"A practical learning and work environment in 'real operation' with customers" - that's what the Caritas bike station project is all about. The city of Bonn wants to continue to support the social labor market project financially. The Office for Social Affairs and Housing is therefore proposing to pay a maximum subsidy of up to 173,200 euros towards the costs of operating the bike station at the main train station for 2023 and up to 156,740 euros for 2024. The Committee for Social Affairs, Migration and Health will decide on the proposal on September 11, 2024.
The bike station at Bonn Central Station combines bicycle-related services with employment and training opportunities for unemployed young people and young adults. In 2000, Caritas Bonn took over the operation of the bike station as part of the NRW project "100 bike stations in NRW". In a resolution passed in September 2019, the Council decided to secure the future of the bike station as a social labor market project and transport policy instrument in the long term.
"As an independent welfare organization, Caritas Bonn is creating opportunities for young people who, for various reasons, have not yet found access to the job market, while at the same time supporting cycling. We are very interested in continuing this valuable work," says Mayor Katja Dörner. "Just recently, a former project participant successfully completed his training as a two-wheel mechatronics technician at the bike station and is now permanently employed as an instructor in the workshop - this shows that this project offers real prospects for people who would otherwise have a very difficult time on the job market," emphasizes the Mayor of Bonn.
Bike station offers opportunities to get qualified work
The project is aimed at people between the ages of 16 and 25 who are receiving citizen's benefit and for whom various problems have so far prevented them from being integrated into the labor market. Participants in the project can work part-time for a maximum of 30 hours a week under supervision to gain practical work experience and complete external internships. At the same time, the young people receive support with personal problems such as debt or housing shortages and help with developing career prospects, including job application coaching and apprenticeship placement. The bike station itself is a recognized training company for two places in the fields of bicycle mechatronics and bicycle assembly. These apprenticeships are filled exclusively by project participants.
Until June 2023, there were 23 places in the project; 15 places are currently being funded. As a result, the lack of funding must be compensated for in order to maintain the long, user-friendly opening hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The administration's proposal is therefore to provide additional funds from the "Future of Cycling" budget.
Services around the bike
The services include bike security in the parking garage with 476 parking spaces, bike rental (100 rental bikes including e-bikes, tandems, child seats, helmets), service and repairs including bike cleaning and coding, advice and information about bikes, refurbishment of donated used bikes and the sale of bikes that are no longer in use. For the participants of the labour market project, the bike station offers activation and stabilization, strengthening of personal and social skills, improvement of social and professional participation opportunities and professional orientation.