Mobilising The Real Wealth of Community - An Article by Alana Tobin

People around the world are increasingly concerned and even fearful about the present state of our economy and the real possibility of a recession turning into a depression. Having grown dependent upon an economic system which has increasingly failed us now our economy is in a rapid state of decline. As a growing number of people are losing their jobs and homes, many are finding themselves in rather precarious and even dire circumstances. Should the economy significantly worsen none of us likes to imagine what this may mean for us personally.

Through utilising a time bank trade exchange system we can more directly determine our welfare and our quality of life, and we are likely to discover that we have an abundance of untapped skills and resources available to us.

Our current transient and mobile lifestyle often has many feeling fragmented and has for many damaged our sense of belonging to a meaningful community. Through timebanking, we have a tremendous potential to heal our fragmented relationships as we mobilise the real wealth within community.

Timebanking honours the unique skills that each has to offer and strengthens community through reciprocity. With a time bank there is the sharing of time and skills between members and trades are often measured by the time it takes to complete the trade. Each negotiates an hour of their time through a mutual exchange system.

For some identifying skills can be a challenge as they've become accustomed to identifying their skills with jobs done within the local market economy. A coordinator can assist such individuals to recognise what each has to offer whilst assisting participating members to identify the resources which can potentially be exchanged within the system.

As initiator of the Time Bank and the Time Dollar, Edgar Cahn wrote, “Let's move from a deficit model to an asset based one by harnessing under utilised human resources to help address critical social problems. Let's rebuild the non market economy of family, neighbourhood and community.”

Author of 'No More Throw Away People,' Edgar introduced the idea of timebanking and inspired many to look at how each of us is a valuable asset to the community. “ Edgar goes on to say, “As communities become more self reliant through utilising a time bank, isolation, fear and poverty diminish and everyone benefits.” To learn more about timebanking and Edgar's seminal work, visit the website Timebanks.org

The Lyttelton Time Bank is the first in New Zealand, with 15 participating organizations and businessess and 200 active members. However with the decline of the economy and more needing to turn to alternative solutions, those numbers are rapidly growing. The Lyttelton Project received direct funding along with income from a local farmers market to grow their time bank system. They hired a core staff to coordinate the project and to facilitate trading.
Their Website: Project Lyttelton

Two additional websites worthy of investigation listing trade/exchange and green dollar resources in New Zealand and abroad. Community Exchange Network and the Living Economies website.

If you are interested to become involved in a time bank in the far north or wish to volunteer some of your time to assist the time bank mission, we invite you to attend the next Transition Town Trade Exchange Meeting, which is scheduled for the 12th October Monday 5:30pm, at The Sea Dragon Restaurant - located at 185 Commerce Street in Kaitaia.

To become involved contact Alana, placing Timebank in the Subject line: Email: alana_mystic@yahoo.com - or Email John to receive notice of future meetings and project updates, Email: john@cleangreenmachine.co.nz or call John at 09 406 7774.