Something that MoBo Bicycle Co-op in Cincinnati did to address "swarms of kids" was to open up a dedicated "Kids' Night." This occurred once weekly throughout the summer, allowed kids to earn a free bike by working one on one with an adult mechanic. While waiting for their turn with a stand, kids were fed courtesy of local grocery store donations and were kept busy with a wide variety of educational activities. During the rest of the year, kids (ages 6-15) were allowed in the shop ONLY with an adult. We allowed kids, and everyone else, to pump up their tires outside of the work area if they were not signed in for a stand.
Creating dedicated space for youth is a great opportunity to build connections within the community you are located in, to teach bicycle safety and mechanics, and to prove that you are doing something other than "giving away free stuff."
On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 10:07 AM, Maryalice Walker maryalice.walker@gmail.com wrote:
Our pricing policy for the Nasson Community Bicycle Center:
Used parts: $1 Refurbished bikes: $5 + $1 per used part, total not to exceed $15 If someone cannot pay for a bicycle, they must repair and donate a bicycle, which earns them the right to repair a bicycle to keep for themselves If someone cannot pay for used parts, they must put in the equivalent hours at the shop We receive donations of new equipment/parts. We sell these at full value to help fund our programs. Adult shop nights: adults pay a $10 yearly shop membership fee for the use of our shop to fix their bikes. Volunteering is free. We use the revenue to fund grease, raffles at events, and other small program costs.
Maryalice On Wed, Aug 10, 2011 at 2:13 PM, ryan jenkins ryan.t.jenkins@gmail.com wrote:
Dear ThinkTank, I am writing to inquire about how any of your organization have dealt with the issuing of assigning value to the services that a non profit community bike space provides (ideally in creative ways outside of our money transaction economy), particularly with pre-teenage youth in urban areas. Troy Bike Rescue functions strictly on donations and a sliding scale pay system where patrons are asked to pay for specific items based on what it is worth to them and what they can afford. This sliding scale pay system applies to the 5 or 6 floor bikes we may have at any one time as well as a small selection of tires, bells, locks, and other very basic bike necessities. What we are struggling with is how to become not just a "place to get your bike fixed for free". How do we handle the swarm of kids, convey a message about WHAT we are doing, and also provide the services needed to keep bikes on the road? thanks ryan troybikerescue _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org To manage your subscription, plase visit:
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-- Maryalice Walker, M.S. BPSE Resiliency Activities Coordinator Nasson Community Center Tel: 207-324-5657 Web: www.nassoncc.org Twitter: http://twitter.com/NassonCC Facebook: Nasson Community Center and Little Theatre
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