Volunteers

Volunteers are vital to a thriving bicycle repair shop. Keeping volunteers engaged is challenging for most volunteer-based organizations. Possible ways to meet this challenge are:

1. Provide volunteer training and bicycle maintenance 101 classes.

• Use "each one teach one" method.
• Not the most effective solution given the amount of work that goes into it and the low volunteer return.

2. Host potlucks and special events for volunteers.

3. Schedule "secret" time in the shop for volunteers.

• Volunteers may find that they never get a chance to work on their own bicycles. Volunteers may appreciate secret or volunteer-only time in the shop.

4. Host a special event/volunteer training combination.

5. Provide proactive volunteer management during shop time.

• Greet them as they arrive.
• Remember their names.
• Show appreciation.
• Give them souvenirs.
• Provide food.

6. Create volunteer schedule.

• Weekly schedules are easier to manage than monthly schedules, especially when volunteers are mainly students and people working in the service industry.

7. Call volunteers ahead of time to confirm scheduling commitment.

8. Provide prize incentives.

• Enter volunteers in a raffle to be drawn at the end of each month. Use donated prizes and gift certificates from local businesses.
• Find local businesses who will give volunteers special discounts or giveaways.

9. Use the greeter role as a way to get people who might at first be intimidated by bike repair volunteering for the space.

References

These suggestions were gathered from The Think Tank and the Community Bike mailing lists.