WORD is one of the first few organisations in NZ to adopt the sport and integrity code. The Integrity Code is a key tool developed to strengthen integrity across the sector. It introduces minimum standards designed to keep participants safe and to help organisations address integrity issues consistently. By adopting the Integrity Code, WORD strengthens its commitment to providing safe and fair environments in which everyone can thrive.

WORD Chief Executive Nic Johnson said the move reflects the organisation’s focus on creating supportive environments where young people can thrive.

“Integrity is fundamental to the work we do with young people. Signing up to the code reinforces our commitment to ensuring everyone connected with WORD feels safe, respected, and supported. WORD is proud to be leading positive change and building a stronger, more connected future for sport, recreation, and our communities.”

We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Sport New Zealand through the one-off active recreation investment fund. This investment will support the growth of our teen programming over the next two years.

Sport New Zealand through the active recreation investment fund, are supporting one-off impactful strategic initiatives with the intent to influence better, or increased, delivery of active recreation opportunities for rangatahi/young people aged 13 to 18.

Flick Energy and WORD worked together for a 2 year partnership to provide over $20,000 worth of scholarships, getting more kids on bikes and helping them to change their lives one ride at a time. Cheers Flick!

This fund support projects designed to get more young women physically active and develop leadership opportunities through play, active recreation and sport. As one of nine organizations, WORD led the Dirt Is Good initiative to boost girls’ participation in mountain biking.

The Absolutely Positively Wellingtonian Awards (APW) are a way for the Wellington City Council to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the city of Wellington, often in a voluntary capacity. These awards celebrate those who enhance the community and make Wellington a better place to live.

Mountain bike charity WORD Youth MTB Adventures (WORD) is the latest organisation to formally adopt the Code of Integrity for Sport and Recreation (Integrity Code).

The Integrity Code is a key tool developed to strengthen integrity across the sector. It introduces minimum standards designed to keep participants safe and to help organisations address integrity issues consistently. By adopting the Integrity Code, WORD strengthens its commitment to providing safe and fair environments in which everyone can thrive.

WORD Chief Executive Nic Johnson said the move reflects the organisation’s focus on creating supportive environments where young people can thrive.

“Integrity is fundamental to the work we do with young people. Signing up to the code reinforces our commitment to ensuring everyone connected with WORD feels safe, respected, and supported. WORD is proud to be leading positive change and building a stronger, more connected future for sport, recreation, and our communities.”

WORD joins a growing number of organisations across the motu that have committed to integrity by adopting the Integrity Code. The Commission welcomed WORD alongside several of these organisations at the recent National Sport and Integrity Wānanga, which brought together integrity specialists, legal experts and sport and recreation leaders for two days of kōrero. The theme, “Whatua mai te aho Weaving a culture of integrity”, focused on understanding threats to integrity and ways the sector can work together to safeguard against them. A key way that organisations can support this mahi is through adoption of the Integrity Code.

Rebecca Rolls, Commission Chief Executive, noted that every organisation that adopts the Integrity Code contributes to stronger, safer systems across the entire sport and recreation sector in Aotearoa.

“Every organisation that takes this step helps build a sector where fairness, safety and respect are non‑negotiable. We are pleased to see WORD modelling positive change and working with us to create safer and more respectful environments in which everyone can thrive.”

The Commission continues to encourage national sport and recreation organisations to support a robust integrity future for the sector by adopting the Integrity Code.

https://sportintegrity.nz/news/mountain-bike-charity-word-youth-mtb-adventures-adopts-integrity-code-at-national-sport-and-recreation-integrity-wananga

The Wellington Off-road Riding Department, or WORD, runs skills courses for kids from seven to 17 years old.

The charity even has its own race team - Fast ForWORD.

WORD chief executive Nicola Johnson rails a berm in Wellington's Matairangi, Mt Victoria. Photo: Carlos Domingo

Chief executive Nic Johnson said the festival was a chance to showcase the huge range of riding that had grown from trail builders' efforts all around the city.

"Rotorua is very much one place, one network and same with Queenstown, you're on the hill up at Skyline. Whereas we've got separate trail areas and it's all a bit of insider knowledge about where the best trails are. We just need to connect them in a way and I think this mountain bike festival will do that. We've got three different venues over three days and people will get to taste a bit of each of them," Johnson said.

Link here

Bike-a-palooza is proudly organized by WORD’s very own Assistant Instructors- a collection of our awesome 14-16 year olds plan and run the whole event!

Read more about this, and how Ash through Word has focused and had succcess with creating gender equality in mountain biking with WORD. Link here

Read more here