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Before I give you some of the answers that were received let me add something of my own.
I am registered disabled and I participate in the Clapham Park Time Bank not only have I setup and run this blog but I also particiapate in coffee mornings, poetry classes and a lot of other things that are going on in my community. So there is always something that disabled can contribute to time banking. Just because you are disable please dont let that stop you from becoming a member of time bank being disabled does not preclude you from being a valued member. -Elspeth Anderson, Clapham Park Timebank member.
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A family member could earn the time credits for the disabled family member and do things through their (non-disabled family member's) account if that's how they want to do it. But the timebank system isdesigned to make it easy for everyone to contribute, whether or not they are able-bodied. One of the core philosophies is recognizing that everyone has something to offer and that people appreciate feeling valued, so many timebanks would try to find something that the disabled person could contribute - making phone calls, stuffing envelopes, sharing a music or video collection, pet-sitting for cats fish birds or other animals that don't require much physical ability, writing, proofreading,... depending on what type of disability and what their strengths are.Hope this answers your question--Stephanie R., Dane Co. Timebankhttp://danecountytimebank.org
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I would like to respond to each question in your email:1. How can a physically disabled person get services through a time credit net work if their contributions would be limited due to their disability? There are no "disabled persons." There are persons with disabilities that affect some areas of their lives. However, they also possess skills and assets in other areas where their contributions are quite valuable. All people in a community have some area -- for example physical, mental or monitary -- where they are dis-abled. Exchanges based on the four core values of the TBUSA movement enables all of us to become equally valuable, to share what we can give (time, skills, knowledge...), and to gain what we need in exchange. In this way our community is able to experience wholeness! Can a member of a time credit group do a service and use their time credits for a disabled family member who isn't necessarily a member themselves? In the Time Exchange the family member with a disability would be recruited to become a member, so that they could receive services and "pay" with their time credits (experience Reciprocity!). Any person who feels he/she has nothing to contribute is guided by the coordinator (or another member) to explore the array of possible assets he/she possesses, then to connect with their first "Time earning" and their first "Time spending". The exchanges are not me to you, then you to me, they are me to one member, and then to me from another. It isn't barter, but rather constructing a "spider web" of community give and receive from one another. You might want to contact your local or state Center for Independent Living to learn more about the language of disability and the array of contributions that people with "visable disabilities" are making in their organizations and their communities. There information can guide you to prepare a knowledgable paper to submit. Best wishes, Pat in CA
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First, a note that I'm not speaking officially for any organizationmentioned here: Here's how it works in the Community Barter Network (run from Pillsbury House, Pillsbury United Communities, Minneapolis, MN): 1) Time Dollars can be donated to a fund for those unable to perform services, or to an individual CBN member. 2) When Time Dollars are used for a family member, there's almost no problem with it being done within the CBN member's account. (I say "almost" because sometimes people forget that the name of the CBN member whose Time Dollars are spent needs to go on the form.)And people with limitations can do more than you might think.
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Your doing everything right and to answer your questions...yes and yes we have several disabled members and they contribute many different services from baking to rewiring lamps to teaching piano to setting up our email system for us to weeding on their hands and knees. it seems with time banking where there's a will there's a way! asw for you second question we also have members that do service and donate their credit to the more severly disabled and elderly but that does not mean tht we do not attempt to find services they would enjoy sharing. everyone need to feel valued.it would be great to read your paper when your done. thanks for sharing time banking with others!Anne in Pennsylvaniabooshka51
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That is a great question, and one that our Time Bank deals with regularly. There are several possibilities we put into practice, and maybe more options "out there". First we work with each individual member to encourage their direct participation. We have lots of members with various disabilities. One person uses a wheelchair and is a computer expert, another member restores furniture, another shares a lending library of cookbooks and movies on videotape. A group of folks earns Time Dollars for assembling mailings. Our Time Bank has the choice of families to sign up as a whole unit, and so far no family has signed up as individual people, so they earn and spend Time Dollars as a group- so yes, one person could earn while another family member spends. Lastly, we do have an account where members with lots of Time Dollars can donate them to an individual who is either temporarily or permanently not able to earn Time Dollars for themselves. Please call or e-mail if you have more questions, 781-593-1800 or Barbara@lynntimebank.orgYours, Barbara
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Right on, folks! Everything that has been said up to this point is great advice!This is Ed Wollmann, with the Washtenaw Talent Exchange, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As many of the Time Banking regulars know, we have a Time Dollar group here with almost 300 members; of whom, over 80 percent are persons with disabilities. I can tell you from personal experience that once we get past the `disability thing,' the issue of whether a person with a disability can contribute, instead of merely receiving, quickly becomes a non-issue. The fact is, we can all contribute something, regardless of whether or not we are `disabled,' and also regardless of the significance of the disability. What we do here seems to work pretty well. We just start the conversation with a few simple questions, such as "what do you enjoy doing?" or "what are your hobbies?" We have found (no great surprise here) that people respond really well when we frame the idea of them contributing in terms of their PRESENT hobbies, interests and skills. And, in those cases where a person with a disability REALLY can't contribute; which will be seldom, then give the family members a chance tostep up in his/her name. The family members will love you for it. Keep up the great work, folks! Ed WollmannWashtenaw Talent Exchange
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