[TheThinkTank] bike thieves in the shop?

[rachael spiewak]

To create accountability to the shop and the shop community on the part of
our youngest members:
We have a youth mentor on staff who is paid to be there for the kids on
Saturdays, Sundays, and Tuesdays for the summer.  The kids have their own
workbench and their own tool box.  The biggest problem with their toolbox is
keeping adults from using it.  The kids may collectively work on one project
at a time, supervised by the youth mentor.  If they want a new bike, they
must trade in a completely working bike.  If they want to come to the shop
during other sessions, they must bring their own supervision.  We also do
races around the parking lot and award them prizes.  It's really cute.
We've also recently sent the kids home with permission slips and a youth
agreement form that they must sign (Thanks Phoenix Bikes!!).  And we're
about to start making them name tags.

We also supervise two teens who are refugees per summer.  They come to us
through the International Rescue Committee, which seems to have a highly
structured intern program.  These kids are always amazing.  Part of the
lesson here is, if you're going to get interns, partner with an agency that
has a really thorough program so someone outside of your shop is holding
them accountable and giving them the necessary tools (for example, they do
job readiness workshops with the kids where they teach them how to make
professional phone calls and how to choose clothing that is appropriate for
the kind of job they have).

Meanwhile, back at the shop...Kids and adults who have difficulty abiding by
basic ground rules are all given fair warning before they're asked to leave
(unless one does something WAY out of line, but we've been working hard to
stop things before that happens).  We've asked more adults than children to
leave.

As for the kids who are looking for a place to hang around and test
boundaries, rather than repair bikes, they have come and gone.  Their needs
are too great for us.  The best we can do is offer support for bike repair
and a compassionate community for willing participants on a few days out of
the week.

As for thieving adults, what bothers me the most are the folks who take
things and then flip them on Craig's List.  Not cool.

Finally, greeting people as they arrive, asking them to sign in, and
providing a monthly volunteer orientation helps us keep things positive in
the shop.

-rachael
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