On Tuesday February 19th, BBP will roll out a new training program called Volunteer Pathways in effort to create leadership and mechanic training for our hardworking Volunteers. The new Volunteer Pathways program is the result of direct feedback from last month’s Annual Impact Meeting, and we are confident it will create a direct route for Volunteers of all ages, genders, and experience levels to grow there skills and involvement in BBP’s Programs.

“When we talk about BBP’s ‘Path of Opportunity’ it means creating open door systems that allow everyone to grow and thrive within the organization. It means creating a pathway for the kid who receives a donated bicycle to one day be the volunteer who fixes a bicycle for someone else in her community. It means that she can grow from a volunteer to a BBP employee. It means creating a pathway for her to become a leader within the organization.”

-Jimmy

In order to create this new pathway, BBP will reformat Tuesday Volunteer Nights to be specifically used for Volunteer Orientation and Volunteer training. Each Tuesday, from 6-7:30pm, BBP will make 10 spots available for the Volunteers Pathway class. Volunteers will need to register for this class ahead of time to ensure BBP can provide a healthy and welcoming student to teacher ratio. Two of the ten spots will be specifically reserved for volunteers who identify as female or nonbinary. The other eight spots are first come first serve. Each week will blend discussion with hands on mechanic training focused around a specific program, and, for the time being, will focus on four certifications.

1. Take-a-Part / Bicycle Recycling

2. Wheel Truing and Hub Overhaul

3. Kid/Dream Bike Repair

4. Adult/Team Bike Repair

February Class Schedule:

Tuesday, February 19—Take-a-part/Bicycle Recycling

Tuesday, February 26th — Wheel Truing and Hub Overhaul

When the classes begin on February 19th, we will no longer be able to offer other Tuesday Volunteer Night opportunities. We realize this might be an inconvenience for those who’ve dedicated there Tuesday nights to volunteering at BBP, but we believe this focused training time will lead to increased and more impactful volunteer opportunities in the long run. As the Pathways Program gets underway, there will be more opportunities to take on leadership roles within BBP.

We recommend staying current on weekly BBP volunteer offerings as new opportunities arise on a daily basis. Volunteer shifts will still be available throughout the week and during Thursday Volunteer Nights 6-8pm. These shifts will be updated throughout the month and you can find them here.

Please make sure you sign up for these shifts, including Thursday Volunteer Nights, ahead of time.

In summary, Tuesday Volunteer Nights will have more of an educational component designed to build the skill set of our volunteer base. Thursday Volunteer Nights will be formatted exactly as you remember. Thanks again for your understanding and patience with this new format of volunteer night. It is all in an effort to improve your BBP experience!