[TheThinkTank] getting and holding onto volunteers?

[Jessica McPherson]

Hi Sharlyn,

Jessica from the Bike Bike workshop organizing
committee here... (a fancy name for the two of us
doing this!)  

I'm trying to firm up our workshop schedule, so I'm
wondering if you are definitely coming, and definitely
still into doing this workshop (which sounds awesome,
I personally will be in attendance).  

If so- can you write a short description up for the
program?  And, let me know if you have any time
constraints (leaving early, arriving late, really hate
mornings, whatever).  Right now the workshop slots are
1 hr 30 mins long, two in the morning and two in the
afternoon on Saturday and on Sunday, roughly 9 am - 5
pm.  We can also do a 45 minute slot if you'd like,
although I think this topic would be one people could
easily engage for an hour and a half.  

thanks!
-Jessica


--- Sharlyn Grace <sharlyngrace at gmail.com> wrote:

> I can coordinate this and get it to be mostly
> sharing, brainstorming and
> writing up lists of ideas, discussing what does and
> does not work.  I'll
> post it on the bike!bike! website.  Meanwhile, let's
> start a list somewhere
> on the bikecollectives website where we can gather
> ideas for keeping
> volunteers.  Simple personpower is always one of our
> biggest problems at The
> Recyclery as well.
> 
> We've mostly done hands-on teaching to try and get
> people feeling
> comfortable with the tools, but we combine it with
> food and fun times
> (bike-in movies are on the way) and a new "secret"
> time to use the shop for
> regular volunteers so they feel like they get a
> kick-back for their hard
> work. (This also functions as a casual party-ish
> time in the shop when we
> can all hang out and work on our own bikes.)
> 
> On another note: can I ask people for more
> suggestions on where to get
> bikes?  Right now we have a shortage.  Our usual
> avenues are police
> confiscations, individual donors, apartment
> buildings storage rooms getting
> cleaned out.  Sometimes we get them from alleyways
> or scrappers.  Do others
> have ideas for regular avenues of bike donations?
> 
> Thanks all!  Looking forward to seeing you
> again/meeting you at Bikebike!,
> Sharlyn
> 
> On 5/15/07, Jessica McPherson
> <jessica_mcp at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > sounds like a good idea for a workshop at
> bike!bike!
> > I bet it would be a great discussion if different
> > groups all offered their suggestions & experience.
> > Anyone want to coordinate?
> >
> > -Jessica
> > (Free Ride)
> >
> > --- Macho Philipovich <macho at resist.ca> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > we've been having a similar experience at the
> bike
> > > dump.  a few folks
> > > stuck around from our volunteer workshop series
> this
> > > spring, but not as
> > > many as i'd hoped.  volunteer pot lucks and
> special
> > > events have worked
> > > all right at getting new folks feeling
> comfortable
> > > in the space, in
> > > getting older volunteers to come back who
> haven't
> > > been around for a
> > > while, and generally helping volunteers to feel
> > > appreciated and like the
> > > shop is a fun space.  but all in all, i think we
> > > also need more and
> > > better strategies.  i'd be really interested in
> > > hearing in things others
> > > have tried, or even ideas about what else might
> > > work.
> > >
> > > macho
> > > http://bike-dump.ca
> > >
> > > rachael spiewak wrote:
> > > > hiya, folks.
> > > >
> > > > something sopo's always struggled with is
> finding
> > > volunteers and
> > > > convincing them to stay.  many people who
> visit
> > > our shop would rather
> > > > have a hands on demonstration than look up how
> to
> > > do repairs in our
> > > > manuals.  we tried having a few bike
> maintenance
> > > 101 classes to get
> > > > people feeling like they have the capacity to
> help
> > > others with basic
> > > > repairs, but that didn't stick.  does anyone
> have
> > > ideas or experience
> > > > in this department?  or is it sufficient for
> us to
> > > tell people that
> > > > reading about repairs in our manuals is part
> of
> > > their process at our
> > > > shop?  i tend to doubt the success rate of the
> > > last one.  i'm thinking
> > > > food incentives might be a good idea.
> > > >
> > > > love/peace/bicyclegrease,
> > > > rachael
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > >
> > > >
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