TimeBanking is a simple idea. People in a community help each other by sharing their time. Instead of money, they use time as currency. For every hour you spend helping someone, you earn one time credit. You can then use this credit to get help from someone else.
Some jobs (building, childminding) need qualifications and checks. For cooking jobs, read up on food safety for people and pets. Outside, make gardens safe for pets and wildlife (no toxic plants, netting, slug pellets or chemicals, and sloping sides for ponds). For indoor gardening, avoid facing foliage to gardens to help stop birds flying into windows).
Imagine you spend an hour cooking a meal for a neighbour. You earn one time credit. Later, you can use this credit to have someone help you with gardening or learning a new skill. It’s a cycle of giving and receiving.
TimeBanking makes communities stronger. People get to know each other better. It builds trust and friendships. Everyone has something they can offer, and everyone can ask for help. It makes sure that everyone’s time is valued equally, whether you are teaching, cleaning or walking a dog.
How can you start? Begin by talking to friends and neighbours. Ask if they want to join in. Make a list of what everyone can offer and what they need. Keep track of the hours spent helping each other. Before long, you’ll see how helpful and rewarding TimeBanking can be.
You’ll need a platform to organise all those eager time-traders. Timebanking UK is the main website to visit, to find out more about timebanking, find local time banks or to set one up. This is the site where you can also download the Timebank software, which can be used along their training manuals for administrators. Prefer offline? Consider a community bulletin board where requests and offers can be posted.
HOurworld is the international site for Timebanks, and has an extensive training directory to read online, which covers everything you need to know, and includes case studies and meeting notes of successful Timebanks in the USA.
Find more inspiration at Timebanking sites worldwide:
Here’s an example. A young mum with little money can sew. So she sews hems for people in the community. In return, hours earned means someone walks her dog, if she breaks her leg. Extra hours are used to mend her garden gate and paint her house. The people who do these jobs then earn ‘money’ to pay for someone to run errands for an elderly relative.
What could you help someone with today?
