning: inclusion, accessibility, community and respect for identity. These are not abstract concepts or strategic aspirations. They are the foundations that have guided every decision we have made as co-founders, partners and leaders in building an inclusive cycling organisation across two decades of change.

Bikeworks has never focused on individual achievement. We are a purpose with a business, and any impact we have created belongs to the people who participate in it, deliver it and shape it alongside us. Our work is, and has always been, collective.

As we approach our twentieth birthday year, I was delighted to be named in Cycling UK’s Top 100 Women in Cycling 2025 list within the Industry Mogul category. The timing of this recognition arrives in a year where a debate on inclusion has taken centre stage in our sector. To be recognised on a list at the very moment when questions of who we include are being debated so openly in our sector feels significant, and it makes this the moment to speak from the values we hold at Bikeworks and from my role in this sector.

It raises a much larger question about what, and who, is being recognised in our sector right now.

Why This Matters to Me

Part of my perspective comes from the people in my life. I have a community of loved ones who identify as women and are not biologically female, and loved ones who identify as men and are not biologically male. Being close to people whose identities are questioned or misunderstood has shaped how I think about inclusion, belonging and recognition. It has taught me that identity is lived, not theoretical.

So when Cycling UK narrows who it recognises as a woman, it affects people who matter deeply to me and to our community. It sits in tension with the values that guide us as leaders, and with the purpose that has shaped Bikeworks from the beginning: creating spaces where people are seen and respected for who they know themselves to be.

What the Awards Are Meant to Celebrate

The 100 Women in Cycling initiative exists to celebrate the breadth of women contributing to the cycling world: community champions, innovators, influencers, industry leaders and the many people whose everyday actions encourage more people to ride. At its best, it widens representation and highlights the different experiences and forms of leadership that shape our sector.

That purpose sits in direct conflict with this year’s eligibility criteria.

By limiting nominations to biological women only, a celebration designed to broaden representation now actively excludes women who belong in this space. Instead of honouring the full diversity of women in cycling, it redraws the boundaries of who is allowed to count. It is a contradiction too significant to overlook.

How Values Show Up in Decisions

Cycling UK has framed this decision as a matter of legal interpretation. But nothing about a celebratory list requires excluding women who do not fit a biological definition. This was a choice, and choices show where an organisation places its values and ultimately shape the kind of sector we become.

This reveals a wider issue: the point where organisational risk management overtakes purpose. For those making decisions, this is the moment when caution overtakes courage, policy overtakes people and being legally safe comes at the expense of being meaningfully inclusive.

At Bikeworks, our values shape our culture, and our culture shapes our decisions, not the other way around.

Why This Moment Feels Bigger Than One Decision

This decision does not sit in isolation. We are living in a time where definitions of belonging are tightening politically, socially and economically. People who should be at the centre of decisions are often absent from the rooms where those decisions are made. The gap between policy and humanity continues to widen.

This moment raises important questions.
Who gets to decide who counts?
Who was in the room and had a seat at the table?
Whose voices shaped the criteria?
Whose identities were included?
Whose were left out?

These questions matter because inclusion is not a legal position. It is a cultural one, a moral one and a leadership one.

What Twenty Years Has Taught Us

For nearly two decades, Bikeworks has worked to widen the lens. To recognise people for who they know themselves to be. To build spaces of belonging. To challenge the narrow definitions that limit participation.

We have always widened the lens, not narrowed it.
We have always built belonging, not boundaries.
We have always understood inclusion as a practice, not a box to be ticked or a risk to be managed.

As we enter our twentieth year, that commitment remains unwavering.

An Invitation to Reflect and Reconsider

This is not a post to celebrate a place on a list. It is a moment to say something important.

If our sector wants to champion women in cycling — all women — then decisions like this need to be reconsidered. We can do better than this, and moments like these are opportunities to realign with the values we say we hold.

We can widen the lens.
And I am asking Cycling UK to do exactly that.

Cycling is more than movement.

It’s freedom. It’s joy. It’s community.

For nearly 20 years, Bikeworks has been creating inclusive spaces where difference is visible – and valued.

Photographer Becky Mursell shares this same vision through her portrait series The Everyday Cyclist. Her portraits capture people and their cycles: from handcycles to two-wheelers, from commuters to leisure riders, celebrating the rich diversity of cycling in London.

Over three years, the project has grown into a remarkable archive of more than 115 cyclists, each with their own story. Among them are Erma, and soon Jamie — both part of the Bikeworks community. Their portraits reflect the spirit of inclusion that powers everything we do.

 

 

Capturing Difference

At Bikeworks, cycles aren’t just equipment – they’re freedom, confidence, and connection.

The Everyday Cyclist makes this visible. Each portrait shows the bond between rider and cycle, where difference is celebrated, pride shines through, and individuality takes centre stage.

• Erma, our Community Connector Cycle Pilot, uses the side-by-side cycle to reach people who are isolated, sparking joy and belonging through the simple act of riding together.

“I meet lots of people and make lots of friends. No two days are the same – whether it’s going for a joy ride, picking up shopping, or taking people to appointments. I really love doing this.”

 

• Jamie, our Inclusive Cycling Advisor and a regular rider at our All Ability Club, will soon feature in the series. Her portrait will capture her individuality and determination — qualities that shape how cycling is made accessible at Bikeworks.

“As someone who both advises on inclusion and rides at Bikeworks’ All Ability Clubs, I see every week how the right cycle can remove any unnecessary barriers. A cycle that feels safe and comfortable not only makes participation possible, but also enables riders to experience the joy and freedom of cycling.”

Together, their portraits and voices show what cycling becomes when joy is shared and community is built.

 

What’s Next for Becky

The ambition for 2026 is bold:

“I am determined to reach and inspire those who don’t cycle yet, as well as to use it as a tool to help position cycling as a powerful public health intervention.

My dream is to publicly launch with an exhibition in either Parliament or City Hall to coincide with UK Bike Week in June 2026. Followed by a year-long public art tour across London, installing the portraits in spaces like high streets, parks, hospitals, transport hubs, and shopping centres: reaching people where they live, shop, and travel.” — Becky Mursell

 

Why It Matters for Bikeworks

At Bikeworks, we’ve always believed in the power of the cycle as more than transport — it’s a catalyst for health, wellbeing, and community connection. Our programmes have shown that when everyone has access to a cycle, it can be a literal lifesaver — improving physical health, boosting mental wellbeing, and tackling deep-rooted health inequalities.

“Becky’s vision resonates with us because we’ve seen first-hand how something as humble as a cycle can change lives. Her portraits tell that story in a way that’s bold, beautiful, and impossible to ignore. By shining a light on difference, she’s helping to make visible what we’ve worked towards for nearly 20 years — that cycling belongs to everyone.” — Zoë Portlock, Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Bikeworks

Why It Matters

Cycling changes lives. It lifts moods, improves health, and creates community. When barriers are removed and the right cycles are available, people who might otherwise be left out discover independence, friendship, and confidence through riding.

The Everyday Cyclist celebrates this truth. By sharing the portraits of Erma, Jamie, and many others, Becky is showing that cycling is not just for the few – it’s for everyone.

 

See The Everyday Cyclist

•  Explore The Everyday Cyclist series →
•  Follow on Instagram →
•  Find two portraits in An Opinionated Guide to Cycle London (Hoxton Mini Press).

Meet Becky

Based in London, Becky Mursell is a freelance photographer with a passion for people and a love of bikes.

Her commercial work spans portraiture and events, helping organisations from businesses to schools and charities communicate who they are and what they do best.

Cycling became part of her life after moving to London, initially as a practical way to save money and boost mental health. What began as commuting grew into adventure, challenge, and community.

Highlights include placing in the top 2% of women in Ride London (2023 and 2024), completing ultra-distance challenges like the Norfolk 360 (400km) and Bryan Chapman (600km), and planning a ride in the Himalayas in Summer 2027.

 

Our recent Dr Bike event in Mile End showed what happens when community organisations come together with a shared purpose. Across the day, 90–100 people dropped in to get their bikes checked, repaired, and back on the road. Brake pads, cables, and other essential fixes were made — saving people hundreds of pounds they may not have been able to spend otherwise. For many, it was the difference between leaving their bike at home or keeping cycling.

This event was made possible through support from Tower Hamlets Council.

The day was led by Mile End Community Project (MCP), whose deep roots and trusted relationships in the neighbourhood brought residents along in large numbers. As Nurull from MCP described, Dr Bike is a “lifeline” — and that’s exactly what it felt like on the day.

 

 

Zoe Portlock, Co-CEO of Bikeworks, said:

“When people share the same purpose, great things happen. Working with MCP is great proof of that — their strong community ties and our mechanics’ know-how came together to support people who needed it most. That’s what partnership is all about: side by side, making cycling something everyone can enjoy.”

Nurull Islam added:

“Events like Dr Bike Fest show how collaboration between community groups, local organisations, and partners can make a real difference. By breaking down barriers such as costly repairs, we’re encouraging more people to embrace cycling as a healthy, sustainable way to travel.”

What stood out was how agile and innovative both organisations were in working together. From MCP’s on-the-ground organising and volunteer support, to Bikeworks’ mechanics and practical know-how, we showed how partnership can respond directly to community need while staying rooted in a shared purpose.

 

 

These partnerships don’t just fix bikes; they build confidence, reduce inequalities, and strengthen community ties.

A short survey MCP ran captured postcode data and rider feedback, giving us valuable insight into who attended and how the event is making a difference. And thanks to photographer Rehan Jamil and MCP’s film clips, we have powerful visuals to tell the story.

 

 

What’s next?

The demand and energy on the day were clear — people were already asking when the next Dr Bike will be. MCP is planning a follow-up session after the summer holidays, and we’ll be there again. Because this isn’t just about repairs; it’s about showing what communities can achieve when we come together with shared values and purpose.

 

 

By Jamie Lawson, Inclusive Cycling Advisor at Bikeworks

When people think about cycling, they often picture two wheels, balance, and speed. But cycling can take many different forms, and with the right equipment, it becomes an activity that everyone can enjoy. That’s why having a fleet inclusive of cycles is essential, not only for All Ability Clubs, but also for schools, local authorities, care homes, and community groups that want to make cycling accessible to everyone.

As someone who both advises on inclusion and rides at Bikeworks’ All Ability Clubs, I see every week how the right cycle can remove any unnecessary barriers. A cycle that feels safe and comfortable not only makes participation possible, but also enables riders to experience the joy and freedom of cycling.

 

With the right cycles, no one is left out.

Recently, one of our clubs added two new cycles to the fleet: the Fun2Go and the EasyRider. These bikes have already transformed the way people ride together. The Fun2Go is a side-by-side tandem, so two riders can pedal and chat at the same time — perfect for friends, carers, or anyone who feels more confident with riding with company. The EasyRider, with its low step-through frame and supportive seat, makes cycling accessible for people who may struggle with balance or joint pain.

“Investing in the Fun2Go and EasyRider cycles from Bikeworks has been one of the best decisions for our community. As specialists in inclusive cycling, Bikeworks helped us choose the right bikes to meet local needs. These cycles have opened up riding to people of all ages and abilities, and we’re already seeing the benefits — more people taking part, more confidence, and more families enjoying cycling together.”

 

I’ve seen first-hand the joy these cycles bring.

Riders who hadn’t been on a bike in years are rediscovering the freedom of movement. Families are cycling together in ways they never thought possible. One person told me that the Fun2Go made them feel like they were “part of the action again,” after years of watching from the sidelines.

For me personally, my favourite cycle is the Fun2Go. There’s something special about being able to share the ride side by side. It turns cycling into a social activity — laughter, conversation, and exercise all rolled into one.

Getting the fleet right isn’t just about variety. It’s about equity.

It ensures that no matter your age, ability, or confidence level, there’s a cycle that can work for you. That’s what makes inclusive cycling so powerful. It’s not just about bikes — it’s about freedom, wellbeing, and connection.

If you’re curious, visit us at our Inclusive Cycle Sales Showroom opposite the Velo in the Olympic Park, or come along to one of our All Ability Clubs. We can help you find the right fleet for your school, local authority, care home, or community group.