Women On Wheels 2024 - How To Get Involved
Cycling Ireland is looking for cycling clubs to participate in the 2024 Women on Wheels (WOW) Programme. WOW is a programme designed to address the lower numbers of female leisure members and is now in its fourth year - to date over 300 female cyclists have taken part and benefited from the programme.
We would now like to invite cycling clubs to express an interest in taking part in the WOW 2024 programme and send their expression of interest to our Women In Sport Lead Helen Kerrane at helen.kerrane@cyclingireland.ie.
A number of cycling clubs will be selected to act as Women on Wheels host clubs for 2024. Two members from each club will be designated WOW24 leaders. Participating clubs will then deliver a 6–8-week introductory cycling programme to new female cyclists and will conclude with a WOW24 event.
Women on Wheels 2024 Aims & Objectives
To increase female participation in leisure cycling (Road or Off Road) in Ireland.
To increase the number of female members in Cycling Ireland clubs.
To increase the number of female club volunteer coaching workforce and female coaching skills.
What's in it for our Cycling Club?
Free Ride Leader Training - two spaces will be available to each participating WOW24 cycling club.
Membership - All participating Ride Leaders will receive Cycling Ireland Leisure Membership for 2025 for supporting and delivering the programme.
New Female Members – given the decline in female membership, this is an excellent opportunity to gain new female members to your club and grow this section of the cycling club.
Clothing - all the trained Ride Leaders will receive a “Women on Wheels 2024” top.
Exposure - The WOW24 programme will be featured on all Cycling Ireland social media and the Cycling Ireland website. This is also an opportunity to promote your club to a wider audience.
What we need from your Cycling Club?
Two or more nominated volunteers or qualified ride leaders who will commit to delivering a 6–8-week female focused Cycling programme. WOW leaders don’t have to be female, just committed to delivering a female focused programme at their respective cycling club.
Participating clubs will be supported by marketing material provided by Cycling Ireland and active advice and support from Cycling Ireland's Women In Sport Lead during, before and after the WOW24 programme.
A willingness to continue to provide opportunities for female cyclists in your club after the WOW24 programme has finished. This may be by incorporating the WOW24 group into your regular club runs or by continuing to hold WOW spins on a regular basis.
Note: If the participating clubs nominated leaders already have Ride Leader qualification, they will be asked to nominate someone else from their club to take the training who would then assist them in delivering the programme in a learning/skill development role.
Timeline
Cycling Clubs sign up to the WOW24 programme – April 2024
Participating Cycling Clubs use WOW24 marketing materials to recruit participants in their local areas. – April 2024
Ride Leader Training takes place - April/May 2024. Location of the Ride Leader training to be determined by number and location of participating clubs.
Women on Wheels 2024 programme to start at participating Cycling Clubs – May/June 2024 for 6-8 weeks.
Cycling Club host an end of WOW24 programme event - July 2024
More information on Cycling Ireland Women in Sport initiatives and programmes can be found here.