Volunteer

As a small non-profit, we couldn’t deliver any of our programs without the help of our generous volunteers. You can make a real difference in the lives of Wilmington youth and adults! No experience necessary.

Sign Up in 3 Easy Steps!

  1. Email Us: Let us know which volunteer orientation date you plan on attending. Volunteer orientations are held at the first Monday of every month at 6:30pm.
  2. Attend Orientation: Orientation lasts approximately 30 minutes. Individuals interested in working with youth will also have to submit a background check from within the last year, or agree to let us run one.
  3. Sign up through our weekly volunteer emails: We have a wide variety of volunteer roles and opportunities that will be available to you once you complete orientation.

Adult Open Shop Volunteer Opportunities:

  • Sale Floor Volunteer: Help customers shop for used bikes and enjoy the new-bike smiles on their faces! This includes answering questions about bike fit, helping customers choose between road bikes and mountain bikes based on the type of riding they’re interested in, and explaining how our hold and return policies work. You don’t need any prior knowledge for this job – we’ll teach you everything you need to know!
  • Shop Mechanic: Assist customers with do-it-yourself repairs. Shop Mechanics provide instruction and guidance, but they do not fix bikes for the customers. The challenges are many but you’ll be rewarded by helping someone learn new skills and get their bicycle back on the road. Be prepared to assist with  slow leaks in inner tubes, loose bottom brackets, stuck bolts, dangling derailleurs and anything you could possibly think of.  Senior mechanics are on hand to help when you get stumped by something like that “shimano derailleur that is going backwards.” This job does require mechanical knowledge. If you are interested but feel you’re not ready for this job yet, sign up for one of our many other opportunities and you’ll gain access to volunteer trainings and classes so you can improve your mechanical skills and build your way up to Shop Mechanic.
  • Front Door Greeter: Make sure that everyone who enters our building is greeted by a friendly face and help the staff person on duty with tasks such as receiving donation drop offs and answering customer questions about our organization. You do not need any prior knowledge for this job – we’ll teach you everything you need to know!
  • Shop Volunteer: Assist with general tasks around the shop, such as retrieving parts from the parts area for customers, sweeping, and organizing.

Youth Open Shop/Earn-A-Bike Volunteer Opportunities:

  • Our Youth-Only Open Shop program incorporates bicycle mechanics skills training, fitness/rides, and community service projects outside of the shop. Volunteers will mentor youth, lead rides, teach bicycle repair lessons, and participate in or lead community service projects. No training in bicycle repair is required, just a desire to learn and help our youth participants learn.
  • Special requirement: Youth volunteers are subject to a background check.

Additional Ways You Can Help UBP:

  • Donation Pickups: Pick up bikes donated by individuals in New Castle County that cannot get to the shop themselves. Scheduling is flexible, you will be in contact with the individuals to arrange the pick ups when it is convenient for you. 
  • Community Events: Urban Bike Project is often invited to attend community events such as the Wilmington Grand Prix, Safe Kids Day, and Hagley Bike & Hike. Volunteers help give information out about UBP and bicycle safety, do bike checkups, run bike valet parking, setup our hands-on learning display, or whatever the event may call for.
  • Special Projects: Several times throughout the year UBP works on special projects in the shop. Past projects have included shop improvements like painting or construction, preparing a large volume of un-salvageable bikes for recycling, refurbishing bikes for the Free Bike Program, and clean-up and reorganizing projects.
  • Workplace/Employee/School Volunteering: Does your workplace offer employee volunteer days? Does your school offer group volunteering options for students? UBP can arrange special volunteering opportunities for area businesses, schools, and organizations. Please contact us to learn more.

Benefits of Volunteering

  • Learn new skills – volunteers have lots of opportunities to build mechanical skills, including free access to mechanics classes, bi-monthly volunteer trainings, and volunteer-only hours when you can practice on shop bikes.
  • Be part of a community – meet fellow bicycle enthusiasts of all walks of life and enjoy social offerings just for volunteers such as bike rides and game nights.
  • Discounts – volunteers get 10% off used bikes and can place special orders through our wholesale account at cost + 10% (45% off normal retail prices).

Anyone who is interested in volunteering must attend a volunteer orientation