Rushey Green Time Bank
The Primary Care Trust
Hawstead Road, London SE6 4JH
Lewisham Time Bank
Network
What is a Time
Bank?
A Time Bank deals with
an alternative currency - time; not money. For every hour you spend helping
someone, you are entitled to an hour's help in return. It's about neighbours
helping neighbours. Help can be in many forms - performing practical tasks,
befriending someone, running errands, sharing food grown in the garden, etc.
How does it work?
Each person's time "credits"
are credited to their "account" in the Time Bank. People can then withdraw
time from their account when they would like help with something themselves.
These transactions are done via a co-ordinator / broker who keeps all the
accounts and matches people who want help, with someone who can help them.
When the task is complete, the accounts will have a record of the number
of hours traded by each person.
Why is it a good
idea?
All tasks have equal
value - an hour spent helping someone with computer skills is worth the same
as an hour spent keeping an isolated person company, walking a dog, or helping
someone fill in a form.
Everyone has something they enjoy doing and can offer.
Many people have time on their hands and want to contribute and be useful.
They have skills and experience that go unrecognised and unrewarded. Time
Banks value people, and their contributions, and encourage connections within
communities and neighbourhoods. They alleviate isolation. As people start
to help and get to know their neighbours, they rebuild a sense of trust,
and start to feel that they are part of a community/neighbourhood again -
they re-build community wealth, and health.
Organisations and community groups can also be members of a Time Bank. They
can use Time Banks to trade skills, expertise, and additional hours of volunteer
help when needed. Local authorities have used time credits to pay people
to design and deliver local services. The Time Bank system is very flexible.
People "in credit" can (if they would like to) donate their Time "money"
to a friend, relative, neighbour - or to the Time Bank where it can then
be given to someone who might need it.
Time Banks often involve people who would not normally volunteer - e.g. a
housebound elderly person. In this system such a person could offer help
by (for example) making regular phone calls to befriend someone in a similar
situation. In the Time Bank system everyone is equal - everyone is both a
giver and a receiver.
For information on the Lewisham Time Banks please contact, Vanessa Gould,
Lewisham Time Bank Coordinator vanessagould@yahoo.co.uk or call 0788621 9545
For general information on Time Banking see websites: www.londontimebank.org.uk
and www.timebanks.co.uk
Rushey Green
Time Bank Staff:
Michelle Beagley and Shelley McKowen
07946 411177
020 7138 1772
This is an educational
site. © resides with the author.
All rights reserved. For permission to use
any of this material please contact:
Rushey Green Time
Bank
links
to other time banks
London Time Banks
are supported by The Community Fund,
the Association of London Government,
the King's Fund and Bridge House Estates Trust
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