The $120,000 surprise helping young people hit the mountain bike trails in regional Tasmania

Mountain biking isn’t only a great way to get fit and spend time outdoors – it also teaches young people how to take risks in a safe, productive way. 

“It gives young people a chance to be challenged and be able to fully throw their energies and passions into something positive and constructive,” says Lync Nietvelt, a keen mountain biker from St Helens in north-east Tasmania. 

The region around St Helens is known for its world-class mountain biking trails, but for many local young people these opportunities are out of reach because of the pastime’s high costs. 

However, that’s changing thanks to an initiative led by St Helen’s Neighbourhood House, a local organisation that’s supported the community for more than four decades and where Nietvelt is a youth mentor. Its ‘Outward Bound’ initiative has partnered with a local mountain biking company to ensure proper training, gear and guidance is provided to young people in the area. 

The program will be supported by a recent CommBank Community Grant awarded to St Helen’s Neighbourhood House. The organisation thought it was receiving $20,000 – but was surprised with $120,000 instead, which will help boost the invaluable support it has been offering to the local community for more than four decades.

In addition to Outward Bound, St Helen’s Neighbourhood House also promotes social inclusion and wellbeing with a community garden and shed, shared meal programs, school mentoring programs and mental health support, with a particular focus on youth.   

 “In Tasmania we know we have some challenges around mental health, around young people being engaged and connected with community,” said Tanya Greenwood, from St Helens Neighbourhood House. “Often young people leave our community to seek opportunities and we're really passionate about making sure everyone has an opportunity to stay in place, to stay in their community and to thrive.” 

Watch the video to hear from the youth, mentors and team members behind St Helens Neighbourhood House – and see their emotional reaction to the $120,000 surprise grant: 

Organisations that receive CommBank Community Grants are nominated by the bank’s employees. St Helens Neighbourhood House was tapped by CommBank employee and Amy De Jonge, who’s worked in the town for 13 years and shares why she nominated them to receive a grant. “The community of St Helens means family to me. It's about connecting with each other and supporting each other,” she said. “We're very regional here, so it's really important that we have the support and the facilities and services in St Helens to keep us together.” 

St Helens Neighbourhood House is one of 175 community organisations to receive part of the $4 million in grants being distributed across Australia. For more than 17 years, the CommBank Staff Foundation’s Community Grants program has supported thousands of organisations with over $30 million, helping communities just like this one. The program is funded by CommBank employees who regularly donate part of their salaries each fortnight, which are then matched by the Bank. 

To learn more, visit: commbank.com.au/communitygrants