A new animated video has been released by Warwickshire County Council to show individuals and community groups how they can make a difference by joining the increasing number of volunteers taking p...
A new animated video has been released by Warwickshire County Council to show individuals and community groups how they can make a difference by joining the increasing number of volunteers taking part in the county’s timebanks.
Timebanking is a simple social way to connect with other people to swap or share skills and services. It brings together volunteers to support, and receive support from, their neighbours in their communities.
The co-ordinators of Time4Warwickshire, Warwickshire County Council’s timebank initiative that links residents with their local timebank, have produced the animation to explain how timebanking works.
You can watch the video on the Warwickshire County Council YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fii0yvJ4fMc.
Timebanking works by mutual exchange of time in the form of credits – one hour for one credit. It is a way for people to help others in their community and be rewarded for it, in time.
For every hour you give helping someone, you receive one hour back, called a time credit.
Timebanking is for everyone, any age, any ability, and background. Every person has the same value. Everyone’s time is valued equally, so one hour of sharing skills or helping others is recognised by giving that person one hour as a time credit – a community loyalty point.
Credits can be spent to purchase other members’ skills or services, or bank them to use in the future. Alternatively, you can donate them to the community pot to help others.
Examples of the type of activities and support that can been offered and received through timebanking, as demonstrated in the animation, include everything from help with household tasks like putting pictures on a wall, to support with completing business paperwork, to learning Spanish!
Warwickshire County Council is calling on communities in the county to create timebanks where they don’t currently exist, and for individuals to join their local timebanks where they are already up and running.
To join, you need to be over 14 years old and have two people who can vouch for you.
All volunteers will be given guidance to ensure they have the support and skills they need by their local Time4Warwickshire timebank.
Councillor Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate & Culture, said:
“Timebanking provides a brilliant opportunity to support your neighbours and help your community get better and stronger as we start to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Volunteers already make a huge contribution to our county and there are many ways in which we can support our friends, families, colleagues and communities.
“Timebanking is a fantastic way of using your skills to help others, getting help for things you need and, most wonderfully of all, continuing to make a difference in your community.
“With six timebanks already, Warwickshire’s timebanking offer is set to make a difference, but there will be great community benefits when there are more schemes across the county.
“Time4Warwickshire desperately needs local groups to run our timebanks. Be part of this expanding community network and help improve our lives in Warwickshire, one hour at a time.”
Time4Warwickshire works in partnership with Timebanking UK and is part of a fantastic self-support network of 250 timebanks across the country, presently doing hundreds of hours of help and support through the COVID-19 pandemic to aid recovery.
Warwickshire County Council is encouraging people to be part of that recovery and take part in timebanking, which is effectively "one to one volunteering". Timebanking relies on the goodwill of people, organisations, and communities to work.
Timebanking can be accessed through a computer, mobile app, or a telephone call. Visit https://tol2.timebanking.org/time4warwickshire for more information.
Anybody thinking of joining or setting up a timebank in their local area should contact the Time4Warwickshire’s Mick Spicer on 07825 938396, email: t4wtimebanks@warwickshire.gov.uk or search ‘Time4Warwickshire’ on Facebook.