Taking over the bike shop...

[HobbesOnTour]

Thanks, Andy for the very detailed reply. It's a big help to be able to see the bigger picture and, once again, helps me understand the circumstances you're working in.

There are no requirements, it's our job to deal with whoever comes

So, for example, you could have two clients start on the same day, both with zero bike mechanical experience, one willing to apply themselves and one just there to avoid sanction?

That must throw up some very interesting and challenging dynamics. That's without considering language/reading/writing skills.

So what is your primary objective?
Is it to make them into bike mechanics (and can they get a formal qualification?) or is it to help them become more "functioning" in society (apologies - I don't appear to have the correct vocabulary for this discussion).

For example, a client arrives who is a hopeless mechanic but responds to the regular schedule, the environment and shows improvement on the "social" scale but no improvement on the "mechanic" scale.
Do your bosses see that as a success or otherwise? (I'm pretty sure you mark that down in the "success" column).
How is that situation taken into account from a budget/profitability perspective since the workshop is less productive on a "mechanic" scale?

volunteering is seen differently in this culture

That's very interesting!
Typical Germans () to have a Federal system of organised volunteering!
(I mean that in the nicest possible way).

Sorry for all the questions but I'm intrigued by the whole process and frankly, a little in awe of what you do.

 

[Jameshow]

Hi @HobbesOnTour Pertinent questions all, and I probably should have put this in a much earlier post:



We will be sent clients by the local social security office/Job Centre: the programmes are for people who are "Long term" unemployed, which is defined as unemployed for over two years, and for migrants and refugees having difficulty integrating. It can run for up to two years at a time. We get a list on Thursday and they will generally turn up on the following Monday.

We can turn people away if they clearly aren't going to fit, and clients can say no, but if the clients refuse all help they will be sanctioned, which is really unpleasant.

As an aside, this is much less flexible than the system in Stuttgart, which was a one stop system where anyone in need could walk into the organisation and get an interview with my boss aka "The Chief", and assistance with everything from housing to drug rehab, and a placement in the programme within a week, regardless of health issues and current addictions. It was designed partly by The Chief, who is a legend in Stuttgart. It was a privilege to work with him and I really wish I could take my current employer there.



There are no requirements, it's our job to deal with whoever comes. We have people with an Ausbildung which is a three year apprenticeship recognised all over Germany, through to people with no work skills, life skills or social skills, or even basic German ability, and with or without psychological issues.

Over the last decade or so the skill level of clients has apparently dropped a great deal, because the local employment situation is fairly good so if people aren't employed there's generally a reason for it. For example, not having an Ausbildung is pretty rare in Germany: you are more likely to be asked "What's your Ausbildung?" than "What's your job?"



We have a number of volunteers, and the rules are generally the same as for clients. Most are retired and looking to so something useful for their community. Elder Son is unusual because he's a lot younger and is coming to a place he can use a specific skill.



Not really, and I understand your thinking. If I may up the crudity a notch, for certain local government officials we are sometimes seen as a sort of "dustbin" for the people they don't know how to deal with but need to put on some kind of programme somewhere.



I had to think about this a bit, because volunteering is seen differently in this culture.

In some ways it is treated more honourably than in the UK; there's a federal voluntary programme for (mostly) young people to volunteer up to two years in a charity or social organisation where they get all expenses covered and some pocket money which means young people from all backgrounds have financial security and gain useful work experience while volunteering. Volunteers for things like the fire brigade enjoy specific legal protections and get a full Ausbildung. (Elder Son is currently doing this, because he's awesome).

However, I think the fact that most people have a profession means that if they are working in this profession they expect to be paid. If they don't have the training for something skilled like bike maintenance, they won't volunteer. A skilled volunteer in the specific area of work, like Elder Son, is something of a rarity unless it's a preserved railway or similar.

In some ways I suppose these answers reveal some of the weaknesses of the culture, which cause the problems we are trying to deal with in the first place.

Both the apprenticeship and volunteering show how poorly the UK has performed educationally, volunteering and work skills.

I guess we have been to choice is king and we cannot tell anybody what to do.

Only the scouts / guides WI and Royal volunteer service have an element of organised volunteering.

 

[Andy in Germany]

So, for example, you could have two clients start on the same day, both with zero bike mechanical experience, one willing to apply themselves and one just there to avoid sanction?

So what is your primary objective?
Is it to make them into bike mechanics (and can they get a formal qualification?) or is it to help them become more "functioning" in society (apologies - I don't appear to have the correct vocabulary for this discussion).

Short answer: Yes.

Longer answer... The scenario of two people arriving with different outlooks is very likely. Usually anyone disinterested soon goes looking for an "easier" department or just vanishes and gets taken off the programme.
Our job is to work with people individually help them with soft skills like punctuality, stamina, precision, or fine motor skills, as you say, to prepare them to get a job or get training. Previously I did this in a theatre, now I'm in a bike workshop. In the same building we have a large shop, a sewing workshop, furniture recycling workshop, and a cafe; further south we even run a small crazy golf course. The point is to offer lots of work opportunities so people have a choice.
I'm not yet able to get people a formal qualification, although I do have a trainers licence (or more accurately "Exceptional permission" because I'm trained as a trainer but the trade guilds don't like to admit it) so I may be able to train people in a few years after I have a lot more experience, but for now we're using bicycles as a way to prepare people to be part of society again.

For example, a client arrives who is a hopeless mechanic but responds to the regular schedule, the environment and shows improvement on the "social" scale but no improvement on the "mechanic" scale.
Do your bosses see that as a success or otherwise? (I'm pretty sure you mark that down in the "success" column).
How is that situation taken into account from a budget/profitability perspective since the workshop is less productive on a "mechanic" scale?

Yes, that's a success for everyone; half our income is from the Job Centre to achieve this, so someone becoming a bit more employable and/or getting better at soft skills is a great success regardless of what they do next, because it encourages out largest customer to send more people... I know that sounds heartless but as with many such sectors in Germany the system is specifically designed to give a financial incentive for social work.

Sorry for all the questions but I'm intrigued by the whole process and frankly, a little in awe of what you do.

If you can handle my long winded answers, that's fine by me. However, it's just a job: most jobs are challenging and I'm in awe of some of the skills/jobs people on CC have that I can barely understand.

 

[Andy in Germany]

It does seem a bit unfair if they could well be better learning a skill they are interested in , for example an admin skills for office work could be a better fit

We're a tiny part of the overall picture; often the first step for people getting back into society. If someone wants to work in administration there are other places offering an Ausbildung, or three year apprenticeship in business administration with extra support for them to get into work that way; we are just there to help people prepare to get back in a normal routine ready for that step.

 

[DRM]

We're a tiny part of the overall picture; often the first step for people getting back into society. If someone wants to work in administration there are other places offering an Ausbildung, or three year apprenticeship in business administration with extra support for them to get into work that way; we are just there to help people prepare to get back in a normal routine ready for that step.

It’s admirable work, even if the client doesn’t really gel with spannering, putting in a good try is worth a lot in my book, and if you can boost someone’s confidence, and by doing so their ability to gain employment is a good days work!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

If you can handle my long winded answers

I could teach you a thing or two about long winded

Thanks for the detailed reply

 

[Andy in Germany]

I pulled this bike out of the showroom soon after I arrived and it's sat at the back of the store room since. I took it out last week to repair it properly but I thought I'd document the problems I found in case someone starts asking "Why does it take longer for you to repair bikes?" and/or "Why do you order more parts?"

Judging by this bike the answer is "Because I actually repair them instead of wiping the muck off and putting them out for sale"

From front to rear:

Brakes poorly tensioned.

No end cap on cable.

Rusty cable can't slide in outer.

Damaged brake cable.

Shredded gear cable

Severely worn chain and cassette.

I forgot to photograph the worn brake blocks and the non-working gear shifters.

This bike now works and is back out in the showroom; it's a cromoly framed Marin so hopefully it will find a new home fairly quickly...

 

[Jameshow]

I pulled this bike out of the showroom soon after I arrived and it's sat at the back of the store room since. I took it out last week to repair it properly but I thought I'd document the problems I found in case someone starts asking "Why does it take longer for you to repair bikes?" and/or "Why do you order more parts?"

Judging by this bike the answer is "Because I actually repair them instead of wiping the muck off and putting them out for sale"

From front to rear:

View attachment 670130

Brakes poorly tensioned.

View attachment 670132

No end cap on cable.

View attachment 670134

Rusty cable can't slide in outer.


View attachment 670133

Damaged brake cable.

View attachment 670137

Shredded gear cable

View attachment 670138

Severely worn chain and cassette.

I forgot to photograph the worn brake blocks and the non-working gear shifters.

This bike now works and is back out in the showroom; it's a cromoly framed Marin so hopefully it will find a new home fairly quickly...

Do they appreciate retro mountain bikes over in Europe?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Do they appreciate retro mountain bikes over in Europe?

Apparently; they sell.

 

[Andy in Germany]

A donation arrived this week:

Highly specialised trike for a disabled person that only has motor control on the left side of their body. It's custom made for a very specific set of disabilities, cost about 10 000 €, and unfortunately will be impossible to sell, as there are probably only three people in the country with this set of disabilities.

We'll try and get all the parts we can out of it.

 

[classic33]

A donation arrived this week:

View attachment 670142

Highly specialised trike for a disabled person that only has motor control on the left side of their body. It's custom made for a very specific set of disabilities, cost about 10 000 €, and unfortunately will be impossible to sell, as there are probably only three people in the country with this set of disabilities.

We'll try and get all the parts we can out of it.

Why strip it for parts?
It might have been built for a specific person, but that doesn't mean it's not suitable for someone else.

Can any of the other departments help in seeking another home for it?

 

[annedonnelly]

Why strip it for parts?
It might have been built for a specific person, but that doesn't mean it's not suitable for someone else.

Can any of the other departments help in seeking another home for it?

Advertise it somewhere? I know it's a long shot that someone is looking for that exact bike but it'd be a shame to strip it and then find that someone does.

Do you have charity groups over there getting disabled people cycling? They might be aware of someone who's desperate for a bike like that.

 

[DRM]

Are there any cycling for the disabled charities local, there’s one in Leeds for example, where you take the kids to cycle round a track, perhaps it could be an opportunity to do it up, donate it and get the local press in for a bit of free marketing

 

[DCLane]

Are there any cycling for the disabled charities local, there’s one in Leeds for example, where you take the kids to cycle round a track, perhaps it could be an opportunity to do it up, donate it and get the local press in for a bit of free marketing

That would probably be Streetbikes - and there's others like it.

 

[Jameshow]

A donation arrived this week:

View attachment 670142

Highly specialised trike for a disabled person that only has motor control on the left side of their body. It's custom made for a very specific set of disabilities, cost about 10 000 €, and unfortunately will be impossible to sell, as there are probably only three people in the country with this set of disabilities.

We'll try and get all the parts we can out of it.

Stroke

Try stroke charities / disabled cycling groups first.