Timebanking is a kind of money. Give one hour of service to another, and receive one time credit.
For one person to earn a time credit, however, someone else has to agree to give it. Timebanking happens when a network or circle of members have agreed that they will give and receive credits for services that other members provide. Those networks are called “timebanks.”
That’s almost it.
To be successful, timebanks need leadership – or perhaps the better word is “governance.” They need agreements around what’s OK and what’s not OK in relation to earning and spending. To guide those, one additional and most important aspect of timebanking is the core values.
Edgar Cahn is the founder of modern timebanking. He noticed that successful timebanks almost always work with some specific core values in place. In his book No More Throw-Away People, he listed four values. Later, he added a fifth. These have come to be widely shared as the five core values of timebanking – and most timebanks strive to follow them. They are a strong starting point for successful timebanking.
Asset Every one of us has something of value to share with someone else.
Redefining Work There are some forms of work that money will not easily pay for, like building strong families, revitalizing neighborhoods, making democracy work, advancing social justice. Time credits were designed to reward, recognize and honor that work.
Reciprocity Helping that works as a two-way street empowers everyone involved – the receiver as well as the giver. The question: “How can I help you?” needs to change so we ask: “Will you help someone too?” Paying it forward ensures that, together, we help each other build the world we all will live in.
Social Networks Helping each other, we reweave communities of support, strength & trust. Community is built by sinking roots, building trust, creating networks. By using timebanking, we can strengthen and support these activities.
Respect Respect underlies freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and everything we value. Respect supplies the heart and soul of democracy. We strive to respect where people are in the moment, not where we hope they will be at some future point.
Timebanking was designed by Edgar Cahn to encourage the kinds of giving and receiving that will help to build and support families, neighborhoods and communities – what economist Neva Goodwin calls the “core economy.”
Edgar believed that Timebanking could also play a powerful role in achieving a more equal society. That’s because the “golden rule” of timebanking is this: All hours are equal, regardless of the nature of the act. An hour of baby-sitting earns one time credit. An hour of legal help earns one time credit. An hour of kitchen clean-up earns one time credit.
Timebanks may use paper notes for their time credits.
Many timebanks use on-line timebanking software. The software makes it possible to keep track of who are the timebank members, what are the services they offer or seek, and what services they have actually given or received.
This time banking concept is being used in various western countries to cope with the crisis of elderly people being sent to old people homes as they become useless and burden for their families and government has to arrange and mange their expenses and needs.
In Switzerland, “Time Bank” was an old-age pension program developed by the Swiss Federal Ministry of Social Security. People get time credit for the the time to take care of the elderly when they were young, and waited until they were old, ill or needed care. Their service hours will be deposited into the personal accounts of the social security system.
It looks like a very nice idea to create a strong community that helps each other. But why do we need to work for our society with some kind of pay back or incentive? Why do we need be payed back for care, selflessness, dedication, loyalty, commitment and love? Can we earn back these values through a bank? I dont think so.
Why these values cant be delivered, without expecting a return? Do we think about having a return of favor form our children while taking care of them them from the day one till the time they grow up enough to take care of themselves? Do we bring a soul into this world for our own worldly gains and want our time and value given deposited or credited into a time bank for our future use?
If we expect our young ones to return that love care loyalty dedication commitment to us the same way we gave them, then I guess we deserve to be sent to old people homes.
Because if we are dumb enough to understand that these pure values grow into to others by themselves when we give them. When you are loyal to your family, selfless to your family, dedicated to your community and neighbors and committed to the society there is no way you don't get it back from them. Not necessarily the exact same way but you always get it back . But there is only one condition, your intentions must be pure and selfless and you are ding that as a sacrifice.
You dont need a bank to take care of that for you to get those values back to you when you need them.
What do you think all those heroes were expecting form us ? Those great people like Mother Tressa, or Adbul Sattar Edhi would have wanted a time bank? Can we return those great services to them anyway?
When are we going to stop thinking like a banker or an economist? playing with greed and needs of people now playing with emotions and values as well. Always up for a competition and a return. How a man can be so sure that he is going to live that long to invest time effort and values into a bank expecting a return in his old age?
For one person to earn a time credit, however, someone else has to agree to give it. Timebanking happens when a network or circle of members have agreed that they will give and receive credits for services that other members provide. Those networks are called “timebanks.”
That’s almost it.
To be successful, timebanks need leadership – or perhaps the better word is “governance.” They need agreements around what’s OK and what’s not OK in relation to earning and spending. To guide those, one additional and most important aspect of timebanking is the core values.
Edgar Cahn is the founder of modern timebanking. He noticed that successful timebanks almost always work with some specific core values in place. In his book No More Throw-Away People, he listed four values. Later, he added a fifth. These have come to be widely shared as the five core values of timebanking – and most timebanks strive to follow them. They are a strong starting point for successful timebanking.
Asset Every one of us has something of value to share with someone else.
Redefining Work There are some forms of work that money will not easily pay for, like building strong families, revitalizing neighborhoods, making democracy work, advancing social justice. Time credits were designed to reward, recognize and honor that work.
Reciprocity Helping that works as a two-way street empowers everyone involved – the receiver as well as the giver. The question: “How can I help you?” needs to change so we ask: “Will you help someone too?” Paying it forward ensures that, together, we help each other build the world we all will live in.
Social Networks Helping each other, we reweave communities of support, strength & trust. Community is built by sinking roots, building trust, creating networks. By using timebanking, we can strengthen and support these activities.
Respect Respect underlies freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and everything we value. Respect supplies the heart and soul of democracy. We strive to respect where people are in the moment, not where we hope they will be at some future point.
Timebanking was designed by Edgar Cahn to encourage the kinds of giving and receiving that will help to build and support families, neighborhoods and communities – what economist Neva Goodwin calls the “core economy.”
Edgar believed that Timebanking could also play a powerful role in achieving a more equal society. That’s because the “golden rule” of timebanking is this: All hours are equal, regardless of the nature of the act. An hour of baby-sitting earns one time credit. An hour of legal help earns one time credit. An hour of kitchen clean-up earns one time credit.
Timebanks may use paper notes for their time credits.
Many timebanks use on-line timebanking software. The software makes it possible to keep track of who are the timebank members, what are the services they offer or seek, and what services they have actually given or received.
This time banking concept is being used in various western countries to cope with the crisis of elderly people being sent to old people homes as they become useless and burden for their families and government has to arrange and mange their expenses and needs.
In Switzerland, “Time Bank” was an old-age pension program developed by the Swiss Federal Ministry of Social Security. People get time credit for the the time to take care of the elderly when they were young, and waited until they were old, ill or needed care. Their service hours will be deposited into the personal accounts of the social security system.
It looks like a very nice idea to create a strong community that helps each other. But why do we need to work for our society with some kind of pay back or incentive? Why do we need be payed back for care, selflessness, dedication, loyalty, commitment and love? Can we earn back these values through a bank? I dont think so.
Why these values cant be delivered, without expecting a return? Do we think about having a return of favor form our children while taking care of them them from the day one till the time they grow up enough to take care of themselves? Do we bring a soul into this world for our own worldly gains and want our time and value given deposited or credited into a time bank for our future use?
If we expect our young ones to return that love care loyalty dedication commitment to us the same way we gave them, then I guess we deserve to be sent to old people homes.
Because if we are dumb enough to understand that these pure values grow into to others by themselves when we give them. When you are loyal to your family, selfless to your family, dedicated to your community and neighbors and committed to the society there is no way you don't get it back from them. Not necessarily the exact same way but you always get it back . But there is only one condition, your intentions must be pure and selfless and you are ding that as a sacrifice.
You dont need a bank to take care of that for you to get those values back to you when you need them.
What do you think all those heroes were expecting form us ? Those great people like Mother Tressa, or Adbul Sattar Edhi would have wanted a time bank? Can we return those great services to them anyway?
When are we going to stop thinking like a banker or an economist? playing with greed and needs of people now playing with emotions and values as well. Always up for a competition and a return. How a man can be so sure that he is going to live that long to invest time effort and values into a bank expecting a return in his old age?
