The Time Bank Movement: Social Change at Timebanks.org

Time banking is a term coined by timebanks.org referring to a spin on the concept of paying it forward involving spending an hour or more of your time in a given day to helping other people however you are able.

The timebanks website allows users to create an account where they are able to keep track of how much time they have spent giving back to their community. Each hour counts as a “time dollar,” and the site adds up a bank of time bucks for community services rendered. Participants can then choose to cash in their time dollars to have someone do something for you.

The way it works is this. Somebody starts a time bank for their own community using timebanks.org’s website. Users join their community’s website and post a list of the sort of favors or volunteering that they believe they can provide. Any group can start a time banks, from nonprofits to faith-based organizations to community groups to local businesses. As they begin accruing time dollars by doing these services, they can then buy services from other participants. The result creates a community of individuals helping one another with their own special abilities and needs without the use of charity and without requiring pure altruism.

The sorts of activities or services that members provide depend on what type of community that is participating. For instance, a friendly neighborhood could include community cleanups, potluck dinners, neighborhood watch, etc. Other groups might provide eldercare, health care, web site development, counseling, or whatever skills that the community might have in common or need.

Pretty cool. More details about time banks are available at timebanks.org.