Changing lives while scaling up: cyclAvenir and ScaleChanger join forces to shape the future of the cyclAvenir association
At ScaleChanger, we are proud to support organisations whose mission is focused on improving the well-being of vulnerable people. Founded on the belief that cycling is a powerful vehicle for empowerment, the cyclAvenir association has been transforming the lives of hundreds of people in the Parisian region since 2020.
We met with one of the founders and director, Maryline Robalo, to understand how ScaleChanger’s support has been a decisive factor in the planning and structuring of their scaling up.
cyclAvenir: social inclusion and professional integration through cycling
cyclAvenir is an association that promotes social inclusion and professional integration for people in precarious situations and/or exile (refugees, asylum seekers, homeless people, etc.) through cycling and access to culture. To this end, the association offers two flagship programs:
- “En S’Elle.s”: this 7-month program is cyclAvenir’s flagship initiative. It is divided into three cycles:
– Safe cycling training (balance, steering, etc.),
– Advanced training covering traffic rules, equipment, and intermodality, with the aim of achieving autonomy in an urban environment,
– A cultural component with themed guided tours of Paris and its region, designed by a salaried tour guide. These tours promote practice, confidence, acculturation to public spaces, and access to culture.
- “Tou(R)s à vélo”: this program is for people who already know how to ride a bike. It offers themed and cultural guided tours to discover Paris and its region.
What sets cyclAvenir apart is its approach of “reaching out” to people who are not familiar with cycling. To do this, the association works closely with thees structures du champ social et de la solidarité telles que Emmaüs Solidarité, le Samu Social,les CCAS, et bien d’autres.
Finally, in addition to its two flagship programs, cyclAvenir conducts advocacy activities to raise awareness among social actors and public authorities about the integration of active mobility and social sports into the integration pathways of vulnerable groups.
cyclAvenir today and tomorrow
The organisation currently has four employees. The professional team (bicycle mobility educator, social worker) is supplemented by freelancers, civic service volunteers, more than 40 active volunteers, and 70 people providing skills sponsorship.
Since the association was founded:
- 500 women have benefited from the En S’Elle.s! Cycling for All program
- 200 women have purchased a bicycle after completing the En S’Elle.s! program
- 1,000 people (mixed audience, including teenagers) have participated in guided tours of Paris
Based in the Parisian region, cyclAvenir wants to make its concept more widely accessible and aims, in the long term, to expand at a larger regional scale.
ScaleChanger and cyclAvenir: two transformative support missions
In 2024, ScaleChanger and cyclAvenir collaborated for the first time when cyclAvenir won the Impact 2024 endowment fund. ScaleChanger offers winning associations collective support on scaling up. This support is supplemented by individual follow-ups to support their regional development.
“I needed theoretical input and practical application to my project and specifications. The work we have to do between training sessions with the cavas and frameworks was brilliant! It helped us challenge and structure our model.” Maryline Robalo
In addition, Maryline highlights the value of debriefing sessions with other associations. “We were at different levels of maturity, but everyone’s experience enriched the others—the group format was great for that!”
ScaleChanger worked with cyclAvenir a second time, providing individual support as part of a Local Support Mechanism. The aim of the mission was to prepare a response to a Call for Expressions of Interest that challenged the association in terms of both its mission and its positioning.
This second support mission consisted of:
- analyzing the fundamentals of the project and the positioning of cyclAvenir,
- preparing the response to the call for projects,
- working on the impact and transformations that this would have on the organization and its model.
Ultimately, the mission enabled the association to refocus and identify the next steps in its development. “Until now, we had been acting largely on intuition and opportunity, but this support enabled us to refocus on our initial mission and get back to basics, to our DNA.”
Multiple concrete results following the support missions
The tangible effects and achievements of ScaleChanger’s support were characterized by:
- Stronger structuring: thanks to the formalization of the model to be implemented to support cyclAvenir’s ambition to scale up.
- Increased skills in the area of scaling up impact: the mission enabled cyclAvenir to discover different approaches and models for scaling up.
- A clear project uniqueness: The support led cyclAvenir to better define its unique place in the ecosystem.
- A strategic refocusing: The association was able to redefine its fundamentals and align its vision and ambitions with its original mission.
- Internal harmonization: The support also helped clarify sometimes divergent visions within the team, leading to structural choices.
- A clear vision for development: The team was able to identify the next steps in its development, including human and financial resource needs, as well as the necessary transformations via a clear roadmap for the next five years.
Next steps for cyclAvenir
Thanks to the roadmap developed in collaboration with ScaleChanger, cyclAvenir is now focusing on its next priorities: modeling its development strategy for the next five years and working on the association’s business model (which is based on the sale of services, public/private subsidies, and donations).
“I now have a clearer vision of what I need to do as a leader. I feel ready to take the next step, which is to model and implement our development strategy and I hope ScaleChanger will continue to support me in this new chapter!”
What made the difference in the ScaleChanger approach
ScaleChanger’s expertise, combined with its in-depth knowledge of the challenges facing organizations, was particularly appreciated by Maryline, who explains, “At ScaleChanger, there is expertise (which is very important to me), a certain technicality, and at the same time a realism based on practical experience. I felt that the members of ScaleChanger were very close to the reality of associations—they don’t just live in theory! And it is precisely this realism, this grounding in the field, and their active listening that led to concrete results.”
And that’s not to mention the accessibility and availability of Claire Operto, a member of ScaleChanger who supported cyclAvenir.
“The collaboration with cyclAvenir has demonstrated that it is possible, even with short-term support programs, to bring out structural elements for an organization. At ScaleChanger, we offer various support packages for scaling up, as well as more specific assignments. This was the case here, with an unexpected call for tenders that raised questions and impacted cyclAvenir’s strategic plan. In short, regardless of the need and duration of the assignment, it is possible to make significant progress and achieve concrete results.”
A final word to leaders of impact organisations
“It’s essential to get support! Scaling up involves so many different issues. We don’t have all the necessary skills, we have small teams, and we don’t have enough time. It’s important not to go it alone.”
Maryline concludes by emphasizing the importance of cooperation and resource sharing between associations in the current context. This is a message we wholeheartedly agree with at ScaleChanger!
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Date: 07/10/2025
