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Timebanking: Building Connections through Reciprocity and Trust

Explore the world of timebanking, a medium of exchange where one hour of service equals one time credit. Discover the core values, types of exchanges, and the magic of timebanking in building stronger communities. Start today and make great connections!

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Timebanking: Building Connections through Reciprocity and Trust

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  1. TimebankingIn A Nutshell Connections. Reciprocity. Trust.

  2. The When and Where of Timebanking • Created by Edgar Cahn -- 1980 • The first independent Timebank: Grace Hill in St. Louis, MO, 1981 • TimeBanks USA founded, 1995 • Timebanking has spread to 32+ nations and 44 states • 500 + independent timebanks in the US and around the world • The largest: New York, 3,000+ members with 200+ organizations

  3. WHAT IS IT? Timebanking = A Medium of Exchange One hour = one time credit. Other kinds of mediums of exchange: • Money, Frequent flier miles, Food stamps Join A Timebank And… • Earn a time credit for every hour you give. • Use atime credit for an hour of service in turn • You can always donate time credits to others • Or you can receive time credits as a gift

  4. Five Core Values • Timebanking core values: • Everyone has something to offer (Assets) • Home, family, community count as real work (Work) • Giving is stronger as a two-way street (Reciprocity) • We are stronger together (Community) • We treat each other with respect (Respect)

  5. Types of Timebank Exchanges TimeBank Members Can Be: Individuals or Households or Organizations Exchanges Can Be: Member to Member PROJECTS & EVENTS • One Member exchanges with Many Members • Many Members exchange with One Member • Many Members exchange with Many Members Can You Think of Examples For Each?

  6. Where do time credits come from? Timebank members themselves generate new time credits, here’s an illustration: • John and the Local Library are timebank members. • John would like help with reading for his son – but he has no time credits! • That’s OK. • The Librarian says to John: “We will give that help!” • John says, “that’s great! I’ll pay with a time credit.” • Commentator: John used a time credit to get help. How can John do that when he has no time credits to give?

  7. MUTUAL CREDIT!! John went into time credit “debt.” • Timebank members together trust that John will earn back the time credits by providing a service to a member or to the timebank or to a community project sponsored by the timebank That’s how “mutual credit” works. By “paying it forward” to earn back the time credits he borrowed, John is helping to build the community’s assets! But Take Note…. For John to do make good on this commitment, there must be some “asks” that he can respond to. t

  8. The Magicof TimeBanking • Each honored commitment: • Generates more time credits for the timebank members to use and share • Builds more trust • Taps into the human desire to help – and makes it safe to ask for help

  9. WHY MIGHT YOU CHOOSE TO TIMEBANK? For: • The services offered? • Learning and trying out new skills? • Financial savings? • Opportunities to do good? • New friends? • Increased trust and sense of belonging to the community? • A sense of abundance? • To promote community justice and solidarity?

  10. A FINAL THOUGHT When we come across something new, we usually compare it to something we know. Time credits are new for most of us. So we often think of them as being either like: • Money? So it’s like earning and spending Or…. • Volunteering? So it’s like giving and receiving

  11. Money or Volunteering? Which is Right? They Both Are! But each leads to different expectations. Money? You expect turn for turn & value for value, and get upset when you get less. Volunteering? You will likely want to earn time credits doing good for others – but asking others to do good things for you makes you feel uncomfortable. Or maybe you feel that volunteering means you can always choose not to come through on a promised exchange Timebanking combines both: Accept that people’s “best” may not be the same as professional service Understand that asking is needed for the giving/receiving circle to turn. Act on the understanding that for trust to grow and relationships to build, promises to exchange must be fulfilled.

  12. Try it out! Participation is Key Start today. It’s easy. List out: What I like to do. What I can help others with. What help or services I need. Ask: Are there projects I can help with? Get into timebank debt or earn a credit. Make the great connections happen!

  13. The End Of TimeBanking In a Nutshell!

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