- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Onboarding and Volunteer Training
by Todd Spinner 15 Jun '22

15 Jun '22

Greetings Thinktank folks. Does anyone have any resources that you use to onboard and or train new volunteers? We would be appreciative of any materials that you may want to share with us. Thanks, Todd Spinner The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign Illinois

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Boards, Thethinktank Digest, Vol 188, Issue 1
by Robert Rands 03 Jun '22

03 Jun '22

Boards need to exist to felicitate the organization, not to be vehicles for a bullet point on someone's resume. The legal fiction is so that coöperatives can run unmanaged by others, particularly the government, outside of providing a framework of rights and legitimate responsibilities. As such, boards should be both organically formed from within and by the organization, while seeking out to strengthen the organization in its structure and goals by adding any necessary elements. Maintaining both a sense of empowerment and agency, for each individual within the organization as well as for the organization is a key factor. Being self-strong, while reaching out to increase strength within the community and of the community is integral. The organization should be self-formed, with guidance by the board and the participating community, within a framework of rights and responsibilities, with structural mechanisms and principles, such as Roberts Rules of Order and coöperative principles. ~Robert Allan Rands Board member, SoPo Bikes (SoPo Bicycle Coöperative), Reynoldstown Atlanta, Georgia On Thursday, June 2, 2022, 09:03:40 PM GMT+1, <thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: Send Thethinktank mailing list submissions to thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org You can reach the person managing the list at thethinktank-owner(a)lists.bikecollectives.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Thethinktank digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Governance Transitions? (cyclista(a)inventati.org) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Thu, 02 Jun 2022 00:39:17 +0000 From: cyclista(a)inventati.org To: thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Governance Transitions? Message-ID: <c181ccaf5487d5b8b13ef049265569d3(a)inventati.org> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed We had to consider this extensively; never got to exactly where you are but one important thing stood out in the consideration over time: nobody should be on a board unless they have strong standing in running the day-to-day of the shop, or, at the least, the board should have a required majority of members having that qualification. Don't go down the path of a board with an agenda that doesn't fit with what the organization needs in order to thrive on a daily basis - and more broadly, accomplish its mission. It's one thing to have stakeholders on the board *in addition* to former staff or experts; it's completely another to seat people who simply want to have some measure of leverage or influence for their own reasons. The purpose of a board, from the federal government's perspective, is so that the government may retain a reliable point of contact through any potiential changes or adversity. It's s huge deal to the feds to remove the requirement to pay taxes, and they don't want to grant that status without assurance that the entity will remain responsive and responsible from a federal standpoint. What this means is that there is no requirement for the board to do any particular thing other than exist and be prepared to liase with the feds should they require it. The board can be a board of directors, who exert vision and authority, or it can simply be a board of advisors, assisting those who already run the organization. Really it can be a board of [anything]. It just has to fulfill the few barebones duties demanded by nonprofit specifications. So be careful how you choose them and appoint them. Do set out very carefully right away who gets to choose them; one of the worst configurations, because nepotism and incest, is the current board voting on the new board members. Any good idea might be protected in this way long-term (which is why a lot of organizations cling to this method), but it can also mean bad ideas have the ability infect a board for generations, even outliving the tenure of the members who originally set them in motion. Probably better to identify stakeholder groups (whom are served or targeted by the organization) and operational groups (staff, volunteers, other support personnel), and extend the right (or requirement) to vote to them. As for accountability, elections play a part in that - not only the initial elections themselves, but the frequency of them. More frequent elections, for instance, might mean more opportunities to cut off bad work or behavior. ~cyclista Nicholas On 2022-05-27 08:23, Thomas Butler wrote: > Austin's Yellow Bike Project is going through a governance transition. > We > used to be a fairly horizontally organized consensus-run collective of > volunteers who did the day-to-day of what happens at the shop, and our > size > wasn't limited. We are becoming an exclusive board of probably 6-9 > people. > Some of us are still running shops, but about half are not. > > We're currently trying to work out (among many other things) how board > members are (s)elected and to whom the board is accountable. Or more > concretely, how the board is held accountable. We don't have "members," > so > the questions of "who gets to vote" is among the ones we're trying to > answer. > > If you have thoughts or if your org went through something like this > I'm > interested to hear about it. In particular what best practices and > pitfalls > you encountered. > > The board also has appetite for working through this with a > professional. > Some of us are less psyched about people who don't have experience with > groups that have our consensus- / volunteer-run d.i.y. culture, > horizontal > organizing history, etc. Many of them have experience only with the > more > traditional non-profit board model and struggle to wrap their heads > around > how we used to operate and why. Suggestions are welcome. > > Feel free to email me privately if you like at > thomas.unavailable(a)gmail.com > Or you can reply here. > > Thanks > Thomas Butler > he | him | his > Austin's Yellow Bike Project > austinyellowbike.org > > ____________________________________ > > The ThinkTank mailing List > > Unsubscribe from this list here: > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o… ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… ------------------------------ End of Thethinktank Digest, Vol 188, Issue 1 ********************************************

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Governance Transitions?
by Thomas Butler 02 Jun '22

02 Jun '22

Austin's Yellow Bike Project is going through a governance transition. We used to be a fairly horizontally organized consensus-run collective of volunteers who did the day-to-day of what happens at the shop, and our size wasn't limited. We are becoming an exclusive board of probably 6-9 people. Some of us are still running shops, but about half are not. We're currently trying to work out (among many other things) how board members are (s)elected and to whom the board is accountable. Or more concretely, how the board is held accountable. We don't have "members," so the questions of "who gets to vote" is among the ones we're trying to answer. If you have thoughts or if your org went through something like this I'm interested to hear about it. In particular what best practices and pitfalls you encountered. The board also has appetite for working through this with a professional. Some of us are less psyched about people who don't have experience with groups that have our consensus- / volunteer-run d.i.y. culture, horizontal organizing history, etc. Many of them have experience only with the more traditional non-profit board model and struggle to wrap their heads around how we used to operate and why. Suggestions are welcome. Feel free to email me privately if you like at thomas.unavailable(a)gmail.com Or you can reply here. Thanks Thomas Butler he | him | his Austin's Yellow Bike Project austinyellowbike.org

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Bike!Bike! CDMX?
by Darin Wick 26 May '22

26 May '22

¡Hola! Creo que un grupo en CDMX planeaba organizar Bike!Bike! este año. Yo y otras personas hablabamos con ellxs despues de Bike!Bike! Dondequiera! para asegurar que ellxs podian editar bikebike.org y ofrecer apoyo, pero no hemos oido nada desde hace algunos meses. Si conocen a alguien de este grupo, ¿puede pasarles este mensaje? Estamos empezando a planear Bike!Bike! Dondequiera! otra vez, pero no queremos pisarnos los talones. Hello! I believe a group in CDMX were planning to host Bike!Bike! this year. I and other people spoke with them after Bike!Bike! Everywhere!, to ensure that they could edit bikebike.org and to offer supprt, but we have not heard anything from them for a few months. If you know anyone from that group, can you pass this message to them? We are beginning to plan Bike!Bike! Everywhere! again, but don't want to step on their toes. ¡Gracias/Thanks! Darin Wick

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Bike!Bike!Everywhere! meeting
by Carla Teixeira 22 May '22

22 May '22

Hello community bike and bike enthusiastic folks! A group of us is looking to get Bike!Bike!Everywhere! (it's like Bike!Bike! but virtual) going again since it was a success last year and a good opportunity for us to connect again. This email is to see if people are interested in getting involved organizing the conference. We have started by going over what was required for last year's B!B!E! and if you'd like to find out what we've been talking about, click here <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bikec…> to take a look at our minutes. If you're wondering what facilitating this will involve, click here <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bikec…> to take a look at volunteer roles. We're really looking forward to having this year's B!B!E! be a success and want you to have a chance to be part of it. If you think you've got the time and flexibility required to help us in organizing please reach out with your interest at bikebikeeverywhere(a)gmail.com <mailto:bikebikeeverywhere@gmail.com>. We're having a meeting next week and would love to meet and chat with you. Thanks! B!B!E! Organizing Commitee --------------------- Hola comunidad, Junto a un grupo del colectivo estamos organizándonos para realizar nuevamente Bike!Bike!Everywhere! (Es la versión virtual de Bike!Bike!) debido al éxito de su primera versión el año pasado y por ser además una excelente ocasión para volver a conectarnos. Con este email buscamos convocar gente que esté interesada en involucrarse en la organización de la conferencia. Ya nos reunimos para revisar que fue necesario para poner en marcha el anterior B!B!E! y que necesitamos para esta versión 2022. Si quieres saber más de estas reuniones, pincha este enlace <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bikec…> para revisar las minutas. Si quieres saber de qué forma puedes involucrarte, revisa esta descripción de roles <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bikec…>. Queremos que este B!B!E! sea un éxito para la comunidad y que tú seas parte de esto. Si tienes el tiempo y la flexibilidad para ayudarnos, haznoslo saber escribiéndonos a bikebikeeverywhere(a)gmail.com <mailto:bikebikeeverywhere@gmail.com>.. Tendremos una nueva reunión la próxima semana y nos encantaría que te unieras para conocerte y contarte más. Gracias! Comité organizador B!B!E!

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 187, Issue 2
by MARK 08 May '22

08 May '22

Profits for what? Many have Paid staff, so I guess that's where the Profits could go. Our's, Bike New Britain does not. We use the money we make topay our rent, utilities, and buy new parts for repairs, recycling bikes for sale or donations, and sell parts and accessories to the general public, which are usually people of limited means.That said, I continually ask myself whether a totally volunteer org. can survive in the long run.MarkBikeNB.org On Thursday, May 5, 2022, 04:03:33 PM EDT, <thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote: Send Thethinktank mailing list submissions to thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org You can reach the person managing the list at thethinktank-owner(a)lists.bikecollectives.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Thethinktank digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Shops operating as for profit Co-ops? (Carlyn Arteaga) 2. Re: Shops operating as for profit Co-ops? (Jean-Fran?ois Caron) 3. Re: Shops operating as for profit Co-ops? (Jim Sheehan) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Wed, 4 May 2022 20:03:21 -0700 From: Carlyn Arteaga <carlyn.arteaga(a)bicas.org> To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> Subject: [TheThinkTank] Shops operating as for profit Co-ops? Message-ID: <CAD7oRbMnqrv+gzJe_phm+SnWEBXVcYUa3J0xm1mn2DQPdG2OYg(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" *Spanish below // espa?ol abajo* Hi all, I am involved with a local mobility justice group here in Tucson called FUGA <https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/bicycle/documents/TTT_Safe_Streets_FUGA_FD.p…> (Familias Unidas Ganando Accesibilidad), which is interested in supporting a bicycle co-op on Tucson's southside, which is our historically under-resourced area. BICAS, where I work, is a nonprofit, so I haven't had a lot of experience on the for profit side. Would any shops out there in ThinkTanklandia which operate as for profit co-ops be open to chatting with the FUGistas about your experiences, operations, challenges, etc? Perhaps even be willing to be part of a group call during which we could do some q & a with you and other co-op folks? If so, please let me know. Thanks for considering. Ride on, ~Carlyn // Buenos d?as a todxs, Estoy involucrado con un grupo local que se trata de las movilidades justas aqu? en Tucson llamado FUGA (Familias Unidas Ganando Accesibilidad), que est? interesado en apoyar una cooperativa de bicicletas en el Southside Tucson, que es nuestra ?rea hist?ricamente con recursos insuficientes. BICAS, donde trabajo ahora, es una organizaci?n sin fines de lucro, por lo que no he tenido mucha experiencia en el lado con fines lucrativos. ?Alguna tienda en ThinkTanklandia que opere como cooperativa con fines de lucro estar?a dispuesta a conversar con las FUGistas sobre sus experiencias, operaciones, desaf?os, etc.? ?Quiz?s incluso estar dispuesto a ser parte de una llamada grupal durante la cual podr?amos hacer algunas preguntas y respuestas con usted y otras cooperativas? Si es as?, por favor h?gamelo saber. Gracias por considerar. Que sigan rodando, ~Carlyn -- *Carlyn Arteaga* *pronouns: they/them/theirs* Youth Program Coordinator *BICAS* 2001 N. 7th Ave. | Tucson, AZ 85701 | Shop: 520-628-7950 carlyn.arteaga(a)bicas.org | www.bicas.org | Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/bicascollective/> | Instagram <http://www.instagram.com/bicastucson/> *Through advocacy and bicycle salvage, our mission is to participate in affordable bicycle transportation, education, and creative recycling with our greater Tucson community.* <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai…> Virus-free. www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

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Shops operating as for profit Co-ops?
by Carlyn Arteaga 05 May '22

05 May '22

*Spanish below // español abajo* Hi all, I am involved with a local mobility justice group here in Tucson called FUGA <https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/bicycle/documents/TTT_Safe_Streets_FUGA_FD.p…> (Familias Unidas Ganando Accesibilidad), which is interested in supporting a bicycle co-op on Tucson's southside, which is our historically under-resourced area. BICAS, where I work, is a nonprofit, so I haven't had a lot of experience on the for profit side. Would any shops out there in ThinkTanklandia which operate as for profit co-ops be open to chatting with the FUGistas about your experiences, operations, challenges, etc? Perhaps even be willing to be part of a group call during which we could do some q & a with you and other co-op folks? If so, please let me know. Thanks for considering. Ride on, ~Carlyn // Buenos días a todxs, Estoy involucrado con un grupo local que se trata de las movilidades justas aquí en Tucson llamado FUGA (Familias Unidas Ganando Accesibilidad), que está interesado en apoyar una cooperativa de bicicletas en el Southside Tucson, que es nuestra área históricamente con recursos insuficientes. BICAS, donde trabajo ahora, es una organización sin fines de lucro, por lo que no he tenido mucha experiencia en el lado con fines lucrativos. ¿Alguna tienda en ThinkTanklandia que opere como cooperativa con fines de lucro estaría dispuesta a conversar con las FUGistas sobre sus experiencias, operaciones, desafíos, etc.? ¿Quizás incluso estar dispuesto a ser parte de una llamada grupal durante la cual podríamos hacer algunas preguntas y respuestas con usted y otras cooperativas? Si es así, por favor hágamelo saber. Gracias por considerar. Que sigan rodando, ~Carlyn -- *Carlyn Arteaga* *pronouns: they/them/theirs* Youth Program Coordinator *BICAS* 2001 N. 7th Ave. | Tucson, AZ 85701 | Shop: 520-628-7950 carlyn.arteaga(a)bicas.org | www.bicas.org | Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/bicascollective/> | Instagram <http://www.instagram.com/bicastucson/> *Through advocacy and bicycle salvage, our mission is to participate in affordable bicycle transportation, education, and creative recycling with our greater Tucson community.* <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai…> Virus-free. www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

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Broke Spoke is Looking to Hire a Full-time Shop Director
by Edward Kirkwood 02 May '22

02 May '22

Broke Spoke is a community bike shop in Lexington, KY. We are looking to make our first full-time hire. Attached is the job description. All applicants should email their cover letter and resume to board(a)thebrokespoke.org. Allen Kirkwood

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Bikeshare Director - Ithaca, NY
by Claire Dehm 20 Apr '22

20 Apr '22

Hi everyone, Passing along this opportunity. The Center for Community Transportation in Ithaca, NY is hiring a full time Bikeshare director. Information below: *Full-Time Staff Opening: Bikeshare Director * Are you interested in leading the launch of a community-run bikeshare in Ithaca? This is an opportunity to join the Center for Community Transportation and provide a key service for local bicycling accessibility. This is an opportunity for a confident person with a professional outlook to join a local mission-focused organization in a leadership role. The CCT envisions a community where travel by shared and active transportation is healthy, safe, affordable, and convenient for all, through our mission of enhancing transportation access in our community while reducing its negative environmental and economic impacts. Starting salary range is $45,000-$52,000 plus benefits. Applicants with experience working in diverse communities are strongly encouraged to apply. Full details at www.the-cct.org. (Direct link for the job posting here <https://www.ithacacarshare.org/wp-content/uploads/CCT_Bikeshare-Director.pdf> )

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 186, Issue 5
by Lawrence Mohammed 14 Apr '22

14 Apr '22

I'll be winding up our social enterprise in London, UK soon and will finally get time to scan/upload all the gift economy resources ;) We never work solo with kids but I started the business myself and always used to work alone (and many late nights still did/do) What I had in place though was solid Risk Assessments and Method Statements for everything we did (as well as the premises and all the protocols for accident reporting, fire, general H&S etc). Happy to share anything that could be useful. What do you specifically need? In service, *Lawrence Mohammed* CEO and Founder Pro Bike Service C.I.C. *+44 (0)77 222 58587* *probikeservice.co.uk <https://probikeservice.co.uk>* /::Olympic Park Site:: Pro Bike Service C.I.C. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Canalside, Hackney Bridge London E15 2SJ *map location <https://what3words.com/cuts.porch.logic>* / On 14/04/2022 21:03, thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org wrote: > Send Thethinktank mailing list submissions to > thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > thethinktank-request(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > thethinktank-owner(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Thethinktank digest..." > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Anyone have a Lone Working Policy? Looking for a template > to build ours from! (cyclista(a)inventati.org) > > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.…

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