Fwd: Velocity Bicycle Mechanic Training Program
Hello all,
I'm one of the regular volunteers at The Velocity Bicycle Cooperative in Alexandria, Virginia. I'm reaching out on behalf of our Coop to see what kind of training programs other bicycle coops may have available to share. We're evaluating all training program options so anything you have to get us started would be really beneficial. Thank you!
Bayley Velocity Bicycle Coop 2111 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria http://velocitycoop.org/
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bayley Vanderpoel bayley.vanderpoel@velocitycoop.org Date: Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 9:18 AM Subject: Velocity Bicycle Mechanic Training Program To: John Patterson john.patterson@velocitycoop.org
John,
I think one of Velocity's challenges with volunteer recruitment & retention is keeping the beginners engaged and feeling productive, particularly when things are slow in the shop. I often see beginner volunteers standing around uncertain of what to do without significant amounts of supervision. I think that even more would-be volunteers are interested in volunteering but they're discouraged with their lack of a maintenance skills.
I'd like to propose organizing a bicycle mechanic training program, the main objectives being to keep volunteers engaged & self sufficient, ensuring a well rounded education, and useful support of our activities. It would be great if this program could be checklist & guidebook focused and not instructor led so the burden wouldn't fall so heavy on any current volunteers. Perhaps there's many levels of bicycle mechanic and you have to complete a checklist of activities to get to the next level. i.e., each level getting more complex then the last. I think a program like this would be particularly beneficial in the winter when volunteers will have plenty of time for bike builds.
If you're interested in an idea like this, is it ok if I reach out to the ThinkTank distribution list and ask what sort of training programs are already out there that we could potentially evaluate adopting, or would you prefer someone from the board to email them? If you're ok with me asking on behalf of Velocity, then I'll follow up with you to show you what I've found and what I think can be beneficial for helping recruit, educate, and retain volunteers.
Bayley
One tidbit I am ever more strongly recommending is that you have new volunteer mechanics start out by repairing their own bike(s), either on a volunteer night or regular public do-it-together maintenance workshops. This introduces them to how your group operates and very likely to new mechanical concepts, and also gives you an opportunity to get to know them and focus on them. It also rewards new volunteers for their interest, and hopefully gives them a distinctly positive first impression. In the last few weeks we've had four new people starting to get involved as volunteers after having repaired their bikes at our maintenance workshops, they didn't initially come with an intention of volunteering. I think this speaks to the power and value of having people start that way.
-Paul
The Bicycle Tree P.O. Box 11293 Santa Ana, CA 92711 http://www.thebicycletree.org info@thebicycletree.org
Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 12:24:54 -0400 From: bayley.vanderpoel@velocitycoop.org To: thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org CC: pmiller1806@comcast.net; john.patterson@velocitycoop.org; john.vail@velocitycoop.org; mike.pattisall@velocitycoop.org; christian.myers@velocitycoop.org; jared.saussy@velocitycoop.org; sheba.farrin@velocitycoop.org Subject: [TheThinkTank] Fwd: Velocity Bicycle Mechanic Training Program
Hello all,
I'm one of the regular volunteers at The Velocity Bicycle Cooperative in Alexandria, Virginia. I'm reaching out on behalf of our Coop to see what kind of training programs other bicycle coops may have available to share. We're evaluating all training program options so anything you have to get us started would be really beneficial. Thank you!
Bayley Velocity Bicycle Coop 2111 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria http://velocitycoop.org/
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bayley Vanderpoel bayley.vanderpoel@velocitycoop.org
Date: Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 9:18 AM Subject: Velocity Bicycle Mechanic Training Program To: John Patterson john.patterson@velocitycoop.org
John,
I think one of Velocity's challenges with volunteer recruitment & retention is keeping the beginners engaged and feeling productive, particularly when things are slow in the shop. I often see beginner volunteers standing around uncertain of what to do without significant amounts of supervision. I think that even more would-be volunteers are interested in volunteering but they're discouraged with their lack of a maintenance skills.
I'd like to propose organizing a bicycle mechanic training program, the main objectives being to keep volunteers engaged & self sufficient, ensuring a well rounded education, and useful support of our activities. It would be great if this program could be checklist & guidebook focused and not instructor led so the burden wouldn't fall so heavy on any current volunteers. Perhaps there's many levels of bicycle mechanic and you have to complete a checklist of activities to get to the next level. i.e., each level getting more complex then the last. I think a program like this would be particularly beneficial in the winter when volunteers will have plenty of time for bike builds.
If you're interested in an idea like this, is it ok if I reach out to the ThinkTank distribution list and ask what sort of training programs are already out there that we could potentially evaluate adopting, or would you prefer someone from the board to email them? If you're ok with me asking on behalf of Velocity, then I'll follow up with you to show you what I've found and what I think can be beneficial for helping recruit, educate, and retain volunteers.
Bayley
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We had a few bad experiences with volunteers fixing their own bikes. We have a space issue, so if someone starts a project they can't finish, we aren't able to store the bike. We also had many people fail to return to volunteer after accomplishing their personal goal. Maybe setting explicit expectations would help. Karen On Aug 27, 2013 8:24 PM, "Paul Nagel" paul@thebicycletree.org wrote:
One tidbit I am ever more strongly recommending is that you have new volunteer mechanics start out by repairing their own bike(s), either on a volunteer night or regular public do-it-together maintenance workshops. This introduces them to how your group operates and very likely to new mechanical concepts, and also gives you an opportunity to get to know them and focus on them. It also rewards new volunteers for their interest, and hopefully gives them a distinctly positive first impression. In the last few weeks we've had four new people starting to get involved as volunteers after having repaired their bikes at our maintenance workshops, they didn't initially come with an intention of volunteering. I think this speaks to the power and value of having people start that way.
-Paul
The Bicycle Tree P.O. Box 11293 Santa Ana, CA 92711 http://www.thebicycletree.org info@thebicycletree.org
Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 12:24:54 -0400 From: bayley.vanderpoel@velocitycoop.org To: thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org CC: pmiller1806@comcast.net; john.patterson@velocitycoop.org; john.vail@velocitycoop.org; mike.pattisall@velocitycoop.org; christian.myers@velocitycoop.org; jared.saussy@velocitycoop.org; sheba.farrin@velocitycoop.org Subject: [TheThinkTank] Fwd: Velocity Bicycle Mechanic Training Program
Hello all,
I'm one of the regular volunteers at The Velocity Bicycle Cooperative in Alexandria, Virginia. I'm reaching out on behalf of our Coop to see what kind of training programs other bicycle coops may have available to share. We're evaluating all training program options so anything you have to get us started would be really beneficial. Thank you!
Bayley Velocity Bicycle Coop 2111 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria http://velocitycoop.org/
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: *Bayley Vanderpoel* bayley.vanderpoel@velocitycoop.org Date: Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 9:18 AM Subject: Velocity Bicycle Mechanic Training Program To: John Patterson john.patterson@velocitycoop.org
John,
I think one of Velocity's challenges with volunteer recruitment & retention is keeping the beginners engaged and feeling productive, particularly when things are slow in the shop. I often see beginner volunteers standing around uncertain of what to do without significant amounts of supervision. I think that even more would-be volunteers are interested in volunteering but they're discouraged with their lack of a maintenance skills.
I'd like to propose organizing a bicycle mechanic training program, the main objectives being to keep volunteers engaged & self sufficient, ensuring a well rounded education, and useful support of our activities. It would be great if this program could be checklist & guidebook focused and not instructor led so the burden wouldn't fall so heavy on any current volunteers. Perhaps there's many levels of bicycle mechanic and you have to complete a checklist of activities to get to the next level. i.e., each level getting more complex then the last. I think a program like this would be particularly beneficial in the winter when volunteers will have plenty of time for bike builds.
If you're interested in an idea like this, is it ok if I reach out to the ThinkTank distribution list and ask what sort of training programs are already out there that we could potentially evaluate adopting, or would you prefer someone from the board to email them? If you're ok with me asking on behalf of Velocity, then I'll follow up with you to show you what I've found and what I think can be beneficial for helping recruit, educate, and retain volunteers.
Bayley
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In our case, people take their bikes home after maintenance workshops (they have no choice since we're mobile!) so storing them is not in question. It's pretty much fine if they don't return, because the only thing that distinguishes them from anyone else is they say they are interested in volunteering; maybe they come and go with zero pressure to donate but otherwise helping them is just like helping anyone else (in our case, we typically just put out a donation jar, with services essentially free; we'll probably firm up our general payment expectations when we get a space). We don't give anyone parts for free just because they say they're interested in donating. Volunteers will come and go no matter what, perhaps a little bit of an investment in them up front could build a greater tendency toward loyalty. Anyway, it's kind of a new practice for us so maybe problems will emerge with time.
-Paul
The Bicycle Tree P.O. Box 11293 Santa Ana, CA 92711 http://www.thebicycletree.org info@thebicycletree.org
Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 22:02:04 -0400 From: karenovert@gmail.com To: thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Fwd: Velocity Bicycle Mechanic Training Program
We had a few bad experiences with volunteers fixing their own bikes. We have a space issue, so if someone starts a project they can't finish, we aren't able to store the bike. We also had many people fail to return to volunteer after accomplishing their personal goal. Maybe setting explicit expectations would help.
Karen
On Aug 27, 2013 8:24 PM, "Paul Nagel" paul@thebicycletree.org wrote:
One tidbit I am ever more strongly recommending is that you have new volunteer mechanics start out by repairing their own bike(s), either on a volunteer night or regular public do-it-together maintenance workshops. This introduces them to how your group operates and very likely to new mechanical concepts, and also gives you an opportunity to get to know them and focus on them. It also rewards new volunteers for their interest, and hopefully gives them a distinctly positive first impression. In the last few weeks we've had four new people starting to get involved as volunteers after having repaired their bikes at our maintenance workshops, they didn't initially come with an intention of volunteering. I think this speaks to the power and value of having people start that way.
-Paul
The Bicycle Tree P.O. Box 11293 Santa Ana, CA 92711 http://www.thebicycletree.org info@thebicycletree.org
Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 12:24:54 -0400 From: bayley.vanderpoel@velocitycoop.org To: thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org
CC: pmiller1806@comcast.net; john.patterson@velocitycoop.org; john.vail@velocitycoop.org; mike.pattisall@velocitycoop.org; christian.myers@velocitycoop.org; jared.saussy@velocitycoop.org; sheba.farrin@velocitycoop.org
Subject: [TheThinkTank] Fwd: Velocity Bicycle Mechanic Training Program
Hello all,
I'm one of the regular volunteers at The Velocity Bicycle Cooperative in Alexandria, Virginia. I'm reaching out on behalf of our Coop to see what kind of training programs other bicycle coops may have available to share. We're evaluating all training program options so anything you have to get us started would be really beneficial. Thank you!
Bayley Velocity Bicycle Coop 2111 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria http://velocitycoop.org/
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bayley Vanderpoel bayley.vanderpoel@velocitycoop.org
Date: Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 9:18 AM Subject: Velocity Bicycle Mechanic Training Program To: John Patterson john.patterson@velocitycoop.org
John,
I think one of Velocity's challenges with volunteer recruitment & retention is keeping the beginners engaged and feeling productive, particularly when things are slow in the shop. I often see beginner volunteers standing around uncertain of what to do without significant amounts of supervision. I think that even more would-be volunteers are interested in volunteering but they're discouraged with their lack of a maintenance skills.
I'd like to propose organizing a bicycle mechanic training program, the main objectives being to keep volunteers engaged & self sufficient, ensuring a well rounded education, and useful support of our activities. It would be great if this program could be checklist & guidebook focused and not instructor led so the burden wouldn't fall so heavy on any current volunteers. Perhaps there's many levels of bicycle mechanic and you have to complete a checklist of activities to get to the next level. i.e., each level getting more complex then the last. I think a program like this would be particularly beneficial in the winter when volunteers will have plenty of time for bike builds.
If you're interested in an idea like this, is it ok if I reach out to the ThinkTank distribution list and ask what sort of training programs are already out there that we could potentially evaluate adopting, or would you prefer someone from the board to email them? If you're ok with me asking on behalf of Velocity, then I'll follow up with you to show you what I've found and what I think can be beneficial for helping recruit, educate, and retain volunteers.
Bayley
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Ohio City Bicycle Co-Op has a hugely thourough program and shares all their supporting documents publicly. I'm hugely thankful for this share - I've used it as a guide for my own as well. Take some time and click through a lot of stuff. They are very organized, but in their own way!
Enjoy: http://ohiocitycycles.org/wiki/tiki-index.php
Jody Davison
On Tue, Aug 27, 2013 at 10:24 AM, Bayley Vanderpoel < bayley.vanderpoel@velocitycoop.org> wrote:
Hello all,
I'm one of the regular volunteers at The Velocity Bicycle Cooperative in Alexandria, Virginia. I'm reaching out on behalf of our Coop to see what kind of training programs other bicycle coops may have available to share. We're evaluating all training program options so anything you have to get us started would be really beneficial. Thank you!
Bayley Velocity Bicycle Coop 2111 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria http://velocitycoop.org/
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bayley Vanderpoel bayley.vanderpoel@velocitycoop.org Date: Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 9:18 AM Subject: Velocity Bicycle Mechanic Training Program To: John Patterson john.patterson@velocitycoop.org
John,
I think one of Velocity's challenges with volunteer recruitment & retention is keeping the beginners engaged and feeling productive, particularly when things are slow in the shop. I often see beginner volunteers standing around uncertain of what to do without significant amounts of supervision. I think that even more would-be volunteers are interested in volunteering but they're discouraged with their lack of a maintenance skills.
I'd like to propose organizing a bicycle mechanic training program, the main objectives being to keep volunteers engaged & self sufficient, ensuring a well rounded education, and useful support of our activities. It would be great if this program could be checklist & guidebook focused and not instructor led so the burden wouldn't fall so heavy on any current volunteers. Perhaps there's many levels of bicycle mechanic and you have to complete a checklist of activities to get to the next level. i.e., each level getting more complex then the last. I think a program like this would be particularly beneficial in the winter when volunteers will have plenty of time for bike builds.
If you're interested in an idea like this, is it ok if I reach out to the ThinkTank distribution list and ask what sort of training programs are already out there that we could potentially evaluate adopting, or would you prefer someone from the board to email them? If you're ok with me asking on behalf of Velocity, then I'll follow up with you to show you what I've found and what I think can be beneficial for helping recruit, educate, and retain volunteers.
Bayley
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participants (4)
-
Bayley Vanderpoel -
Jody Davison -
Karen Overton -
Paul Nagel