Topic: Ecotour - Background Information
Topic type:
Information on Eco Bike Tour, Magic House and WCYSB Transitional Living Program, 2005
Vermont Eco Bike Tour – Involving Local Youth - June 25, 2005
The 4th Eco Bike Tour brings the WCYSB Transitional Living Program and the Magic House Project together. These non-profit groups address the human needs of youth at risk in two very different cultures: the towns of Washington County, Vermont and the orphanages of Moscow. Net proceeds from the Tour will be shared between these two charities and will provide each with more resources to provide youth at risk with training, counseling, support, education and recreation as these young people prepare to live and work on their own. For the Transitional Living program, Tour proceeds will increase the program’s ability to provide shelter in a very tight Vermont housing market as these young people make the transition from homelessness to independent living. The Tour will also increase visibility and broaden community support for WCYSB/BGC. At the Magic House project, increased funding will allow Pavel and Jen Cherkasov to strengthen their work at Vyschgorod Orphanage in Russia as well as moving ahead with their plans to build a center in the Moscow region and open a summer exchange program in Vermont.
With the Cherkasovs’ connections to the international and local cycling community and TLP’s network of local youth programs, a new feature of the 2005 Eco Bike Tour is to recruit, organize, train and support teams of young mountain bike riders who will also help volunteer at the event. We are planning a special registration category for age 12-18 participants and have already begun an outreach effort to key staff at local high school (Harwood, U-32, Northfield, Montpelier, Spaulding, Twinfield). Organized in April, teams could be trained and equipped in May and riding for 6 weeks before the Tour. We will make sure that all riders have good mountain bikes and helmets; that each has attended rider safety and maintenance courses; and that each team has at least one adult coordinator. If there is a need for mountain bikes, we will ask the community to donate and enlist Onion River Sports to conduct tune-ups and provide needed parts at cost. We assume that bicycles and helmets will be donated or loaned to riders; it would be great if each rider ended up with a good experience and a safe, good quality mountain bike to ride.
Given the experience of the young people who rode in the 2004 Eco Tour, we believe that there is an interest in participating from this age group, especially if we recruit teams during the school year and the Tour is held before the vacation and camping season in July. Also, with the help of former cycling professionals Jen and Pavel Cherkasov and Andy Bishop, we can guarantee young riders a good experience as well as worthwhile volunteer experience. We will encourage young riders who do not need scholarships to try to secure pledges of at least $50. On Saturday, June 25th we will ask our young volunteers to set up the venue and course and to help clean up on Sunday night.
In addition to linking the needs of youth in different countries, the Eco Tour also links the dirt road cycling community with social needs at home and abroad, all at a wonderful Montpelier location, the Morse Family’s historic sugaring farm.. Given the beauty of the countryside in late June, the generosity and dedication of the Morse and Cherkasov Families and Central Vermont’s love of mountain biking and miles of dirt roads, the 2005 Eco Bike Tour is bound to succeed.
The economics of a charity dirt road bike tour are simple: cover all expenses by donations of funds and goods. Expenses include: prizes, food, beverages, insurance, police support and volunteer time from banks and businesses, as well as community groups, family and friends. We hope that after contributor donations are combined with registration fees, individual donations and pledges, fundraising goals are met! In 2005, we hope to cover our expenses through business, bank and family financial support by May 1st, encourage 25 participants to raise between $100 and $500 per rider, recruit at least one team of 4 to raise $2000 and increase the number of riders from 115 to 150. If this plan is successful, the tour should raise over $10,000 as well as generate positive publicity and good will. We have already secured donations of 2 mountain bikes that will be awarded as prizes or raffle items as well as small amounts of financial support. See attached Budget dated April 1, 2005.
Also, ANI and WCYSB have agreed that they will organize the EcoTour for 3 years: 2005, 2006 and 2007. Given our conversations with nonprofit organizers of charity bike rides[1], we believe that we can increase both business and foundation support and the number of individual and family participants and increase net profits from $10,000 to $15,000 to $20,000 in three years. These funds will provide a substantial boost to both programs.
WCYSB Transitional Living Program Overview
The Transitional Living Program (TLP) helps youth aged 16 – 21 who are homeless transition into stable, independent living situations. Most referrals come from schools, other human service agencies, and other youths. Typical situations of TLP candidates are a long history of family conflict, drug and/or alcohol abuse by parents, parent mental health issues and conflict with stepparent or mother’s boyfriend. TLP provides life and social skills training, educational advocacy and employment counseling. A Transitional Living Plan is developed for each participant based on his/her life skills needs and goals. Different life skills assessment tools are used and information gathered from the participants through conversation. A drug and alcohol assessment is also required, the recommendations of the assessment become part of the Transitional Living Plan. Participants are required to meet with TLP staff once a week, maintain employment and be involved in school (high school diploma or equivalent).
Housing is primarily available in scattered site apartments for up to 18 months. Other housing options are with a mentor roommate or host home. TLP does not have apartments or other situations set up ahead of time. TLP participants and the TLP staff work together to find appropriate living situations. Rental assistance is provided based on the participant’s budget needs. The intention of the program is to slowly reduce the rental assistance making the transition to independence a smooth one. However, in recent years it has become increasingly more difficult for youths to find apartments that they can afford on their own. Rent prices have increased and most young people cannot find work that pays much more than minimum wage, which even at 40 hours a week does not cover expenses. It does however limit or eliminate the amount of assistance from other sources, such as food stamps and health insurance.
Another aspect of TLP is to make participants aware of other resources in the community available to them. Participants are encouraged to apply for affordable housing through the Central Vermont Community Land Trust and if eligible, for Section 8 housing or family housing through local Housing Authorities. Referrals to Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Employment and Training, the JOBS program, Economic Support Division (formerly PATH), Adult Basic Education, VSAC, CVCAC and other area services are made when appropriate. TLP staff has connections with local resources and work well with staff from other agencies. WCYSB has mental health counseling services and drug and alcohol counseling services available if a participant is in need. Being under the same roof makes it easier.
Why Does Russia Need a Magic House?
According to a recent Human Rights Watch study, the majority of Russia’s orphans are severely deprived of the basic needs of freedom, education and socialization. In 2003, the Russian Ministry of Education estimated that over 2 million children were institutionalized or homeless due to economic or abusive circumstances in their birth families. With no state foster care system in place, and paltry funding for social services, these children face grave statistics for success upon their release from orphanages at age sixteen. With the burgeoning AIDS epidemic posing a new threat to ill-informed teenagers, Russia’s orphans need innovative and caring programs to give them hope and choices for their futures.
The Magic House project was created in 2003 to address the needs of Russian orphans. The program is directed by former Russian Olympian Pavel Cherkasov and his wife Jennifer, and focuses on orphanages outside the Moscow metro region in the Tuchkovo and Vyschgorod townships. The mission of the Magic House is social rehabilitation for orphans through adventure therapy, traditional crafts and personal mentoring. Workshops and group sessions are currently run at the orphanages themselves. A recent donation for real estate has enabled the group to purchase a piece of land and building to begin working with children on site.
Magic House on-site programs utilize small group processes to build trust, communication and life skills. The implementation of an HIV/AIDS awareness training is one of the highest priorities for the 2005 year. Participants in Magic House programs are aged 7-18 and are given individualized, caring instruction in activities such as mountain biking, cross country skiing, hand weaving, painting and glasswork. The themes of trust building, group facilitation and personal confidence building are goals of every session. Through these programs, the Magic House staff expects to create relationships with the children unlike any they have in their present lives. Research on institutionalized children has shown that the presence of one caring adult in a child’s life can be the deciding factor in their chances for emotional survival. The Magic House programs offer support in vocational training by arranging apprenticeships and giving valuable hands-on job training and skills. A recent donation of computers by the law firm of Hogan and Hartson will enable computer skills training for orphans both at the orphanages in the Magic House outreach programs and the Magic House Center in Tuchkovo.
The Magic House also shares the universal concern for institutionalized children concerning proper nutrition, clothing and the fulfillment of basic needs. Coordination with Moscow based service groups to facilitate donations of clothing and food are planned. Building and facility improvements are addressed through the on-site orphanage visits that teach remodeling, carpentry and traditional craft skills. This involvement of the children in the improvement of their facility creates an important sense of pride and achievement.
Most importantly, the Magic House staff strives to know and understand each child’s individual needs and background. Partnership with an accredited medical and psychological organization facilitates the health and well being of each orphan the Magic House meets. Our belief that each child deserves a chance to live with grace and knowledge motivates the work behind our Magic House programs.
END (May 15, 2005)
[1] American Diabetes Association with the Tour de Cure in May; Vermont CARES CHAMP ride in June; Onion River Century in late-July; and the MS ride in August.
