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Why TimeBanking?
TimeBanks Strengthen Communities
If you would like to learn a new skill, need help with yard work or childcare or need a ride to an appointment, You’ve come to the right place. If you have TIME to help a neighbor in need by cooking a meal, painting a room or tutoring a student, YOU ARE NEEDED! Help get a TimeBank branch growing your community What can you do with your TimeCredits? You can spend your TimeCredits when you need a ride, childcare, basic home repair or any number of other services. You can give them to a member of your family or a friend who needs help. You can save them for the future. How much Time is required? You can participate as much as you are able, there are no requirements. Many of our members are busy people, who help others while they go about their regular routines, such as transportation or cooking. Four Core Values with TimeBanking Assets: The real wealth of a society is its people. Every human being can be a builder and a contributor. Redefining Work: Work must be redefined to include whatever it takes to rear healthy children, preserve families, make neighborhoods safe and vibrant, care for the frail and vulnerable, attack injustice, and make democracy work. Reciprocity: The impulse to give back is universal. Wherever possible, we must replace all forms of one-way acts of helping with two-way transactions, so that “You need me” becomes “We need each other.” Social Capital: Human beings require a social infrastructure as essential as roads, bridges, and utility lines. Social networks require ongoing investments of social capital generated by trust, reciprocity, and civic engagement. Real change is created when:
How to create all that? TimeBanking is one great way..... Needs: Everyone has simple needs that can easily be fulfilled, not by a professional or government but a friend. Most people have few friends and don't know how to aquire them. Abilities: Everyone has value and abilities that they would enjoy sharing and contributiing to another person. The question is who? Who would appreciate a helping hand, companionship and whatever unique skills or knowledge one has picked up along life's path? Unmet needs + Unexpressed abilities + TimeBanking = small miracles Self-assessment Questionnaire IS TimeBanking RIGHT FOR YOU? PLEASE TAKE THIS SIMPLE TEST TO FIND OUT. On a scale of 1 to 10 how far do you agree with the following statements? 0 – 3 = I strongly disagree - Not for me 4 – 6 = I am not sure - Maybe 7 – 10 = I agree - Absolutely! 1) The cash economy values things that are in short supply and not the real work of society which is being an active citizen and doing what we can to keep things in a good enough state to be of use to future generations. 2) If we pool the knowledge, skills, enthusiasm and collective wisdom of local people in any community we will have an unstoppable force with which to solve most social problems. 3) Accepting help from other people is easier if you know you will have the chance to pay them back. It is even easier if you also 'pay it forward' by building up a reputation as someone who, if asked, is good for a favour. 4) It would be very useful to have a local currency that rewards people when they co-operate just as automatically as conventional money rewards people when they set themselves up in competition with each other. 5) If we could all experience the warmth that comes from belonging to a mutually supportive social network then not so many of would feel the need to conspicuously consume unnecessary material goods. We Believe: People are the real wealth of
society. Everyone has gifts.
Fair, two-way exchange is the only sustainable kind. Valuable work includes whatever it takes to: • rear healthy children
• preserve families • care for the frail • redress injustice • have a democracy • celebrate life Community is worth investing in. TimeBanking IS:
TimeBanking is NOT:
Services you can provide and receive: Advocacy
Auto Maintenance Budgeting Car Wash Child Care Companionship Computer Help Cooking Dog Walking Errands Gardening Haircuts Handy Person Hauling Stuff Home Repair Home Visiting Housekeeping Interpreter Services Ironing/ Laundry Moving Music Lessons Phone Calling Resume Help Rides Shopping Snow Shoveling Translation Services  "People giving and receiving complete the circle." Help get a TimeBank branch growing your community site and contents copyright 2008 Lower Mainland TimeBank |
