Spending Time Wisely
The MJ Inclusion, 2 November 2001
Time banking not only enables people to share their skills but, explains Karen Smith, is a way of involving older people and those from minorities in decision-making, as Watford's experience reveals
As local authorities struggle to piece together the jigsaws of their Local Strategic Partnerships there is some positive participation news from Watford Council.
They pay local people in a new currency -- time -- for their advice on how to improve local services, and to monitor those services. Watford is the first UK local authority to use time banking to reward people for their involvement in local decision making.
Time banking is an idea initially from the States that is breathing new life into communities across the UK. A time bank is a way for local people to share their skills and experience with others in their area, and to get a helping hand when they need it. They earn time credits (one hour = one time credit) when they help someone out, and spend their time credits when they need a hand themselves.
Activities popular in time banks are the simple, important things that improve quality of life -- errands, writing letters, DIY, gardening, giving lifts and companion- ship. Credits are stored in free software, and a broker facilitates exchanges. Time banks are set up anywhere that people meet -- a doctor's surgery, library, community centre, drop in centre or school.
As UK-wide research has recently shown, time banks are an excellent way to engage with people who would not otherwise get involved in volunteering (51% of time bank participants would not otherwise volunteer their time). Time banks are also successful at including black and ethnic minority participants. The reciprocal nature of two-way exchanges is also an added incentive for those with time on their hands, such as older people.
So how has Watford Council adapted time banking to fit their needs? Watford Time Swap.
Time Swap was first piloted in Watford as part of the Better Government for Older People Programme. People aged 50 and over helped develop the project and to monitor and develop council services, particularly those forming part of the best value pilot:
* Older people attending the Project Partnership meetings were given time credits. The inclusive way this Project Partnership operated set future trends for involving communities in the decision making process of the council;
* Older people got involved with the council's two best value pilots. They gave time to children's homework and hobby clubs on one estate and have been monitoring 'Keeping the town clean' for town services. The council's planning and transportation service is exploring the idea of monitoring transport in Watford through Time Swap;
* As rewards, the council has given free swimming vouchers and will be considering vouchers for other leisure activities.
Time Swap has now been extended to all ages and fully launched in the community. and will be promoted and developed through the council's community centres. In effect, the council are an organisational member of Time Swap, on an equal footing with other participants.
Taking Watford's use of time banking an innovative step further, councils who are capacity building the voluntary sector involvement of their LSPs could hypothetically use a time bank to do so.
Organisations could identify skill needs and exchange tuition through a time bank --enabling better use of resources. Attendance at meetings could be time credited, as could wider community consultation. A time bank could provide a mechanism for developing and strengthening net- works between businesses. statutory sector and voluntary organisations.
Now there's a community empowerment challenge.
Karen Smith is time banks development manager at The New Economics Foundation. For more information, call Karen Smith on Tel: 020 7089 2849, e-mail: [email protected], or visit www.timebanks.co.uk
For more information on Watford Time Swap contact Julie Rogers, community services manager on Tel: 01923 226400 ext 8330 or e-mail: [email protected]
Banking on your time: older people can earn time credits helping others, then spend them when they need a helping hand