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Programs and Activities
Core Programs for Youth Aged 8-17
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Other Youth Activities
Adult Programs
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Other Regular Events
Core Programs for Youth Aged 8-17
Earn a
Bike:
Fourteen two-hour after-school lessons, free to participants, are held
at our two locations and in public schools. Ten sessions cover bike repair
& maintenance. Two sessions cover riding safety and bike handling skills
and riding in traffic. The course also includes a lesson that covers
health, nutrition, and one on transportation choices and the environment.
After a few lessons students select the bike that they will fix up to keep
after graduation. Each bike is inspected by staff before a student is
allowed to take it home. In order to graduate and keep a bike a student
must attend with good behavior at least 20 hours of NBW classes, pass the
bike safety lessons and attend the graduation. Families and others are
invited to graduation ceremonies where successful students are presented
with their bikes, helmets, & tools. Graduates are entitled to attend
drop-in sessions and to participate in group rides and other activities.
Benefits for participants are an increase in awareness of how to use a
bicycle, increased awareness of the importance of a good diet, increased
helmet use and increased bicycle use. These are measured by participant
surveys and caregiver surveys.
Earn-a-Bike is currently at Sayre high school, the Lamberton school, our
location at 60th and Vine and our location at 39th and Locust. The program
can be done in any place where there is a suitable room for working on
bikes and space to securely store bikes and tools.
RIDE Fitness Program:
Sixteen two-hour sessions total, free to participants. Students ride
stationary bicycles (wind-trainers) indoors in a program designed by
doctors from Children’s Hospital. Actual exercise time represents about
half of the time spent in the course. The desired outcomes are increased
knowledge and a change in attitude towards diet and exercise. The course
also includes sessions that cover health and nutrition. Parents and family
members are encouraged to take part. Optionally, lessons may be included
covering cycling safety including on bike handling skills and safely
riding in traffic. In these cases students may earn bikes as in the
earn-a-bike classes.
R.I.D.E. program can be done in a space where there is room for 8-12 bikes
and the wind trainers that the bikes fit into. The space needs to be
somewhere where there can be a lot of noise, because we get pretty excited
and there is loud music. This program also needs a secure area to store
bikes and equipment. RIDE is currently at the Penrose school and can be
replicated as needed.
Summer Cycling Day Camp
The same curriculum as the after school Earn-a-bike program is taught
during a two-week day camp. We charge a fee, but scholarships are
available. Given the extra time available in all day sessions the lessons
are supplemented with field trips and other activities.
Drop-in sessions
On Saturdays and school holidays the shop is open to graduates who may
work on their own bikes or do productive tasks to earn credit ”hours”
which may be applied to purchase other bikes or bike parts.
Drop-ins are currently held at both the St. Mary’s and Haddington shops.
Advanced Mechanics Classes
Available for all NBW graduates at our two locations, Graduates of the
basic earn-a-bike classes may take further lessons that cover bicycle
repair in more depth or cover more advances topics. Students who
successfully complete these lessons may earn “Junior Mechanic”
certification.
Other Youth Activities
Group Rides
Twice a month (weather permitting) we invite all graduates, their
parents, and sometimes members of current classes on a ride. We usually
try to pick an interesting destination within biking distance. Students
earn hours with good behavior on the ride. Some rides are more strenuous
and are limited to students that are stronger riders. Also, some rides are
combined with other NBW activities such as Bike Safety Checks which limit
the number of students invited.
Bike Safety Checks
Several times a year we run bike safety checks, usually sponsored (for
a fee) by some other group at a block party, health fair, etc. Selected
graduates are invited to participate for credit hours and a share of any
tips collected. We inspect important safety aspects of bicycles and
present the owner with a checklist of what is working and what is not.
Many small repairs can be done at the time.
Bike Parking
Fundraising and publicity event. We are occasionally contracted by
other groups to do Valet Bike Parking for events. On come occasions we are
able to employ a few youth for hours or a small hourly rate and a share of
any tips collected.
See more
details.
Leadership Group
Ad-hoc programming regarding youth nput into programming, shop
organization, and activities. There are currently two youth advisors to
NBW’s board who meet with staff and board to discuss concerns. Youth are
also working closely with volunteers and staff to assist in classes, write
articles for publication within NBW and elsewhere and to promote the
program in their schools and other youth groups
Entrepreneur Group
Youth are working on bikes that they sell individually and through
eBay. eBay group led by Ben Straub meets when leadership group members are
available during drop ins and after school classes at 40th street. Youth
learn digital photography, how to post items on web site and how to write
item descriptions and customer service e-mails. 60th street entrepreneurs
wrote their own grant proposal last year and were awarded money which is
being spent on bike parts for bikes that they are selling at the
Haddington shop. Bikes are sold by individual youth who work with Mustafa
Abdul-Rashid, Sean Donnelly and Kevin Gorum to renovate bikes.
Youth Employment
We occasionally, mostly in the summer, employ graduates or other youth
to help with classes or various tasks in the shop or office. Some are paid
through the city’s “Youthworks” program some are paid directly by NBW
Community Service Projects
Young people completing certain high school grades sometimes choose to
perform community service at NBW. Projects include bike donation
solicitation, helping to run youth programs and shop improvements. Other
youth come toNBW through the District Attorney’s Youth Aid PanelProgram, a
volunteer-run project that places first time offenders in community
service projects as an alternative to being charged with non-violent
offences. 80% of Youth Aid participants are not
arrested again during high school.
Occasional other events
Sometimes we have the opportunity to take some kids to an event, (movie, basketball game, etc.) that may or may not involve biking to get there. Invitations to such events are made to currently active youth.
Adult Programs
Bike Church - adult repair co-op
Adult (age 18+) open bike repair sessions that provide some income and serve as a volunteer recruitment tool. Staffed by volunteers, shop space and tools are made available for free to the general public. Participants are expected to sign in with name and addresses and are encouraged to donate money or volunteer time. Help is often provided but not guaranteed as to availability or quality. Select bikes are available for sale on an as-is basis. Used parts are also available for sale.
Tuesday - Thursday - Sunday -- 6.30pm to 9pm -- all adults
Wendesday -- 6.30pm to 9pm -- woman & transgender identified adults only
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Adult Bike Repair Classes
Fee based. Four 3 hour sessions cover routine procedures and the use of basic and specialized tools. More advanced procedures can be covered on request. Participants are encouraged to bring their own bikes. Provides some income and serves as a volunteer recruitment tool. Usually Monday evenings, call for the start time of the next session.
Urban Survival Biking
Fee based ~9 hr. total in one or two days. LAB Road 1 classes taught with an emphasis on urban riding and less time spent on mechanical issues. Could provide some income and serve as a volunteer recruitment tool.
Other Regular Events
Bike Parts Art Show
A fundraising and publicity event. Artists are given access to excess
parts to use as art material. The resulting pieces are donated to NBW,
placed in a show, and sold.
Shapeup Our Shop (SOS)
Once a month volunteers, usually referred from Greater Philadelphia
Cares, spend a few hours on a Saturday helping with housekeeping tasks at
the shop. NBW Youth and their families are encouraged to participate as
well. Youth can earn double hours if they bring a family member.
Major Taylor Birthday Ride
Usually on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we invite all graduates,
their families, and others to ride to a picnic shelter in Fairmont Park on
the Belmont Plateau near the site of the Woodside Park Track. We cook a
hot lunch and have a presentation about Major Taylor.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
A larger scale version of Shapeup Our Shop that includes a speaker or
other programs commemorating Dr. M. L. King Jr.
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