]]> http://lmtimebank.org/blog/2012/02/timebank-on-the-news/feed/ 0 http://lmtimebank.org/blog/2012/02/giving-and-receiving-its-a-complete-circle/ http://lmtimebank.org/blog/2012/02/giving-and-receiving-its-a-complete-circle/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 03:38:00 +0000 admin http://lmtimebank.org/blog/?p=126

Whether or not you are a timebank member you can benefit from the philosophy of timebanking that we all have value, can provide value, and we are all worth of receiving values from others.

For giving to take place there needs to be a giver and there needs to be a receiver such is the full circle of exchange that is the lifeblood of connection, communication and community in our world.

We each have value and are worthy of receiving value often times we are better at giving and receiving. The 2 main challenges of time banking is people saying to themselves “I don’t know what I can give” and “I don’t know what I want to receive”.

We often underestimate all the talents we have that other people would appreciate receiving. We also often undervalue our worth so we don’t think we should receive. Both are skills that we can develop only with each other and make us stronger, healthier and happier community.

I invite you to participate with your local time bank helping the time they operate and reach out to the community to allow community members to build bridges of giving and receiving to everyone’s greater benefit.

It’s the circle of life as this blue planet endlessly circles the sun. DOn’t break the circle, do your part to give and receive.

Happy circling!

The Lower Mainland TImeBank Team

Edgar Cahn has an impact and apparently so does the CBC, a number of new eNewsletter subscribers and new members to the LMTB… BOOM all at once. Cool.

The immediate response really shows the high level of, not just interest, but readiness for people to be a part of something good, something that focuses on the value of people. I think there is a hunger to get back to REAL people and real connections, TimeBanking helps to create the opportunities for connection and gifting and receiving that feeds our souls.

With all the doom and gloom in the news, it all comes down to how we treat each other, day to day, moment to moment, TimeBanking is a vehicle to remind us of what really matters and gives us a way to achieve it.

Receiving and Giving are BOTH honourable, everyday events that can happen more and more and more.

What have you received today that you are grateful for?
What have you given today the made someone smile and filled your heart?

Giving allows you to receive in your heart and receiving allows others to give so they can receive in their heart too.

Give the gift of receiving and lift others up. Give the gift of giving and honor others.

Peace.

The Lower Mainland TimeBank Team

http://LMTimeBank.org

P.S. The TimeBank members site has been moved to an entire new platform. Old links do not work and all OFFERS and REQUESTS were retired. Login and repost your offers and requests. LOGIN : http://lowermainland.timebanks.org/

Changes are afoot. There are HUGE changes in the economies of the US and Canada that have occurred and there appears to be more on the way.

TimeBanks USA, the founding TimeBank system which we are affiliated with has, had a funding crisis this past year but it looks like they should meet their monetary goals. Money is needed to keep any organization working and TimeBanking is no different. There are always hard costs to absorb. The question is how money efficient can an organization be and still provide the service?

Speaking of service, the TImeBanking software we now use is in the process of being replaced with a new version. Sometime in 2011 the new software will show up online. The functions will largely be the same but it will look a little different.

Speaking of looking a little different, there will be some changes with the Lower Mainland TimeBank. It was started a couple of years ago and has yet to hit its stride with member participation to make it as vibrant and viable as it can be. We need local meeting locations and a few active members to step forward and help take charge of filling the roles needed for any TimeBank to operate and grow.

Read on and if that’s you send me an email: michael (AT) LMTimeBank.org

TimeBanking has been covered a number of times on the news this year. It seems that poor economies and less money force people to reach out and connect more with their local community. Let’s not wait to HAVE to do this. Let’s build a community before economic tragedy strikes. It’s far less stressful, safer and makes the transition painless. Here’s another story from PBS on TimeBanks:

If you’re a member of any TimeBank remember that the basis of TimeBanking is volunteer your time to help others. If the TimeBank is to exist at all it requires help first, so it can be there for members.

So call or email your TimeBank coordinator and offer to help make the your local TimeBank work even better. If you say “I can do XXXXX and XXXXX to help the TimeBank” that’s even better than “what can I do?”.

TimeBanks need you to:

- help in order to stay operating and

- provide your “OFFERS” and “REQUESTS” and

- check online for other members “OFFERS” and “REQUESTS” on a regular basis.

TimeBanking is about staying connected, staying involved, giving and receiving….oh yes and having some fun along the way.

TimeBanks need:

- physical meeting rooms for intro sessions, member training sessions, potlucks, community social gatherings,

- phone service

- computer access

- volunteers to handle new applications, training and members support

- event organizers

- community builders

and more.

If you can help in any way, do so. It makes a big difference when we help each other make the whole work even better.

All the best to you and yours for the new year 2011. May all our individual “connections” this year make each of our lives better and our communities safer, stronger, more vibrant and more independent.

There are more shared values, but I notice these three in particular.

For instance some are motivated by wanting to leave traditional society because of a real or perceived lack of fairness and respect for people that a monetary society creates.

Others are mostly practical, they have no money but they have time to contribute.

Each person comes with their own ideas, talents and motivations. As long as those motivations maintain an honouring of others path, TimeBanking can provide for all those values and more.

I came across this video of Viktor Frankl and his point made emphatically is to see the best potential in others and expecting them to be that potential helps give them the strength, courage and persistence to weather life’s storms and achieve more than who they are being right now.

Expect the best, not just what you see now or saw in the past, but the nobler self that we all have within us. You can help bring it out, in others by your positive expectation.

As a TimeBank member you do that each time you engage another member. You trust them to be helpful, honest, competent and caring. Most TimeBankers are that and more, but each time a connection is made they get reaffirmed that they are seen that way and will do what it take to live up to that expectation.

As community members we all play a role in each others lives. Do you expect the best of others or the worst? Either way you definitely affect your experience and you also usually effect theirs too.

Imagine someone seeing the best in you and check out how that feels. Are you more likely to achieve it, or closer at least, because someone believes in you? Most people I think would say yes.

Frankl is famous for the book “Man’s Search For Meaning” and most of us have experienced the “what is the point” or “who am I supposed to be/do” questions. Some people say “life has no meaning except the meaning you give it”. Some people believe in predetermined destiny. Maybe its both? Maybe its neither?

No matter what, you can choose to be an active member helping to create even more meaning in your life and your community, or not. Either way is OK. Each will have a different result for you and for others.

Go ahead try to make a difference in other peoples lives, just by being there and expecting the best of them. Not as an impossible goal of perfection but a gentle “I believe in you” upliftment. In this world it can be easy to lose faith in ourselves and it can help when others have faith in us.

Only sometimes you will make a difference in other peoples’ lives, but you will always make a difference in yours if you decide each thing you do has meaning to you, no matter the outcome, BECAUSE you pursued it with heart.

TimeBanks can only exist with the active participation of its members and volunteer staff. You are an integral part of the community when you participate.

Get more of what you need and want in your life by giving more of who you are and can be to operating your local TimeBank and your fellow TimeBankers, you won’t regret it. You do make a difference.

Here’s that video clip. Let me know what you think below….

The number of visitors to our website has exploded from almost 2,000 in March 2009 unique visitors to 9,000 unique visitors in the month of May 2010! Very cool.

Here’s a look at all the countries that visit our site:

Our website visitors...It's a small world these days

What the heck I thought, once-in-a-lifetime and all that, so I got up and out MUCH earlier than usual with my trusty video camera to see what all the fuss was about.

It was an enthusiastic crowd waiting and the parade of vehicles giving advance notice was a surprise. The torch exchange happened to take place right in front of me.

I decided to head off later in the day for a second unique spot, which led to one more viewing point not far away (just for a different camera angle).

The next day a friend was carrying the torch so off we went to capture it.

Low and behold at the end of that second day (which was the final day of the relay) I hear a commotion around the corner and here comes the torch relay again right past me. What the heck grab the camera!

So from no awareness or interest to video clips of five torch relay viewing points. I must admit the energy of the crowds was very positive and uplifting. It was a great way to introduce the Olympics to Canada.

Here’s my 13 minute video of what I saw those two days (just got around to finishing the editing and titles). Enjoy.

This article stresses the equalizing effect of a TimeBank:

“At a philosophical level, time banking promises a form of egalitarianism through an alternate economy. In its world, a lawyer’s time is equal to a babysitter’s, and everyone, regardless of physical or intellectual abilities, has something to give whether it’s rides to the doctor, plumbing work, or companionship.

“One of the things that’s great about time banking is it’s a great leveler. I really wanted to create a culture in which everything was equal, everyone was valued, everyone could contribute,’’ said Ellin.

She was inspired to start a time bank through her work as a psychologist, and her frequent contact with families who were struggling with social isolation while dealing with their teenagers’ mental health issues.

“I realized I needed to figure out a social network that’s accessible quickly, easily, and automatically’’ so the families could get their needs met, she said. It takes time to build a relationship, she said, “before you can impose on someone and ask them for a favor.’’

With time banks, people can contribute in any way they can, and are paid back with what they need when they need it. And in the process, the hierarchy that results from traditional volunteerism is eliminated, said Ellin.”

There is occasional news coverage for TimeBanks and often it reflects harder economic times forcing people to look for alternatives. Or there is the every growing desire for more feeling of community, in world where we often are separate and feel alone.

TimeBanks can be many things to many people. They are more than a good idea they are life changing way of going through life.

“What I had hoped would happen is that it would be a very large network and within that there’d be neighborhood groups,’’ she said. So far, Jamaica Plain and the Cambridge-Somerville area have their unique identities within the group, she said. “It seems sort of miraculous but it’s actually working.’’

Check out the full article :

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/natick/articles/2010/04/25/wayland_architect_works_to_spread_time_banking_network_west_of_boston/

TimeBank Leadership

Every group requires leadership which includes people like you offering time, talent and a terrific attitude. In order for you and your community to experience the best of TimeBanking each community needs their local leaders.

Many hands make light work and big impact. Leading your local TimeBank group is all about helping to plan, coordinate and put on introductory meetings, social events, training sessions and community projects. You can be a key to making TimeBanking a reality and a model for a better way of community life.

Contact us at info@LMTimeBank.org or call 778-232-5388 to get started on helping to grow a TimeBank group in your community.

Here’s an idea of what the leadership plan looks like for a TimeBank. You earn TimeCredits for every hour you contribute!

Become a Time Bank Coordinator
Are You a Community Weaver?

By now, you know that TimeBanks are like members of a family—they come in different shapes and sizes, but at the same time, they share the same genes. Basic TimeBanking is always the same: it’s about creating win-win exchanges using Time Credits where every hour you contribute always equals one Time Credit. All TimeBanks also share the need to coordinate those exchanges. More than anything else, TimeBank Coordinators are community weavers and networkers. They know how to draw people together, recruit new members, and get them started on sharing their talents with your group!
There are six main leadership roles in a TimeBank—and it is usually the Coordinator’s role is to make sure they all work. Here they are:

Role I: Time Bank Ambassador

• Member Recruitment

Role II. Membership Coordinator

• Member Orientation
• ‘Keeping in Touch’
• Making matches

Role III. Events Coordinator

• Focuses on all group activities of the TimeBank

Role IV. Webmaster

• Training New Members in On-Line TimeBanking
• Running the on-line community page

Role V. Administration

• Collecting dues
• Financials/Budgeting
• Fundraising

Role VI. Team Leader

• Makes sure that everyone is happily taking responsibility for their role.

These different leadership roles can be blended together. They may be taken on by two or three people. But as TimeBanks get bigger and more multifaceted, the roles separate out and need to be taken care of separately.

Being a Team Leader
If individuals to take on the different leadership roles and tasks, the load becomes lighter for everyone. We all know that working together calls for trust, acceptance and willingness to take responsibility. The trick is to be very, very clear about each individual role and what is involved, so that people know exactly what they are responsible for, and don’t accidentally step on each other’s toes! Each of the roles is designed to be light and not require much coordination between them.

No matter how many people are on your leadership team, it is a good idea to designate a support person or support team behind each leadership position. A person can be the leader in one role and the designated support person in another role. This way, if someone gets sick, busy or goes out of town, the work will still be covered. When it comes time to rotate the team roles, you will also have an understudy who is already familiar with your responsibilities.

A coordinator is just one person, and the different roles call for many different skills and personality types.

In truth, TimeBanking is all about mutual contribution, so creating a TimeBank where members are fully engaged and invested in its operations and management is vital to its success.

The Heart and Soul of a TimeBank
The Membership Coordinator is the heart and soul of a TimeBank. Membership Coordinators usually perform the team leader role as well. Here are some of the qualities a membership coordinator needs:
Above all, Membership Coordinators are warm, friendly and non-judgmental. You will also need:

• Good listening skills
• An ability to form accurate impressions of people
• The ability to draw people out and help members discover what skills they have that are valuable to your community
• To be very good at following up and making sure that everyone keeps their commitments

Knowing a lot of people in the community isn’t a core part of the membership coordinator role. What counts is that you know how to make people feel comfortable when you meet them. Coordinators are team players who know how to create an atmosphere that welcomes everyone—regardless of their race or background—into your TimeBank community.
More than anything else, though, membership coordinators know how to follow through and make sure that everyone keeps their commitments!

Make Sure You have a Full Team
When you look over the roles you’ll notice that many of them require quite different personalities.

• The TimeBank Ambassador know lots of people and loves to meet new people all the time, but not necessarily in depth.
• The Events Coordinator loves to throw parties.
• The Web Master is the one person in your TimeBank who actually read the manual.
• The Administrator loves to write and cross off lists.

No one is good at everything. Make sure you know your strengths and weaknesses. Strange to tell, but there is someone out there who loves to do the jobs that make you squirm. You’ll greatly increase the chance of success for your TimeBank if you can build a team of people who all love their role—and rotate them so they no one gets burned out.

Contact us to help us change your world for the better.  info@LMTimeBank.org or 778-232-5388

Come discover TimeBanking for you. Help create a neighbourhood network by bringing TimeBanking to your community. Find a meeting place and we will come to inform and educate on the why and how of TimeBanking.

Real People Real Benefits TimeBanking UK