Two Wheel View uses best practices in youth development to inform our program curriculum and shape the way we form relationships with the youth, our partners and our community.
We use best practices in youth development to inform our programs, provide mentorship, and form relationships.
We use the bicycle as a tool to build belonging, create connections and expand horizons.
We engage with and contribute to our communities in positive ways beyond our programs.
Adventure helps us navigate the fine lines between uncertainty and preparedness, courage and surrender, adversity and success; this allows us to approach every- day struggles with more of the social and emotional strengths that are essential for success in school and life.
Developing a culture of respect is critical to helping us achieve our mission because our programs bring together people from all demographics – different backgrounds, cultures and experiences. In order to do the work we do, which requires the breakdown of barriers and the building of trust, we need to respect each other to make great things possible.
Authenticity and diversity are important to the team at TWV because we feel that people, especially young people, are constantly changing as they interact with the world, taking on new understandings and behaviours they see modelled by the people around them. Exposure to new ideas, beliefs and behaviours can help broaden our ability to define the type of person, and leaders, we want to be.
Using the bicycle as a tool, our programs foster resilience by building age appropriate competencies such as teamwork, problem solving and leadership. We help young people and each other develop and practice social and emotional skills such as emotion management, empathy and positive attitudes about self.
By encouraging leadership competencies and helping us practice communication skills, our programs are helping to change the perspective on what we can be and how we can contribute to society. We give ourselves the opportunity to interact with and contribute to our communities in positive ways beyond our programs.
Two Wheel View uses best practices in youth development to inform our program curriculum and shape the way we form relationships with the youth, our partners and our community. We are a team that is passionate about being changemakers, building community and making a difference in the lives of others. The bicycle is an excellent tool for learning and a wonderful metaphor for many things we experience as humans. Bicycles carry us towards opportunity and also away from things that might be troubling us. With bikes, as in life, if you push the pedals enough times, over and over, you’ll get to where you want to go.
Two Wheel View is a registered charity that uses the bicycle to facilitate youth development programs in our community. We rely on bicycle donations from individual Calgarians, community and corporate partners for the bicycles that we give out to our Earn-a-Bike participants and sell in our Social Enterprise bike shop to support our fundraising efforts.
Like on a bike, TWV has a lot of components that work together to ensure a smooth, enjoyable and memorable ride. Our team works in a value-based way that encourages learning, exploring and collaborating to ensure that we are delivering programs that are meaningful for our youth and young adult participants. We envision a resilient community that connects youth with the tools they need to reach their potential and therefore all of our programs are focused on this one vision.
Our youth programs are core to what we do. We offer four main programs throughout the year that are aimed at supporting youth and young adults between the ages of 12 - 24. The goal is not just to increase our number of participants, but to ensure that each interaction we have with our youth is meaningful and truly makes a positive impact.
We have been one of the official bike donation drop off locations in the city of Calgary since 2016. We typically receive over 1,300 bike donations each year from individuals and groups like the Calgary Police, Calgary Transit and other city sites. These bikes are earned through our programs, are sold in our bike shop, directed to our community partners for distribution or responsibly recycled if they are no longer usable.
Do you have a bike to donate? Check out our hours of operation and come visit!
Every bike we sell has been refurbished by our team of professional bike mechanics and trained volunteers and you can feel safe knowing that everything is in proper working condition to the best of our ability. This is a purchase that you can feel good about knowing that not only did you save one more bike from ending up in a landfill, but 100% of the proceeds from your purchase are being used for our youth programs.
An estimated 15 million bikes are discarded around the world each year. These bikes end up in rivers, on the street and in landfills. We have been providing Calgarians a better option to discard their bikes since 2016. Every year we receive approximately 1,400 bike donations from individuals and groups like the Calgary Police, Calgary Transit and other city sites.
When we receive bikes, our team evaluates their condition and then we decide the best place for them to be reused. Some are refurbished and youth can earn them through our programs, some are sold in our bike shop, others may be directed to our community partners for distribution or responsibly recycled if they are no longer usable.
Our mission to provide programs that use the bicycle as a vehicle for change in the lives of youth also supports responsible recycling and reusing bicycles and contributes to a circular economy in Calgary.
A social enterprise is a business that puts a cause or mission before profits. We created our social enterprise bike shop to help support programming costs with a source other than relying solely on grants and government funding. All profits from our social enterprise go right back into our youth programs - customers can feel good about their purchase as it makes a positive impact in our community.
We sell used bike parts and bike accessories as well as refurbished bicycles. The used bikes we sell range in price, style and size and are a great way to get an excellent quality bike at a great price while contributing to an important mission and making an environmentally sustainable choice. Since our inventory is always changing, the best way to see what we have is to come by the shop in person or to follow us on Instagram @twowheelviewyyc.
Two Wheel View uses best practices in youth development to inform our program curriculum and shape the way we form relationships with the youth, our partners and our community.
Rick and Tanya McFerrin found TWV in Minnesota and begin offering rides and trips for local youth
The McFerrin’s and TWV move to Calgary
TWV became a member of the pilot project “Teen Zone” with the City of Calgary and Earn-a-Bike was born!
Earn-a-Bike expands from 4 communities to 14, learning to keep up with demand
First Badlands to Banff Bike Trip
Full Cycle begins in partnership with the Iyarhe Nakoda Nation at Morley Community School, later expanding in partnership with the Gahnha Nakoda Nation in Eden Valley and the Tsuu T’ina Nation
TWV moves from our original Calgary home at Community Wise to location a new location in Sunalta
TWV develops the GAP Employability program to help young adults gain employability skills
Virtual Earn-a-Bike program is developed in response to COVID-19 restrictions
TWV celebrates 20 years of changing lives from the seat of a bike
TWV moves from our Sunalta location into a new home in Inglewood
Two Wheel View uses best practices in youth development to inform our program curriculum and shape the way we form relationships with the youth, our partners and our community.
Two Wheel View uses best practices in youth development to inform our program curriculum and shape the way we form relationships with the youth, our partners and our community.
TWV Team Member
