Sylvie and all,
I don't believe I understand the nature of your meeting. Are you attempting to steer the "Second Change" mission or figuring out some type of strategic partnership with a different org?
I would like to solicit more opinions or discussion on the 'earn-a-bike' model, though. I've worked for and with organizations which heavily used it, particularly in working with young people. I've been at Working Bikes for about 8 years now, and while we invite all community members to volunteer and earn timeshare 'credits' towards parts for their bike, we also give away more than 1,000 bikes a year locally through our Cycle of Power and Cycle of Peace programs. We've used these donations to make powerful partnerships with many different types of organizations, many of which do not use bicycles as a primary focus of their mission. Adult recipients are invited to volunteer or pay a 'co-pay' or $20 towards the bike, helmet and lock we provide, but most decline.
At a certain point, it may be a question of volume, it feels paternalistic to me to tell someone they have to "earn" a resource an organization has the ability to redistribute. I take the question of service vs. charity seriously, but I also believe in the radical redistribution of resources. I don't think it is sustainable for everyone who would benefit from a service to have to learn how that service operates to receive it. There definitely are strong arguments for earn-a-bike, as well as super
"CHARITY" bike orgs starting up.
I've been pondering this discussion as a possible B!B! workshop or roundtable of sorts. I hope you don't feel I've hijacked your thread with hypotheticals, Sylvie, and wish you luck with your meeting.
peace n bike grease,
Paul