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Hiring for Program Manager at Blackstone Bicycle Works in Chicago
by Matthew Searle 19 Jan '18

19 Jan '18

Hello ThinkTank Community! We are relaunching our search for candidates for the Program Manager position at Blackstone Bicycle Works here in Chicago after taking a break around the holidays. Attached is an updated job description that includes an increased salary range. Ideal candidates have significant managerial, business, and youth development experience. Involvement in the cycling community or industry is preferred. This is a full-time salaried position with benefits. Please share with your networks! With great appreciation, Matthew *P.S. Here <http://experimentalstation.org/blackstone> is more information about BBW and here <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOmkGiEzbe4&t=2s> is a link to our "Stay In Your Lane" bike safety music video to share if you wish!* *=========* [image: Experimental Station logo_trans.png] Blackstone Bicycle Works Program Manager - Position Description (Revised 1/17/18) Program Mission Blackstone Bicycle Works is a youth education program of the Experimental Station, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Blackstone Bicycle Works is a full-service non-profit bike shop dedicated to promoting ecological practices and empowering youths from Chicago's South Side, teaching mechanical skills, job skills, and business literacy to youths ages 8-18. BBW Program Manager Position Objective A successful Program Manager will effectively manage the youth program and business operations of the bicycle shop and will be responsible for leading short- and long-term program goals. In addition to carrying out managerial responsibilities, the Program Manager will guide and motivate staff and youth to meet program goals, provide mentoring to youth participants and assist staff, as needed. BBW Staffing Support The Program Manager is directed and supported by Experimental Station's Executive Director and Assistant Director. The Program Manager is also supported by a full-time Youth Services Coordinator/Head Instructor, a full-time Customer Services Coordinator/Head Mechanic, 3-6 part-time staff, and program volunteers. In addition, Blackstone Bicycle Works is supported by Experimental Station administrative and communications staff. The ideal candidate has significant management, business, and youth development experience. Involvement in the bicycling community or industry is also preferred. Applicants are encouraged to visit the bike shop in the coming weeks. The Blackstone Bicycle Works Program Manager’s duties include: - Program Staffing: develop individual staff and cultivate a strong staff team, oversee and approve staff schedules, manage and develop program volunteers. - Business Operations: monitor the program budget, ensure quality control, set and achieve sales and services goals, track and oversee inventory, ensure program funds and resources are properly used. - Youth Participation: Oversee recruitment, intake, retention, and parental communication; ensure youth engagement with the program and business operations. - Curriculum: Facilitate development and implementation of a bicycle-based curriculum with Youth Services and Customer Services Coordinators. - Data Management: Oversee and manage program data and documentation such as participation rosters, youth work logs, skill sheets, and apron awards. - Project Management: Provide oversight and administrative support for internships and externships, college advising, career exploration, the cyclocross team, and other initiatives. - Growth Strategy: Support broader program growth by developing partnerships and fundraising in collaboration with the Executive Director and Assistant Director. - Facilities Management: Manage use of program spaces, equipment, and supplies. - Program Safety: Maintain a safe and positive learning environment for youth participants, staff, and other members of the Experimental Station community. - Program Representative: Be a strong and professional representative of Blackstone Bicycle Works and Experimental Station and a positive role model for Blackstone youth participants. Criteria and qualifications of preferred candidates: - Skills and Abilities: - Community Engagement: Able to communicate and relate with a diversity of youth, adults, staff, and other groups. Has demonstrated a passion for serving under-resourced communities. - Work Styles: Able to work independently and as part of a team; take initiative and solve problems; remain calm under pressure. Has outstanding customer service, listening, and de-escalation skills. - Administrative Strength: Able to organize and execute plans; effectively use email, google apps, and social media. Has strong verbal and written communication skills. Point of Sale system experience preferred. - Must be physically and mentally able to perform essential functions, such as to effectively engage in activities with youth, as well as manage and maintain the program’s supplies, equipment, and facilities. This is a full-time position with a salary of $43-46k commensurate with experience. Health benefits and paid time-off are also included. Final candidates are subject to a background check. Email your cover letter, resume, and two references to jobs(a)experimentalstation.org with your name and “BBW Program Manager Position” in the subject. This position will remain open until filled. It is the policy of Experimental Station to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. ______________ Matthew T. Searle Assistant Director Experimental Station 6100 S. Blackstone Ave. Chicago, IL 60637 USA matthew(a)experimentalstation.org office: 773.241.6044; alt: 773.270.2502 experimentalstation.org <http://www.experimentalstation.org>

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Fwd: Delivery Status Notification (Failure)
by Tigre Bici 19 Jan '18

19 Jan '18

Subject: Women and girls exclusive oriented programs Hello! We have been trying to pin down some ideas on women and girls only programs and we will like to see any of the ones you are working on your communities. Also do you use any kind of metric to see the impact of these programs? We will appreciate a lot any info. Saludos R.

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Tool Board Fashion Show: Strut Your (Tool Board's) Stuff!
by Sam Haraldson 18 Jan '18

18 Jan '18

> > Hey! We're going to redesign our tool boards soon, and want to look at >> yours for inspiration. Show 'em off! The winner of the most fly tool board >> gets a group serenade at B!B! >> >> Bozeman Bike Kitchen - Bozeman, MT We have a half dozen or so of these tables, each with color-coordinated tools, stand, pump, garbage/recycling, et al which makes it easy to see when something's missing or when someone doesn't know where something goes. We copied the idea nearly verbatim from the good people down at the SLC Bike Collective. SLC Bicycle Collective - Salt Lake City, UT - Sam -- http://bozemanbikekitchen.org

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Tool Board Fashion Show: Strut Your (Tool Board's) Stuff!
by Josh Bisker 17 Jan '18

17 Jan '18

Hey! We're going to redesign our tool boards soon, and want to look at yours for inspiration. Show 'em off! The winner of the most fly tool board gets a group serenade at B!B! (Specifically, we're going to pare down the number of tools on each board to the basics+, but show us everything ya got!) Josh Bisker 914-500-9890 New York Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op <http://bikecoop.nyc/> 596 Acres <http://596acres.org/> Bindlestiff Family Cirkus <http://bindlestiff.org/>

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Tool Board Fashion Show
by Bob Giordano 16 Jan '18

16 Jan '18

Free Cycles Missoula approach, for now: -the 12 open and free public stands each have the following: 7,8,9,10,13,14,15mm wrenches; screw drivers and plyers (we used to have 7-17mm, yet 11,12,16 not used much) -we have a central board with many more tools that are shared, like BB, Headset, cone wrenches, etc. (we keep an eye out for improper use and an ear out for the hammer). we only have 13, 15, 17 cone wrenches here. (plus 17mm box wrenches) -we have a more secluded board with specialty tools, and folks need to ask us -we have lube, grease, cleaner, rags, allen wrenches all in the middle of the shop. we half jokingly refer to this spot as the watering hole. everyone needs to come to this spot and bump into one another and say hello. -one bigger board/public station has 7-17mm, plus english wrenches. this board is more for kid bikes and cruisers, which tend to need more wrenches. (a few other boards have 1/2" wrench with a note for use.) -- Bob Giordano Free Cycles Missoula 10AM-6PM Tues-Sat, www.freecycles.org Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation www.strans.org, mist(a)strans.org, 406.830.7676 --- Josh Bisker wrote: Hey! We're going to redesign our tool boards soon, and want to look at yours for inspiration. Show 'em off! The winner of the most fly tool board gets a group serenade at B!B! (Specifically, we're going to pare down the number of tools on each board to the basics+, but show us everything ya got!) Josh Bisker 914-500-9890 New York Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op <http://bikecoop.nyc/> 596 Acres <http://596acres.org/> Bindlestiff Family Cirkus <http://bindlestiff.org/>

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Thethinktank Digest, Vol 136, Issue 11
by Tegan Moss [B!KE] 16 Jan '18

16 Jan '18

We built new benches when we moved two years ago. We shadow board all tools and colour code them to the bench. Makes putting things away easy for people new to the shop. All five benches have the same tools and layout. Holes in the side of the bench for penetrant, degreaser, etc. Screw drivers are also in the bench which people have a hard time finding. Pretty pretty with how these work for us! On Jan 15, 2018 4:06 PM, <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.org 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: job posting (Jane Halliday) 2. Tool Board Fashion Show: Strut Your (Tool Board's) Stuff! (Josh Bisker) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jane Halliday <jghalliday(a)aol.com> To: cyclista(a)inventati.org, thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org Cc: Bcc: Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2018 14:16:27 -0500 Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] job posting Thanks Nicholas! Sent from AOL Mobile Mail ------------------------------ On Saturday, January 13, 2018 cyclista <cyclista(a)inventati.org> wrote: Jane, You did it as it usually is done. You post the job description and the means of submission. Essentially you're inviting anyone on the list to apply, or anticipating that they will put the word out to qualified people they know who might not be on the list. -cyclista Nicholas On 2018-01-09 19:36, Jane Halliday wrote: > Hi ThinkTank, > > > I'm with Falls City Community BikeWorks in Louisville KY. We have > opened a search for an Executive Director and I'd like to get the word > out to the wiki bike community. Not exactly sure how to go about this > - do you all distribute the info or am I supposed to do something > particular to make that happe? I'm pasting the job description below. > Please let me know if I need to do anything and THANK YOU.. > > > Jane Halliday > > > > > > > > > > > > Executive Director > Falls City Community BikeWorks Seeks Innovative Executive Director > Part-time position available for exceptional candidate to help lead > Louisville’s non-profit bike co-operative with a vision for the future > and collaboration with dedicated and tenured volunteers. > Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director (ED) will > have overall strategic and operational responsibility for Falls City > Community BikeWorks programs, fundraising activities, expansion and > execution of its mission. The ideal candidate will initially develop > deep knowledge of core programs and operations before creating a > strategic plan to carry us into the future. > > Roles & Responsibilities > Leadership & Management: > > Ensure ongoing program excellence, program evaluation, and consistent > quality of finance and administration, fundraising, communications, > and systems > > Recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve the strategic > goals approved by the board. > > Develop, maintain, and support a strong Board of Directors; seek and > build board involvement with strategic direction > > Recruit, develop, and retain FCCB volunteers. > > Ensure effective systems to track progress, and regularly evaluate > program components, to measure successes that can be effectively > communicated to the board, funders, and other constituents. > > Fundraising & Communications: > > Expand local revenue-generating and fundraising activities to support > existing program operations. > > Improve all aspects of communications—from web and social media > presence to external relations -- with the goal of creating a stronger > brand. > > Use external presence and relationships within Louisville to gain new > opportunities. > > Planning & New Business: > > Design an aggressive comprehensive fundraising plan, including annual > campaign. > > Develop strategic plan with Board of Directors input, executable over > the next 2 years. > > Build and expand partnerships with corporations, political and > community leaders. Deepen relationships with funders to create > sustainable funding resources. > > > > Qualifications > The ED will be thoroughly committed to FCCB mission. All candidates > should have leadership and relationship management experience. > Specific requirements include: > > Bachelor degree, ideally in leadership, management or communications > or at least 2 years of fundraising experience; ability to point to > specific examples of having developed and operationalized strategies > > Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven program > evaluation > > Proficiency in organizational management with the ability to coach and > manage staff and volunteers, set and achieve strategic objectives, and > manage a budget > > Experience working with volunteers and/or a Board of Directors with > the ability to cultivate existing board member relationships > > Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with > the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures > > Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and > passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and > multidisciplinary project skills > > Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach > to business planning > > Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of > people > > Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and > self-directed > > Dedicate 20-25 hours per week to the mission > > Other duties as needed > > > > Salary range: $20,000 > Applicants: Please submit a letter of application, a resume, and > three professional references in PDF format to fccbikeworks(a)gmail.com. > > > > ____________________________________ > > The ThinkTank mailing List > > Unsubscribe from this list here: > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank- bikecollectives.org ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Josh Bisker <jbisker(a)gmail.com> To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org> Cc: Bcc: Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2018 15:44:05 -0500 Subject: [TheThinkTank] Tool Board Fashion Show: Strut Your (Tool Board's) Stuff! Hey! We're going to redesign our tool boards soon, and want to look at yours for inspiration. Show 'em off! The winner of the most fly tool board gets a group serenade at B!B! (Specifically, we're going to pare down the number of tools on each board to the basics+, but show us everything ya got!) Josh Bisker 914-500-9890 <(914)%20500-9890> New York Mechanical Gardens Bike Co-op <http://bikecoop.nyc/> 596 Acres <http://596acres.org/> Bindlestiff Family Cirkus <http://bindlestiff.org/> _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- bikecollectives.org

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job posting
by Jane Halliday 15 Jan '18

15 Jan '18

Hi ThinkTank, I'm with Falls City Community BikeWorks in Louisville KY. We have opened a search for an Executive Director and I'd like to get the word out to the wiki bike community. Not exactly sure how to go about this - do you all distribute the info or am I supposed to do something particular to make that happe? I'm pasting the job description below. Please let me know if I need to do anything and THANK YOU.. Jane Halliday Executive Director Falls City Community BikeWorks Seeks Innovative Executive Director Part-time position available for exceptional candidate to help lead Louisville’s non-profit bike co-operative with a vision for the future and collaboration with dedicated and tenured volunteers. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director (ED) will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for Falls City Community BikeWorks programs, fundraising activities, expansion and execution of its mission. The ideal candidate will initially develop deep knowledge of core programs and operations before creating a strategic plan to carry us into the future. Roles & Responsibilities Leadership & Management: Ensure ongoing program excellence, program evaluation, and consistent quality of finance and administration, fundraising, communications, and systems Recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve the strategic goals approved by the board. Develop, maintain, and support a strong Board of Directors; seek and build board involvement with strategic direction Recruit, develop, and retain FCCB volunteers. Ensure effective systems to track progress, and regularly evaluate program components, to measure successes that can be effectively communicated to the board, funders, and other constituents. Fundraising & Communications: Expand local revenue-generating and fundraising activities to support existing program operations. Improve all aspects of communications—from web and social media presence to external relations -- with the goal of creating a stronger brand. Use external presence and relationships within Louisville to gain new opportunities. Planning & New Business: Design an aggressive comprehensive fundraising plan, including annual campaign. Develop strategic plan with Board of Directors input, executable over the next 2 years. Build and expand partnerships with corporations, political and community leaders. Deepen relationships with funders to create sustainable funding resources. Qualifications The ED will be thoroughly committed to FCCB mission. All candidates should have leadership and relationship management experience. Specific requirements include: Bachelor degree, ideally in leadership, management or communications or at least 2 years of fundraising experience; ability to point to specific examples of having developed and operationalized strategies Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation Proficiency in organizational management with the ability to coach and manage staff and volunteers, set and achieve strategic objectives, and manage a budget Experience working with volunteers and/or a Board of Directors with the ability to cultivate existing board member relationships Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed Dedicate 20-25 hours per week to the mission Other duties as needed Salary range: $20,000 Applicants: Please submit a letter of application, a resume, and three professional references in PDF format to fccbikeworks(a)gmail.com.

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electronic volunteer sign up
by Jesse Cooper 14 Jan '18

14 Jan '18

Hey folks! Our Community Bikes in Vancouver, Canada, is looking for a way for volunteers to electronically sign up. We have some limit to how many volunteers can access the space at the same time each day, we tend to spread the labour around a bit, and we currently have used a few online services that can link to our website, but doesn't link with our current staffing calendar and event calendar. For that we are simply using a google calendar. But I'm wondering if anyone has had success with some type of really easy to use interface, that generates reports for metrics 'n stuff, and that is very user simple. hmm? Jesse

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Fwd: Re: Patron Bill of Rights (consider adopting)
by cyclista＠inventati.org 13 Jan '18

13 Jan '18

> _< forgot to cc the list again -cyclista Nicholas -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Patron Bill of Rights (consider adopting) Date: 2018-01-10 15:14 From: cyclista(a)inventati.org To: Angel York <aniola(a)gmail.com> Everything else in it looks like a good idea. Just those two parts are off base. Our policy is that we have no right to control bikes brought in by participants, and that should be morally obvious. Where we do have rights is with the bikes and parts we hold, and the extreme importance of _not_dying_in_traffic_ incentivizes rules and restrictions about the condition of bikes rolling out into the street. We all probably remember some lofty gilded time in some anarchic community shop in a garage or low rent strip mall where the craziest bikes were built and of the street rogues that inhabited the place flew out the door on those mobile experiments without a care. But now I'm in a place where people's children come to my shop with the intention of riding out the door and into the street, and over a decade of experience has shown me that kids (and a lot of adults) too much of the time just don't care about functional brakes, or even understand how brakes should feel, even when the culture at the shop is pervaded by common sense, patient instruction, and good examples. Drawing hard lines about bikes we legally own and have full rights to exercise control over makes unassailable sense considering that lives are at stake. Similarly, while some shops may have donors willing to dole out tools limitlessly, more do not. I don't hold that our shops are effective without tools, or that participants own the expensive tools that others fought hard to gain. There has to be an understanding on the part of the participants that they have a responsibility not to damage the entity that shelters, educates, and empowers them. Not everyone just naturally takes care of free things. Most participants don't intuit that the specialized free remover wrench cost $30 or that the Tire seating tool is rare and costs over $50. It isn't anyone's right to abuse or mishandle the shop's tools. I think these things are all self apparent. The spirit of these two lines seems more about not being dominated by pushy condescenders, mansplainers, or the like, and about guaranteeing the promise of power and freedom. By asserting the participant is the owner. At our shop we assert that very thing emphatically. We just don't do it before the participant has a safe bike in their possession and before they know the difference between a suicide lever and a disc brake, or to put a finer point on it, between aluminum rims whose walls are about to cave in and ones that have years of life left in them. Anyway, the lines both could probably be replaced by a single one referencing something reaffirming the purpose of the end goal, that being the participants ultimate (rather than immediate) empowerment. I'm a bit too tired atm to come up with some good wording for it. But attached is our participant policy. That having a "policy" rather than "bill of rights" focuses on the authority of the shop more than the autonomy of the participants is not a detail that is lost one me, but I still think you might find our premises useful. Sorry this whole thing is so tl;dr. -Cyclista Nicholas On 2018-01-06 13:37, Angel York wrote: > I would love to hear your suggested adaptations, because I think > something > along the goals of this Patron Bill of Rights is HUGELY important and a > worthy topic of discussion for any community bike shop that purports to > teach its patrons. > > On Sat, Dec 23, 2017 at 11:24 PM, <cyclista(a)inventati.org> wrote: > >> What about the first two? I would say they need greater detail. >> >> At our shop we don't let bikes being built at the shop leave without >> passing a safety check, which might conflict with the first one. And >> without finer-grained detail on the second one, shop tools could get >> broken >> when participants use the wrong tool for a job, or use the correct >> tool but >> in the wrong way. >> >> -Cyclista Nicholas >> >> >> On 2017-12-16 18:34, Angel York wrote: >> >>> This is a fantastic sign that illustrates excellent teaching >>> practices, >>> and >>> many shops that don't have something similar would do well, in my >>> opinion, >>> to include something similar. >>> >>> As a patron of SPOKELAND, you have the right to the following >>> >>> - To pursue your own goals for your own bike >>> - To be in control of the tools used on your bike >>> - To always be asked before someone touches your bike >>> - To ask & receive assistance from shop staff >>> - To work on your bike in a SAFER SPACE [there is also a standard >>> safer >>> space agreement] >>> - To be supported in your learning >>> - To learn with staff >>> >>> ____________________________________ >>> >>> The ThinkTank mailing List >>> >>> Unsubscribe from this list here: >>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bi >>> kecollectives.org >>> >>

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Liability Waivers
by John Kovalchik 11 Jan '18

11 Jan '18

Looking for some examples of liability waivers for repairs and/or totally gifted bikes. I work with a group of folks that flip bikes and do repairs for individuals in need. Unfortunately we are only able to operate at our space for a few hours at a time and usually cannot store or take bikes over night. Due to the severe disrepair of some of the bikes we come across and our limited time with them often we are not able to get them in the complete repair that we would hope. Any co ops or collectives out there use these? What should or should not be included? Thanks

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