WHAT IS TIMEBANKING?
Time banking is a community development tool that uses an alternative currency - time itself - to measure, reward and encourage mutual volunteering and participation in community activites.
Timebanking initiatives enable people to help each other in thier local community. For every hour you spend giving your skills to your community you are entitled to an hour's help in return.
People participate in time banking initiatives for the same reasons that they volunteer, because they want to make a difference, help others, feel valued or because they want to improve their skills, knowledge and experience for specific reasons.
Time banking unlocks the rich sources of time, skills, energy, wisdom and care that are already there in any community just waiting to be invested. Time banking is a tool that can be applied in a wide range of settings, from estates to health projects to youth services. A small neighbourhood time bank can be set up by an individual or by an organisation.
In the UK time banks have been embraced by community regeneration initiatives, voluntary sector organisations, health & social care agencies and a host of community entrepreneurs.
Community participation can include taking part in consultation exercises, attending healthy living events or taking a group of children to school. Time banking uses the term, "CO-PRODUCTION" to describe how the beneficiaries of a public service activity give their time to work in partnership with professionals in the design, planning and delivery of that service or activity. This time can be measured, accredited and rewarded via a time banking initiative. Active public involvement is a critical factor in the success of professional activity and should be understood and acknowledged as "work".
The potency of time banking to connect people is proven. The ways in which they can be used to reward participation and rebuild community have been explored but by no means exhausted.
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