Hm, it sounds like yu are really hoping to get volunteers with a solid knowledge level to make sure you're helping a lot of people well.

Is a written test your favourite method and do you think it is accessible to all? In my experience, written tests favour a very particular sort of learning style. What about something less academic/intimidating/formal, like a conversation or hands-on demonstration?

We don't test people at Bike Pirates, we basically let anyone start (after they take an orientation) and learn "on the job". New and vet volunteers alike are encouraged to be open and honest with their knowledge levels with participants, to learn by "shadowing", and to ask questions vs. guess. We also explain to participants when they walk in (at least, we try to) that all our volunteers have varied knowledge levels and that we are a DIY work space.

So we don't require people have a "base level" of knowledge. If you're just starting out but you've mastered flats, or brakes, or whatever, be the one to help with that issue as often as possible and shadow others on topics you know less about.

It's an imperfect system but it allows for people to learn at their own pace, for our program to be welcome and accessible, while still being as efficient as possible.

Background --> at Bike Pirates we have a (recently refined) volunteer training program that involves a couple hours on every Wednesday night for 3 weeks. The first week is a general orientation to the space and is the only mandatory week, followed by a mechanical orientation and the third is a walk trough and practice Bike Build night.

- Keren, Bike Pirates. Toronto

--- On Mon, 6/3/13, Paul Nagel <paul@thebicycletree.org> wrote:

From: Paul Nagel <paul@thebicycletree.org>
Subject: [TheThinkTank] Test for (volunteer) mechanics?
To: "thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org" <thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org>
Received: Monday, June 3, 2013, 8:58 PM

To start off, we've been seeing that nearly everyone (literally 49 out of 50 or even 99 out of 100) that comes to our workshops for do-it-together repair knows very little about bike maintenance (don't know a barrel adjuster from a limit screw). The process of learning is fundamental to these workshops, as it may be for most of the groups on this list. The notion of having a workspace where someone is vaguely supervising while people have at their bikes would not work for us at all. We pretty much need to be one on one with our visitors, we were 3 visitors to one volunteer the other day and it was far from optimal.

In this light, it is important that our volunteer mechanics be at least decent mechanics as well as good teachers. We respect the importance of "hands off", but know that people come to our workshops not so much for the tools, but rather for the assistance of someone who knows what they are doing.

So, I'm wondering if anyone uses a pretty simple written test (30 - 50 questions) in the process of bringing in new volunteer mechanics. We do not currently, though we do have new volunteers self-evaluate their level of knowledge on a one-page volunteer information form. I'm thinking a test could help quickly and objectively evaluate a person's skill level and help identify opportunities for growth. Any advice regarding problems and pitfalls would be appreciated. Of course any sample tests would be fantastic. This could be the same as an Earn-A-Bike test.

Thank you,

Paul Nagel

The Bicycle Tree
P.O. Box 11293
Santa Ana, CA 92711
http://www.thebicycletree.org
info@thebicycletree.org


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