Joseph Tierney

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Good Cycles says YES! to the Voice to Parliament

Good Cycles supports a YES vote for the Voice to Parliament

On August 30th, the Federal Government announced the Voice referendum date for October 14. Good Cycles says YES! to the Voice to Parliament. Through our values of equity, respect, well-being, courage and inclusion; we proudly stand alongside the vast majority of First Nations people.
We believe that this constitutional recognition will be a historic step towards a unified country that celebrates our first peoples as the oldest continuing culture on earth.
Yes, we respect that there are differing views and will continue to create inclusive and meaningful, safe jobs for all Australians, new and old.
For more information visit https://www.yes23.com.au/
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A new Purpose Precinct set to bloom in positive growth!

Purpose Precinct Good Cycles Social Enterprise

The Purpose Precinct is growing!

We are excited to announce that the Purpose Precinct has moved into our new and expanding space in the F-Sheds of the Queen Victoria Market. Now encompassing three retail sheds selling social enterprise and circular economy goods.

First Launched in December 2022, The Purpose Precinct is a joint initiative between STREAT, Good Cycles, & SENVIC to showcase the many brilliant products of Victorian social enterprises, unifying a host of different & innovative brands in one central location.

This month, Minister Ben Carroll announced the Purpose Precinct would be moving from its home in Queen Vic. Market’s String Bean Alley, to the new space of the F Shed Laneway. Not merely just a change in location, the new site will be larger, meaning more capacity to support up to 100 exciting Social Enterprises from Victoria

We’ve already expanded the initial concept store into two retail premisses located in F14-15 sheds and we are excited to welcome Green Collect into shed F16 a social enterprise focusing re-use and circular economy products. 

But wait, there’s more to come. Still under construction is the Purpose Precinct’s hospitality offering with more retail, events and activation spaces in the centrally located F sheds and E-stalls to come. 

Perhaps the most exciting news in the announcement is that the new ‘Precinct’ opens the door to on and off-site training and employment pathways for up to 75 participants who’ve experienced barriers to employment. A cause all of us at Good Cycles are incredibly passionate about.

“We’re backing our social enterprises because they create positives outcomes for local workers and the community – and that’s why we’re expanding this precinct at one of our most iconic markets,” 

Minister Ben Carroll.

To read the full announcement, head over to the Purpose Precinct’s website.

The Purpose Precinct is located in the F-shed on the Peel St side of the market. Come down and check it 
This announcement welcomes what will become the new home of the Purpose Precinct, and bigger space to accommodate the growing number of Victorian Social Enterprises it supports. Together with our founding partners at STREAT and SENVIC, we’re thrilled to have the support of Minister Carrol, the Victorian Government, and Queen Victorian Market as we welcome this new space that will continue to showcase the brilliance of Victoria’s Social Enterprises.
Jaison Hoernel
Good Cycles CEO
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Nestled in Nightingale’s Evergreen building, ‘The Local Project’ visits our Brunswick store

'The Commercial Project' takes a closer look at the people and spaces that inhabit the Nightingale Village Precinct.

Recently The Commercial Project – a branch of The Local Project that lends a focus on multi-residential building living, visited our Brunswick store, to chat about the overlap in values and approach that opened the door for Good Cycles to take up residency on the ground level of the Nightingale Evergreen building.

Situated in the cul-de-sac of Duckett street Brunswick, the Good Cycles Brunswick location has been made possible by a co-op of building residents that sought a commercial tenant whose business aligned with the philosophy of its residents, and would complement the precinct.

Through practices of sustainability, a focus on inclusion and community, and a shared for love for all the benefits of pedal-powered 2 wheeled transport, Good Cycles is honoured to have our newest home in this award-winning space.

In this wonderfully produced video, watch the Good Cycles team speak to our mission, and the connection and support that exists from being situated in this unique and special community.
"...Our primary focus is around creating jobs for young people who experience barriers to employment, gain some experience and transferable skills that will take them into wherever they want to go in the future."
Kirra Johnson
Head of Innovation and Impact
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2023 World Youth Skills Day

July 15th 2023 marks World Youth Skills Day. This year we celebrate not only our young people, but also our skilled Trainers, Mentors, and Leaders

Each year on July 15th, World Youth Skills Day is observed as a day of significance, celebrating the importance of helping young people develop the necessary skills to succeed in today’s rapidly changing world.

Since Good Cycles was established in 2014, our mission has been to not only reduce the barriers to employment, but to equip young people with the tools and experience that will serve as building blocks for a brighter future.

What started as providing mentorship and practical technical skills in bicycle maintenance, today Good Cycles is able to offer participants pathways to learn skills across a whole range of different industries and sectors. It’s through this diversity of roles we offer we are able to provide more opportunities for young people to gain the skills and training they need to cultivate their own career paths.

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Today, learning how to fix a bike is a small component of the kind of skills a young person may learn with Good Cycles. Through our City Services division, our Car Share cleaning & relocation operations, and the work we do through our Open Spaces division, the breadth of practical skills we are able to offer our Youth Employment Participants has never been greater. In addition, participants build confidence, work as part of a team, and get to feel a sense of pride in the work they do, and what they can accomplish.

In conversation with City Services team members, our City Services Manager, Mark Liddle, spoke to some of the significant skills the team had reflected upon in their roles; from the importance of time management, and utilising critical thinking and problem-solving skills, to planning for different contingencies a day may require. Team members also spoke to the importance good communication plays in their roles, be it talking to managers, customers, or other staff.

As of May 31 2023, 24% of Good Cycle’s total employees are young people in the YEP program, receiving various levels of support such as coaching, training and on the job learning. Critically, through the observations of our coaches and supervisors, over 80% experienced an increase in capabilities, paralleling the positive guidance and support our managers and trainers can provide.

"It's such an honour to see the growth in confidence and development of both technical and transferable skills in our program participants, the simple act of being given an opportunity to get their foot in the door, as well as some on-the-job support and guidance makes such a powerful impact. Our operational supervisors do such an amazing job. Providing support and guidance in a safe and inclusive workplace environment that allows our participants to develop skills and confidence, make valuable connections and thrive in their roles."​
Khan Churchill
General Manager of Programs

The theme for World Youth Skills Day 2023 is Skilling teachers, trainers and youth for a transformative future. This year we celebrate the teachers, trainers and mentors that guide our young participants as they receive training and learn new skills, providing them with more confidence and preparedness for the evolving labour market.

Good Cycles is incredibly proud of our team leaders, managers, social workers and mentors that bring their passion and commitment towards helping young people who experience barriers to employment

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Good Cycles and the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation – Setting wheels in motion for youth employment

With the help of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, Good Cycles looks towards future growth

As a not-for-profit social enterprise, the impact we’re able to make is a direct result of the generous ongoing support from our members, our partners in local government, and the private philanthropic space. Since 2014, Good Cycles have been fortunate to have the philanthropic support of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation.


As Australia’s largest independent community foundation, the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation exists to create positive social change. Through their vision of Inspiring philanthropy & sustained social impact, annually the Foundation provides grants of $12 million to not-for-profit organisations across Melbourne, with the goal of promoting social inclusion and elevating the life opportunities of individuals through organisations it engages with.

From our humble beginnings, the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation has helped Good Cycles in our ambitions to grow as an organisation, helping us affect more change, and create more opportunities for young people. It’s through the support of such partners we’re able to chart our future growth, and focus on scaling the level of our impact.

“In terms of how Good Cycles is helping my life, I guess is giving me credit for the for the work that I'm doing.. It's good to have someone else point it out to you but then also help you point it out for yourself.”
Lucas
Operations Coordinator, & previous YEP participant
…Overall it's like a big boost in confidence. Just the ability to plan for the future, actually having that security, (it’s) much easier to make decisions that are actually going to be constructive.
Eve
Operations Team Member

What began with teaching young people how to fix a bike whilst providing mentorship, Good Cycles has since grown to exist in a variety of sectors and industries, creating more opportunities for young people to gain a variety of real-world skills applicable to jobs of today, and the future. 

Good Cycles is grateful to have the support of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, helping us in our mission to remove barriers to employment and improve the lives of young people.

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The Westpac Foundation kindly supporting the Good Cycles mission

Good Cycles youth Employment Program participant Lucas

Like many businesses and not-for-profits, the Pandemic was a challenging time. It was a period that sought the need for businesses to be creative, and prompted a need to re-focus and re-evaluate

As a Social Enterprise that is heavily invested in multiple service-based operations in and around metropolitan Melbourne, including bicycle retail & servicing, car cleaning, asset management, Open Spaces and more, our scope is broad. But throughout this time the focus has remained fundamentally the same: to give young people the opportunity to gain employment skills and build confidence.
An integral part of how we operate comes from the private sector, and it’s with the help of funders, like the Westpac Foundation, that we’re able to continue to concentrate on areas of growth, and where we can continue to make a difference.
Good Cycle’s is incredibly honoured to be a recipient of the Westpac Foundation Social Enterprise Grants Program who’ve generously donated $300,000 over three years, to help us achieve our plans for future growth.
Without the philanthropic aid of those who partner with us, we’d be unable to achieve the breadth of impact we’ve been able to affect in the not-for-profit space. 
Good Cycles is incredibly grateful to the Westpac Foundation, and our other partners, who believe in our mission of creating jobs, providing mentorship, and affecting change in the lives of young people.

To read about some of the personal accounts our employees have experienced while working with us, check out this fantastic article on the Westpac Foundation’s website, here.

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Happy One Year Anniversary Nathan

Nathan's Journey to Sustainable Employment and Personal Growth with Good Cycles

Nathan, a high school graduate, struggled to find sustainable work. After leaving high school, he was in a vicious cycle of inconsistent work and an unstable income. Determined to work and make himself more employable, he tried extra study and working in different industries, but Nathan’s struggle continued and still faced barriers to employment . His life took a positive turn when he joined Good Cycles in our Open Spaces division.

Welcome to Good Cycles

In June of last year, Nathan learned about Good Cycles through Djerriwarrh, an employment support organisation that helped Nathan refine his CV and introduced him to our Open Spaces team. Through Open Spaces, Good Cycles created a range of new gardening and mowing job opportunities and welcomed Nathan for an interview. From the get-go, our “relaxed and welcoming” interview process made him feel at ease, and Nathan was offered a gardening role at Good Cycles, joining our Youth Employment Program.

Social Impact via the Youth Employment Program

Our Youth Employment Program is designed to support people in Nathan’s position with coaching and skills development alongside real-world work experience. One of the key aspects of the program is Nathan’s weekly check-ins with Jordan – one of Good Cycles’ youth employment coaches. These sessions allow Jordan and Nathan to set work goals and then apply the relevant training or coaching required. Currently, Jordan is supporting Nathan’s application for a Cert III in Horticulture at Kangan Institute.

"(Working at Good Cycles has) not only provided me with a stable source of income but also a sense of purpose and personal growth”.

Nathan, Good Cycles Open Spaces team member

12 Months On

Maintaining employment for 6 months is a significant milestone for people who have faced barriers to employment. In June 2023, we’re proud to celebrate Nathan’s one year anniversary with Good Cycles. His team members have seen growth in his communication and teamwork skills and have also witnessed his personal efforts to develop consistent routines. Through his commitment, Nathan has found independence, financial stability, and the means to “treat himself”.

Nathan hopes to continue his career with the gardening team at Good Cycles and work towards operating large machinery such as mowers and tractors.

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Sustainable Employment

Nathan’s journey to sustainable employment with Good Cycles highlights the importance of creating meaningful jobs within a safe and inclusive workplace. Nathan has acquired new skills, certifications and more importantly, a sense of belonging. He added that his experience with the team and Jordan has “provided him with a stable source of income and a sense of purpose and personal growth”.

Nathan’s dedication to his job has not gone unnoticed. His manager, Brett, has praised him for his reliability, for never being late to work, and for never missing a day since he started.

“I love my job with Good Cycles, it has allowed me to see myself in the future and gain the qualifications needed to get there.” ~ Nathan

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The Good Cycles Goldsbrough Lane Clearance Sale is on NOW!

Good Cycles Goldsbrough Lane CLEARANCE SALE is HAPPENING NOW!

It’s not often we have a sale, but when we do, we go to TOWN! That’s why our CBD store is gearing up for its BIGGEST sale ever. Over 2 days, we’ll be spruiking the best specials we’ve ever had on selected bikes, e-bikes, and parts and accessories.

We’ll have bikes and e-bikes from brands including Norco, Merida, and Focus, with some VERY attractive discounts on popular gravel bikes, as well as some red hot deals on road and mountain bikes.

In the market for a bike to get you about from A to B, or perhaps something that you can swiftly get around on for commuting or fitness riding? We’ve got those deals covered too!

It’s not just bikes and e-bikes in this sale. We’ll have huge savings on helmets, Shimano road and MTB shoes, gloves, and bags, to name a few!

 

• UP TO 50% OFF Bikes!
• UP TO 40% OFF E-bikes!
• UP TO 50% OFF parts & accessories!

 

We also have:

• 50% off table featuring Schwalble foldable road tyres, selected clothing, Cygo lights, grips, bar tape, & more!

• Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700c tyres from $60 (were $85)

• 50% off Selected Schwalbe tyres

• 40% off selected Lazer helmets

• 20% off Shimano shoes

 

• 20% off PRO components including gravel bikepacking bags, handlebars & seatposts

 

• 20% off all Pearl Izumi, including knicks, gloves, & socks

• Used handlebars (drops & straights), seat posts, and saddles starting at $5!

 

 Want to know if we have something in your size or budget? Give us a call! 03 9041 5713

 

When:

It’s happening NOW!
 

Where:

Goldsbrough Village -Shop TG23, Goldsbrough La, Melbourne VIC 3000

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>> Click here to go to the Facebook event page <<

Our CBD store is located in Goldsbrough Village, accessible from the corner of Little Burke & William Street

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Good Cycles delivers its 2022 Impact Report

Good Cycles Impact Snapshot 2022: Creating Positive Change

We are thrilled to share our Impact Snapshot for 2022. Despite the challenges that we all faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, we remained steadfast in our mission to reduce barriers to employment and have managed strong growth to create more job opportunities and impact than ever.

Youth Employment Program (YEP): Empowering 36 Young People

It was a big year for our Youth Employment Program (YEP) with over 23,000 hours of work conducted across 36 YEP participants.

Our YEP provides individual coaching support, skills development and training, and real-world work experience to young people facing barriers to employment, such as insecure housing, mental health challenges, and other forms of socioeconomic and socio-cultural disadvantage.

Our impact data shows how we are able to empower a diverse group of young individuals by unlocking aspirations and supporting them in their transition toward secure employment pathways

See our Impact report online, or click below to download the report:

Download report

Of course, we can only do this thanks to our amazing staff and our commercial, philanthropic, academic and governmental partners who support us in our commitment to impact and social enterprise.