.......

Feierabend = German: evening celebration
World Traveler = In the evening of my life my main ambition is to know the One
who created me, who loves this world, and to give the light and love that I've been
given where-ever I may be! He came into this world to give life abundantly!
Let's celebrate life!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

TiMeBaNk!!!!

Rather than write my own description of the TimeBank, I've just posted below their own Overview!  It truly is one of the more exciting things I've come across.  I'm currently reviewing and analyzing how organizations currently are utilizing the time bank here in Dane County (Madison) to help them think through how to facilitate greater participation and collaboration.  I am sure you will be hearing more about this as I post while I learn more and get more involved.

I hope you find this interesting.  Check out on this website http://www.timebanks.org/ to find out if there is a TimeBank near you and learn more about how it works in your community....I certainly welcome any comments of other experiences.

Dane County TimeBank: An Overview

The Dane County TimeBank is a network of individuals and organizations in Dane County working to increase efficiency, opportunity and resource sharing through mutually beneficial exchange -- building community ties and community self-sufficiency. 


TimeBanks exist to promote exchanges that honor five core values:

Assets
We are all assets.
Every human being has something to contribute.

Redefining Work
Some work is beyond price.
Work has to be redefined to value whatever it takes to raise healthy children, build strong families, revitalize neighborhoods, make democracy work, advance social justice, and make the planet sustainable. That kind of work needs to be honored, recorded and rewarded.

Reciprocity
Helping works better as a two-way street.
The question: “How can I help you?” needs to change so we ask: “How can we help each other build the world we both will live in?”

Social Networks
We need each other.
Networks are stronger than individuals. People helping each other reweave communities of support, strength & trust. Community is built upon sinking roots, building trust, creating networks. Special relationships are built on commitment.

Respect
Every human being matters.
Respect underlies freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and everything we value. Respect supplies the heart and soul of democracy. When respect is denied to anyone, we all are injured. We must respect where people are in the moment, not where we hope they will be at some future point.

Text Box: TimeBanks exist to promote exchanges that honor five core values: Assets We are all assets. Every human being has something to contribute. Redefining Work Some work is beyond price. Work has to be redefined to value whatever it takes to raise healthy children, build strong families, revitalize neighborhoods, make democracy work, advance social justice, and make the planet sustainable. That kind of work needs to be honored, recorded and rewarded. Reciprocity Helping works better as a two-way street. The question: “How can I help you?” needs to change so we ask: “How can we help each other build the world we both will live in?” Social Networks We need each other. Networks are stronger than individuals. People helping each other reweave communities of support, strength & trust. Community is built upon sinking roots, building trust, creating networks. Special relationships are built on commitment. Respect Every human being matters. Respect underlies freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and everything we value. Respect supplies the heart and soul of democracy. When respect is denied to anyone, we all are injured. We must respect where people are in the moment, not where we hope they will be at some future point. See http://timebanks.org for more about the Timebanking movement

TimeBank members are a caring and interconnected community of people who help each other by sharing our abilities, talents, and experiences. By both giving and receiving, we learn to appreciate the value of each and every member and also come to believe in the value of our own contributions. Instead of separating our community into those who need and those who provide, we recognize that we all have needs and gifts to share. When members provide a service for other members, one TimeBank Hour is earned for each hour spent providing the service. Members can then exchange each TimeBank Hour earned for an hour of service from someone else.









The Dane County TimeBank (DCTB), with a focus on equality and community building, strives to encourage all members' strengths and involvement. TimeBank Member Coordinators take great care in matching individuals for the success and benefit of all involved in each exchange. We believe through these exchanges members build positive relationships and we broaden support networks within the community. Things that may not be as accessible due to financial situations, insurance, qualifying factors, etc. become accessible to everyone through timebanking.

Since its launch in October 2005 the Dane County TimeBank – the first of its kind in Wisconsin – has grown rapidly and is recognized as a leader in the international TimeBanking movement. The Dane County TimeBank has hosted the 2007 and 2009 International TimeBanking Conferences.  In an era of declining government funding, TimeBanking provides a practical tool to mobilize the resources of citizens in a community in a way that enables people from diverse backgrounds to know and help each other, reweaving community and building trust and skills.
Text Box: Governance The Dane County TimeBank (DCTB) is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of between 9 and 20 members. The Dane County TimeBank is the umbrella under which neighborhood- and program-based TimeBank hubs operate. TimeBank members in a given neighborhood or organization may elect their own Kitchen Cabinet/Steering Team, made up of a representative sampling of members which will make day-to-day policy decisions for that TimeBank area. While they may have different outreach strategies for their neighborhood, they continue to operate under the broader policy structure provided by the Dane County TimeBank and determined by the DCT Board of Directors. TimeBank staff have trained member coordinators to conduct new member intake in their neighborhoods. Six areas of the county-North, East, South, Central, Stoughton/Oregon and Middleton-currently boast TimeBank “Kitchen Cabinets.” A Kitchen Cabinet is a neighborhood steering team made up of active TimeBank members and organizations within a given geographic area or interest area. Kitchen Cabinets conduct outreach in their areas, help recruit members who have skills that are underrepresented, keep in touch with members to help ensure that all members are able to get their needs met. Kitchen Cabinets also host regular events where members can meet and get to know each other. In addition, Kitchen Cabinets may organize special projects in their respective neighborhoods, such as the Allied Allies' work on Maxine's TimeBankStore, in an effort to fill needs in their neighborhood. The Northside Neighbor-to-Neighbor TimeBank was the first in Dane County and the first to elect a Kitchen Cabinet. The member policies adopted by the Northside Kitchen Cabinet are used by the entire Dane County TimeBank. Call or email Gary at 608 663-0400 or gary@danecountyTimeBank.org to get involved. Action Teams Beginning 2010 the Board of Directors created several Action Teams. Comprised of interested and active members and Board representatives, the Action Teams are charged with identifying and implementing systems and improvements in the TimeBank a. Project Oversight - includes: TimeBankStore, Youth Court, Prison Reentry, Weatherization, Transit Mobility b. Events c. Fundraising/Sustainability/Resource Development d. Outreach/PR e. Membership - Policy, Procedure, Functionality To get involved in an Action Team contact Stephanie at 608 443-8229 or info@danecountytimebank.orgThe DCTB began as a pilot project in partnership with the Northside Planning Council with financial support from a City of Madison's Neighborhood Leadership and Capacity Building grant. Since 2005, the Dane County TimeBank has rapidly expanded throughout the county and has added special projects such as the TimeBank's Youth Court program, the TimeBank Store, the Community Justice and Homecoming Project, and support and empowerment of the developmental disabilities community. A primary objective of the service exchange model is to empower residents from all walks of life to create positive changes in their own communities. The TimeBank is a leadership development tool for youth, a provider of resources for individual community members, a pool of resources and springboard to address community concerns, and an organizing tool. 

An explicit goal of the Dane County TimeBank is to provide a mechanism to facilitate the sharing and exchange of resources among organizations that are often put in a position of competing for limited resources. This approach reduces strain on municipal budgets and human service providers, provides opportunities for restorative justice, and offers a chance for everyone to work together to address community needs.  The Dane County TimeBank partners with local organizations to develop programs to meet local needs. The TimeBank has attracted funding from Dane County Human Services, Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance and Community Shares of Wisconsin to support a paid staff of three.
Projects

A goal of Dane Co. TimeBank is to use the TimeBank structure to create and support projects that accomplish what people want for their own communities. At any given time we may have more informal projects that you can learn about at http://danecountytimebank.org. The following projects are ongoing programs within the Dane Co. TimeBank.

TimeBank Youth Court:

The mission of the TimeBank Youth Court is to provide an alternative to the juvenile justice system so youth can willingly take responsibility for their actions, make amends and build healthy and productive relationships to create a safer, more caring community.

The TimeBank Youth Court gives teens in trouble an opportunity to go to a jury of their peers rather than get a ticket or other formal consequence. The peer jury generally sentences youth to serve on the jury and to take part in activities that can help them succeed in the long run. These activities can include: writing letters of apology to victims or other restorative justice activities, participating in life skills or mentoring programs, tutoring younger kids, serving on the jury, and more. When young persons' sentences are complete they have the option to continue their service, earning TimeBank Hours. Our goal is to keep kids in programs that they enjoy and are benefiting from, helping them to maintain a strong social network and build their skills, capacity, and work experience. We are modeling this program on Washington DC's Time Dollar Youth Court. The TimeBank Youth Court is now underway in Madison's North and East sides, LaFollette High School, and South Madison. If you would like to get involved please call Lorrie at (608) 663-0400 or send an email.

Prison Reentry

Several organizations have teamed up to use the TimeBank structure to assist people coming out of prison in re-integrating with their communities. In addition to teaching Non-Violent Communication and meditation classes in prisons, TimeBank members are also providing Circles of Support for formerly incarcerated people, helping to connect them with other TimeBank members to build references, skills, trust and access to resources. If you would like to get involved please call (608) 663-0400 or email Cheri Maples at cheri@mindfulnessandjustice.org.

Maxine's TimeBank Store

Dane Co. TimeBank operates a store where members can get donated goods using TimeBank Hours they've earned helping in the community. The store is located at 2225 Allied Drive.To learn more or to help staff the store please contact Gary at gary@danecountyTimeBank.org or (608) 663-0400.




For more information see http://danecountytimebank.org
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