Driving Social Change through business From the street to the workplace with a bicycle

1. Driving Social Change through businessFrom the street to the workplace with a bicycle

2. ‘Our mission is to change peoples lives using cycling’

3. Our areas of work Employability: Supporting disadvantaged people into employment • Environment : • ‘re-use’ of abandoned bicycles. Health: Improving health and well being of the disadvantaged mental health & disability

4. Company profile • Opened up in Spring 2008 • Commercial and social impact opportunity was there • Engaged and supported over 15000 people • Supported 150 disadvantaged individuals into employment • Re-used 7000 bicycles • Turnover now grown to £1 800 000 (of which 85% earned income) • 35 full time staff • Work across London and south east of England

5. Three business streams 1. Training – cycle mechanics 2. Consumer – retail shops 3. b2b cycling services

6. Financial model

7. Financial model

8. The Cycle into Work Programme An innovative work-based training programme for disadvantaged people. Graduates leave the programme with qualifications, a set of their own tools and a whole new set of employment prospects.

9. Bikeworks employment pathwayfor disadvantaged people Engagement Development Employment Work Cycle into Work Build a Bike Bike mechanics skills for disadvantaged people to build their own bike. Trainees ‘earn’ a bike. vocational training programme for people who have experienced disadvantage. Pathways and support to secure paid employment for graduates

10. Cycle into work film

11. Why it works? Supportive learning & work environment – learning by doing Bikeworks provides a professional but supportive environment which helps to ensure trainees feel comfortable whilst building in positive working behaviour (timekeeping, interpersonal skills) Rapid up-skilling Students become motivated and feel rewarded as they quickly develop technical & customer service skills. Personal developmentAn intensive focus on personal development is key with regular workshops on interpersonal skills, teamwork, dealing with conflicts etc. Participants report an increased sense of well-being, a renewed sense of purpose and the desire and motivation to find fulfilling work. Working as part of a team Participants make an active and valued contribution to a working enterprise from day one. Importantly this is key in helping to build confidence and self worth. Work prospects in a growing market The UK’s growing cycling industry provides graduates opportunities to find employment

12. Social outcomes 460 homeless people have built their own bicycle through Build a Bike 223 students have graduated from Cycle into Work 65% graduate-employment success rate 150 Graduates into employment Outcomes since Jan 2010

13. Training and employment outcomes Engagement Development Employment 460 homeless people have built their own bicycle through Build a Bike 223 individuals have graduated from Cycle into Work as qualified mechanics and/or cycle instructors 150Cycle into Work graduates are in employment Joshua completed Build a Bike at Crisis in Feb 2010. He graduated from CIW May 2010. Joshua is now one of Bikeworks best members of staff Following Build a Bike, Wayne graduated from Cycle into Work in December 2012. Wayne has a job with the TFL/Barclays London Cycle Hire Scheme. Valentin graduated from CIW in June 2011. Following graduation, he started a voluntary work placement at Bikeworks. In May 2010 he successfully applied for a position at the TFL/ Barclays London Cycle Hire Scheme where he now works as a Mechanical Technician.

14. Transforming people’s lives Following Build a Bike, Fabiano went on to graduate from Cycle into Work as a Cytech techincal 2 mechanic. In March 2011, Fabiano commenced Bikeworks Build a Bike course at the Dellow Centre (a homeless centre in east London). Cycle into Work Build a Bike Fabiano is now employed as a mechanic in Bikeworks workshop and as a Dr. Bike mechanic. He is also working for ‘Cycle Surgery’ in the City as a mechanic. Employment One year on, Fabiano is a Build a Bike trainer, training homeless people about the intricacies of bike mechanics from the same day centre he started at.

15. Graduate success story: Damian, Bikeworks sales staff ‘I left home at the age of 6 due to domestic circumstances , and was from that point a ‘looked after child’ under social services. I then moved into my Grandparents house. From the age of 9 I got involved in gangs in my area, and into a life of drugs and crime. In the 3-4 years I was involved I lost many friends and people close to me due to gang related violence. I managed to step away from that lifestyle thanks to my girlfriend and another of her close friends, who showed me a different life and a different possible future, it was at time I made the decision to get out of gang life. At 16 I got into freestyle BMX. This gave me a whole new focus and passion for riding and a love of bicycles. I looked for jobs but kept getting turned down as I had no previous experience. I heard about the course at Bikeworks which sounded ideal and was delighted to be accepted. Cycle into Work was great. I learned a lot about bikes and a lot about myself. During the course I met really inspiring people like my tutor and people who had been through situations like mine. The last 4 months at Bikeworks has been the best experience of my life. My dream is to start my own bike business. ‘ .

16. 460 bikes built by and for homeless people

17. 223 qualified graduates

18. Jelil Mechanic Bikeworks/ Vintage Bike Cave John Full-time mechanic Bikeworks Silvio Setting up ‘Bike Man’ business Fabiano Cycle mechanics trainer and Dr. Bike mechanic. Cycle Surgery mechanic Diego Mechanic, Evans Cycles & cycle instructor Nigel Mobile mechanic & social entrepreneur Raoul Build a Bike instructor Stewart Volunteer at Crisis bike drop-in Glenn Mechanic Bikeworks Aino Working in catering full-time Nicholas Cycle courier Keith Mechanical Technician Barclays/TFL Modris Customer Service Operative Barclays TFL Frank Working as a mechanic for Cycle Care RBKC Ricardo Employed in catering Frankie Restoring classic cycles at Sargent and Co Valentin Mechanical Technician Barclays/TFL Tony Customer Service Operative Barclays TFL Ana Dr. Bike mechanic for Cyclodelic Aurea Mechanical Technician Barclays/TFL Dominic Customer Service Operative Barclays TFL Tristan Bikeworks Mechanic, Trainer Squeaky Chains 150 employed graduates

19. Getting hard-to-reach people back to work £567kaverage lifetime cost of long-term unemployed individual* £10k average cost of getting a long term unemployed individual back into work† £3k average cost of getting a long term unemployed individual back into work via Bikeworks *Based on incapacity benefit plus loss of tax contribution. Excludes health costs

20. Why it works for Business? Skilled & motivated staff with detailed referencesCycle into work graduates have a City & Guilds level 2 in bicycle mechanics and customer service along with at least 3 months work experience & detailed, recent reference Opportunity to ‘mould’ newly motivated traineesCIW graduates are highly motivated at the time of graduation representing an ideal opportunity to achieve a strong return by investing and developing new staff Cost effective recruitment toolRecruiting through CIW enables employers to recruit a potentially large number of staff through a single source Scalable Cycle into work has the potential to achieve significant scale through integration with government finance for e.g apprenticeships / work programme Builds staff diversity Ensures diversity in the workforce by opening up recruitment to new communities Helps to achieve wider social impact Cycle into work helps to change the lives of disadvantaged people. Engaging CIW as part of a socially responsible recruitment policy helps to change the lives of the disadvantaged

21. Commercial Partners

22. Corporate Social Innovation Going beyond CSR – CSI is the future Social Enterprises can help to drive corporate social innovation Maximising social impact through commercial partnerships Meeting business needs changes the equation – no longer a charitable ask Commercial partnerships & achieving scale

23. Lessons from the early days Footloose and fancy free Be entrepreneurial (but don’t try and do everything) Low overheads & cash flow is key Start to deliver early – build revenue streams and test your model Achieving credibility – getting the first big customer Being new can become a strength

24. Growing up Before you can scale you have to be ready: 1. Process / Systems must be right 2. Be able to prove your impact 3. Professional inside & out – build your brand 4. Building the right team – recruitment, moving towards specialisation 5. Strong focussed business model – making a profit

25. Personal lessons Enjoy the journey, change keeps you fresh Being self aware about your own strengths and weaknesses –build a team that fits Leadership – ‘Chief Encouragement Officer’ Being comfortable with uncertainty Focus on the things you can control not what you can’t

26. www.bikeworks.org.uk @Bikeworksuk Dave.miller@bikeworks.org.uk