Programs Report 2013

TFK Program Report from Community Bicycle Center

Oldies but Goodies!

Looking through some older files and found a few documents that might spark some interest around the shop!

http://www.slideshare.net/cbcad2010/trailer-fabrication
http://www.slideshare.net/cbcad2010/tire-drop
http://www.slideshare.net/cbcad2010/blender-fabrication
http://www.slideshare.net/cbcad2010/bicycling-vocabulary-for-kids

All documents are also located in our links tabs!

Enjoy and feel free to send along ideas that you have!

Mentoring Best Practices Presentation

Mentoring best practices pp

View more presentations from cbcad2010.

Volunteering with the CBC's Bike Art Program & the Biddeford Art Walk

In these colder months, we have seen many of our participants have participated in programming that doesn't directly involve bike mechanics. The Bike Part Art program, facilitated by Ann Thompson (Wednesdays 2-5), has been particularly popular, serving to increase confidence and promote self-expression. In addition to creating beautiful art, participants are quite proud of their creations and their relationships with the Community Bicycle Center. Volunteers are always welcome to help with the Bike Art Program (any afternoon, not just Wednesdays!).

If you enjoy art and would like to help with a community event, come join us at this month's Biddeford Art Walk, Friday, February 26 (5-8pm) at the North Dam Mill off Main Street. It is a wonderful opportunity for children and youth who participate in bike center programs to interact with thecommunity and demonstrate the skills they have acquired. Tasks during the Art Walk may include setting up, taking down, escorting children around the venue to meet the other artists and participants or to view performances, facilitating inclusive art making activities or talking to interested folks about the mission and programming at the Community Bicycle Center. We invite you to join us for any part of the evening for a wonderful night downtown!

Our display board at the January Art Walk -- check out the animal heads made from bicycle seats!

Volunteering for Bike Part Art

Here's a special message from Ann, our Bike Art Coordinator --

Bike Part Art is the drop-in studio offering of the Community Bicycle Center, held on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The mission is to provide children an opportunity for self expression while confirming the value of recycling through the use of spare bicycle parts. Children also have the opportunity to create bicycle-themed artwork through a painting or drawing; helping them to document and reflect on their other experiences at the CBC such as bike trips, working with mentors or participating in the Trek Across Maine.

Projects so far have included jewelry, mosaics, sculpture and mobiles. Children can select a project based on samples created for the program by the art coordinator or explore their individual interests with the materials on hand. New techniques or projects are introduced monthly. The goal of the class is to promote self-expression and reinforce problem solving and fine motor skills while supporting the values of the CBC in terms of respect, collaboration and appropriate interactions with staff and peers.

Bike Part Art projects are often carried over from week to week so that a child can thoroughly explore them without the pressure to move on to the next project as is usually the case in most school art classes. The room is set up in work stations so that each child can choose the activity that most interests them and have the materials and tools they need at hand . Visual aids in terms of photographs of sculpture & folk art, sample projects, and art books are posted or available in the room and these can often provoke conversations and ideas to stimulate imaginations.

Volunteers may actively assist by holding parts, participating in problem solving or giving feedback. Volunteers to the program enrich the student's experience by arriving with their own unique skills and interests that can inspire more creativity for our young artists. It is not necessary for volunteers to have an art background—just enthusiasm, curiosity and a love of working with kids!