Social Time Banks

This program was implemented between Oct 2005 and July 2006. The ProBonus Fund provided the funding for this program.

The goal of the project was the practical testing of the possibility of introducing Social Time Bank as a method that activates and integrates local communities in selected infrastructure organizations. This program is an attempt to revert to the older times when people used to helpe ach other without expecting anything in return. Such a mutual providing of services to one another free of charge restores social trust. It also serves to integrate communities, as anyone can join in. While supporting the establishment of Time Banks we specifically emphasized the creation of a new formula of social participation addressed to less active individuals, with-drawn from the community (the elderly, disabled, etc.)

Six organizations worked in cooperation. In each of the six locations taking part in this project there was one local organization that supported the creation of the Social Bank with the help of the Academy. Each organization was allowed to develop their own strategy for creating the banks. This allowed for innovative ideas. The Academy organized meetings for partners, during which they compared their strategy and exchange experiences. A training session was also organized, which served the purpose of determining and explaining the framework for Social Time Banks.

Accomplishments:

• We ran training and ad hoc consultancy for the Programme&quote;s participants.

• We formulated the principles of establishing and running Social Time Banks. All such materials were made available at: www.czasnawzajem.pl, and subsequently enriched with the experience of the newly established Banks, they were published.

• Time Banks were established in 6 towns (Goleniów, Maszewo, Kutno, Radom, Słupsk, Tczew); in the Lesznowola Commune the establishing of Time Bansk became an element of Commune"s strategy, grouping over 100 people committed to exchanging their services on regular basis.

• A specific computer program Electronic System for Service Register was devised for the Programme. This software allows to record all the exchanges and participants of the Bank, available to everyone interested at Programme"s website.

• Programme"s assessment was carried out, with the results presented in the published materials. We held a seminar to promote the concept of Time Banks.

• By implementing one common undertaking the Programme allowed to tighten cooperation between infrastructural organisa-tions associated in the ProBonus Fund