The (L)earn-a-Bike Program: a pivotal learning experience for at-risk youth

Caption: (L)earn-a-Bike is committed to respecting the privacy of its students, so there are no photos of a class in session. Here is an image from a stakeholder reception that the program hosted in July. It was attended by bicycle advocates, justice activists, parole officers, social workers, educators, police offices, and a local judge

The Harrisonburg bike community and the SVBC is always excited to learn about new programs and initiatives where we find bikes doing awesome things for people or people doing great things with bikes. It is especially exciting to see new programs that incorporate bikes outside of our typical group rides and events. In this case, SVBC member Ben Bailey describes an innovative new program here in town that helps kids who have found themselves in our court system earn a bike that they have restored to working order. The (L)earn-a-Bike program requested volunteers a few weeks back and we also had that up on the SVBC website

The (L)earn-a-Bike program is a new diversion program in the Harrisonburg/Rockingham area. It is built on a long standing partnership between Harrisonburg Gift & Thrift Shops, Inc. and Virginia’s department of juvenile justice. Over the last decade, hundreds of Harrisonburg’s court-involved youth have met their community service requirements by volunteering at our local thrift shop. Through this partnership, Gift & Thrift enhances the multidimensional impact of its work. In addition to offering affordable re-purposed goods to our community, while funding the domestic and international programs of Mennonite Central Committee, the organization also provides a safe space for local youth to complete their community service obligations under the supervision of positive role models.

The (L)earn-a-bike program is an extension of this concept. Gift & Thrift has begun an 8 week program for local court-involved youth. Its objective is to provide local at-risk youth practical hands-on learning mediated by positive, enthusiastic role models.  The course provides opportunities for: skill-building, collaborative problem solving, and practical and sustainable transportation: a bicycle.  During the 16 hours of classroom time, each student tears down a donated bicycle, services its components, and reassembles it.  At the end of the class, students are encouraged to take the bicycles home with them.

Gift & Thrift receives fee-for-service payments from Virginia Juvenile Crime Control Act, but currently this income does not cover the cost of the program. Therefore, the program presently relies on charitable contributions to bridge its budgetary gap. Gift & Thrift aims to create a self-sustaining model that offers other services to the community, which will provide income to sustain the diversion program.

The goal is to create a sustainable alternative diversion program that serves our community by empowering our at-risk youth through hands-on learning, teaching them pro-social skills, and providing them with earth-friendly transportation, while hopefully subverting the “school-to-prison pipeline”.

To learn more about the (L)earn-a-Bike program and how you can be involved, email the coordinator, Ben Bailey (bwbailey90@gmail.com). Or talk to one of the instructors from the Harrisonburg bike community, Matt Hassman (matthassman@gmail.com) and Eric Saner (esaner@gmail.com).