Motorvations is a unique facility in East London helping kids
with multiple, complex needs including special educational needs, physical and
mental health issues, who have often suffered from physical and sexual abuse.
They are socially and financially deprived, come from broken families and are
often in care. Behavioural problems have led to exclusion from school and poor
levels of basic skills, communication and social skills, and lack of parental
guidance make it difficult for them to integrate with the community.
Motorvations aims to improve the child's self
esteem, confidence, social skills, behaviour, knowledge and life chances, and
have adopted the 'every child matters' framework for success, linking physical
well-being to academic attainment by offering a wide range of physical
activities. Their holistic approach to learning significantly improves their
chances of gaining employment and ultimately achieving economic independence,
tackling the poverty cycle and turning their lives around.
The kids are
encouraged to give something back to their local communities and the
volunteering bicycle refurbishment project enables them to repair old donated
bicycles in the workshops, which then benefit good causes like St Francis
Hospice for the 
terminally ill, the
local women's refuge, and Falconer children's orphanage in Zambia. This improves
how the community perceives these kids, whilst improving their own sense of
self-worth.
The beneficiary outcomes are considered excellent. Last year
72% achieved NOCN qualifications, 60% of year 11's entered work and 21% of year
11's entered further education. 11% quit smoking with the smoking cessation
scheme, and 78% entered onto the health and nutrition programme improving their
fitness and life chances.
Motorvations were winners of The Centre for
Social Justice Awards 2008, The Guardian Charity Awards 2006 and the Thames
Gateway Community Involvement Awards 2006. Some of their sculptures, pictured
here, made from old bike and car parts, have been displayed in the Mayor's
Office.
Tom's Trust
made a contribution to salaries of project workers on "Rocking Horse" - a
constructional skills (pilot) project, and "Bird Box" - a carpentry focused
(pilot) project, enabling marginalised excluded 'at risk' young people to gain
practical qualifications which will give them entry level into formal training
programmes or employment - www.motorvations.net