Bike Root is a community based DIY bike shop that relies entirely on volunteers to operate and we are always looking for new people to join our team. You do not need to be affiliated with the University of Calgary to be a volunteer and anyone is welcome to join, not just students.
What is expected of a volunteer?
The most important things we ask of our volunteers are good organization and communication skills and a commitment of two weekly hours minimum on a set schedule, as having consistent business hours is important to our customer experience. We are flexible if you need to take some time off once in a while or have to change your schedule; we just ask that you do not disappear for months at a time without communicating with the rest of the team.
If you cannot commit to a reliable schedule but still want to help out, you can always drop in as a shop assistant as your schedule sees fit.
Do I need to know how to repair a bike to become a volunteer?
Absolutely not! You are not even required to have mechanical knowledge after becoming a volunteer! We value many skills people can bring to the shop, other than just wrenching a bolt, to keep the shop operating. Administrative duties are just as important: shop organization, communications, parts and supplies inventory, etc.
If you want to learn how to repair or build a bike, we can teach you as much as you want to learn. You bring the enthusiasm, we will supply the tools and resources.
How do I become a volunteer?
Before you become an official volunteer, we ask that interested individuals participate in four buddy shifts with a regular volunteer. This gives interested people an opportunity to gauge whether they want to commit or not, and we will then walk them through our full orientation.
If you are interested in joining our team, you can contact us through Slack. Please direct your inquiries to #general where a volunteer may respond.