Core Values and Co-Production
The concept of time banking was developed through the work done by Edgar Cahn, an American civil rights lawyer and social justice activist. In the 1980s, he argued that alongside the conventional market economy, where money drives transactions, there is the non-market economy which we mostly take for granted. The non-market economy comprises all those vital social networks and activities in our communities that provide us with friends, family, a sense of belonging, safe neighbourhoods, care for others and personal value.
Time banking is one way of rebuilding and enhancing social networks and activities in the non-market economy. It's a tool that enables people to make that contribution to others that the non-market economy needs in order to function. Edgar Cahn's work outlines four core values that underpin time banking initiatives, these are:-
People are Assets -. The real wealth of any society is its people and everyone is valuable and has something to contribute.
Redefining Work - All work is valuable, whether paid or unpaid. Activites such as bringing up children, caring for people who are marginalized, contributing to and participating in the delivery of state services, keeping communities safe, fighting injustice and making democracy work have to be recognised, rewarded and counted as real work.
Reciprocity - both giving and receiving are important. We need each other and giving and receiving are the basic building blocks of positive social relationships and healthy communities.
Social Capital - Healthy communities have healthy social networks. Belonging to a mutually supportive and secure social network brings meaning to our lives, promotes health and wellbeing and provides new opportunites to rebuild our trust in one another.
Co-production is the term used to describe those reciprocal activities that patients, clients, service users and others undertake with professionals in order to produce an effective service. This moves away from the idea of the undervalued and passive individual who is the recipient of public services and who is percieved only in terms of their "needs" towards an approach which focuses on people as active creators of services with skills and assets. As such, co-production neatly links to time accreditation, one from of putting value to the vital work that people do in their communities. Time banking, as a form of time accredited co-production, is a tool which can enable the core values to be achieved.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
TIMEBANKIT information sheet no. 1
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.
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.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
COMMUNITY COHESION EMBRACING DIVERSITY.
Notes:
Community Cohesion:
What is meant by this : The community working together is a force that embraces diversity.
The infusion of difference.
How do we implement this ?
By engaging the community. You must be creative and be prepare to be challenged.
Members:
They are your assets.
The resource. The force of the Time bank.
How do you overcome language barriers ?
I have devised a language tool for it. This a series of exercises used to empower the individual to express themselves. Not to be restrained by lack of understanding of the English language or any other language. To raise their confidence. To increase awareness of understanding of different cultures.
Do you know we only use 20 % of vocal language to communicate? The other 80% is used to read body language.
This has been a helpful tool.
Comfort zones:
Creating a safe place for you and your members.
This can only be achieved by accepting people as individuals. To do this we need to celebrate diversity.
Projects:
This is another way to promote diversity.
Having membership involvement and being creative.
Think of everyone.
Creating Value:
Respecting and Protecting.
Equality
Having fun.
Respecting the person and their environment.
Learning
Implementation.
How do we achieve this?
People.
Trust
Risk taking
skills
What we promote at C.P Time bank is :’Turning strangers in friendships’.
You can begin resolving conflict with dialogue.
Add Quote: ‘The road less travelled’ by M Scott Peck
Community Cohesion:
What is meant by this : The community working together is a force that embraces diversity.
The infusion of difference.
How do we implement this ?
By engaging the community. You must be creative and be prepare to be challenged.
Members:
They are your assets.
The resource. The force of the Time bank.
How do you overcome language barriers ?
I have devised a language tool for it. This a series of exercises used to empower the individual to express themselves. Not to be restrained by lack of understanding of the English language or any other language. To raise their confidence. To increase awareness of understanding of different cultures.
Do you know we only use 20 % of vocal language to communicate? The other 80% is used to read body language.
This has been a helpful tool.
Comfort zones:
Creating a safe place for you and your members.
This can only be achieved by accepting people as individuals. To do this we need to celebrate diversity.
Projects:
This is another way to promote diversity.
Having membership involvement and being creative.
Think of everyone.
Creating Value:
Respecting and Protecting.
Equality
Having fun.
Respecting the person and their environment.
Learning
Implementation.
How do we achieve this?
People.
Trust
Risk taking
skills
What we promote at C.P Time bank is :’Turning strangers in friendships’.
You can begin resolving conflict with dialogue.
Add Quote: ‘The road less travelled’ by M Scott Peck
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