About Us
Making A Difference
Ways To Give
Apply For A Grant
Professional Advisors
Foundation News
Campaigns
"I used to have to walk quite a distance to catch a bus to and from work. Sometimes I was lucky and was given a lift part of the way, but sometimes my training meant I had to stay on until the evening, and then there was neither lift nor bus and I had to walk a long way. This moped has made such a difference, giving me complete independence. It's more than a moped - it's freedom."
The Yeti (Youth Employment and Training) Project in Honiton provides transport for young people aged between 16 and 25 who live in rural, isolated areas where there is little or no public transport. The Project lends young people a small scooter for up to six months to enable them to access employment or training, or for job search purposes. They also provide electric bicycles for young people with medical conditions that prevent them from obtaining a driving licence.
Devon Community Foundation has awarded the project four grants, totaling £14,000, which have been used to buy new scooters and equipment for the group to enable it to expand. Machines cost the riders a flat rate of £6 a week, half of which covers the cost of tyre wear, oil and bulbs. The other half is returned if the moped is handed back in reasonable condition at the end of the loan period.
Crash helmets and safety gear are provided free, as is a compulsory basic training course that all new bikers have by law to pass before they take to the road. The Project also covers the cost of insuring each moped.
One of the main barriers preventing young people from accessing opportunities is a lack of accessible transport. Much of the work available locally is seasonal and it often requires young people to work unsocial hours. Local transport links are inadequate, so young people need to rely on family and friends to get lifts to and from work. This kind of transport is often unsustainable, as lifts can be unreliable and as a result the young person can find it impossible to get to work. Permanent opportunities are scarce in the part of East Devon the Yeti Project operates in and as a result young people need to look further afield for work with prospects, such as apprenticeships. The lack of transport often prevents young people from achieving their potential and accessing quality jobs with training.
The work the Yeti Project is doing with young people is going a long way towards raising young people's horizons, making a huge difference to their quality of life, their self esteem and their independence.
