Meet Kickstart: helping people with transport to work

Every now and again we feature a great organisation or charity when we find one, and for this blog, it’s Kickstart. Kickstart are based in Dereham, Norfolk, and offer moped hire to people needing transport to work. A great service, and one that it seems not many people know about – so here’s some info on them. If you know anyone who could benefit from Kickstart’s help, be sure to share this with them!

We caught up with Rider Co-ordinator, Barry, to learn more.

Where did the idea for Kickstart come from?
Kickstart was started in 1996 by two Fakenham women, Margaret Taulinsa and Rosemary Ditchman, who had a relative struggling to get transport to job interviews and work. They realised that there was a real a need in the local community for young people to have access to transport to get to work – and they decided to do something about it!

What does the service offer, and who can benefit from it?
We offer moped and scooter hire throughout Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and the Suffolk border. Primarily we assist individuals in to employment via referrals from the Job Centre or similar organisations, but we’re happy to accept applications direct from the public. We can assist anyone who has a minimum of a provisional licence and can legally ride a moped, so they must be over 16.

Lots of organisations like the Job Centre discuss travel needs and options as early as possible with job-seekers, and they can liaise with us to make an early application to use the service, so job-seekers can be ready to get to work when they need to. We also work with DWP, who use Kickstart for job trials and work experience.

How many people have used the service so far?
To date Kickstart has assisted over 5000 people with the use of a scooter or moped to access employment, and the number grows every day.

What costs are involved?
You can hire a 50cc moped for £4.29 per day or the 110cc scooter at £5.71 per day, depending on where the application comes from the individual may have to pay for their moped training and motorcycle clothing prior to issue. You can use the service just as a one-off, or on an ongoing basis if you need to.

Do you work with companies as well as individuals?
Kickstart works closely with JCP, Work programme providers, and Norfolk County Council, as well as most of the District Councils.

Are there other services and sites similar to Kickstart?
Kickstart is one of a number of “Wheels to Work” schemes operating throughout the country other operators can be found at : http://www.wheels2workassociation.org/locations.php

How can people get involved?
Please visit our website at www.kickstartmopeds.org.uk or ring in on 01362 699923.

Author Lex Barber

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