Timebank Auckland Membership Agreement
Date of revision 19th May 2023
Timebank Auckland – Our Agreement With You
Introduction
This agreement is for individuals who are joining a local timebank in the Auckland Region. When you join your local timebank you automatically join Timebank Auckland, the umbrella organisation for timebanks in the Auckland Region.
The purpose of this agreement is to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all Timebank Auckland members, and to protect the operation of local timebanks in the Auckland Region. It describes your rights and responsibilities as a member of your local timebank, and what you can expect from us.
This Agreement may change from time to time. You will be informed of any significant changes to the membership agreement. The modified terms will be available on the website and will apply from the date of any change, as recorded at the top of the Membership Agreement page. If you continue to use the Timebank website after this date, you accept the modified terms.
For more information about how your Timebank operates go to https://timebankauckland.nz/timebank-operations/
Who we are
Timebank Auckland is the umbrella group supporting local timebanks across the Auckland region. There is currently one active timebanks operating in Auckland which is based in Sandringham at Gribblehirst Hub. It is called Timebank Central Auckland TBAC.
Timebank Central Auckland operates through a Auckland Central Facebook private group and timebank software called Time and Talents and provided by HourWorld in USA.
Our commitment to you
Mission:
Through exchanging skills, time and knowledge within our community we foster relationships of trust and reciprocity. We harness the inherent wealth of the community and the value of each individual.
Timebank Auckland is a network of people and local timebanks in Auckland who share offers and requests of help, skills and resources in an open forum, to connect people and help create community. We are committed to supporting the safety, enjoyment and wellbeing of local timebank members. To help with this, each Timebank offers the assistance of dedicated coordinators, contactable via phone, email and Facebook, to assist members through the process of engagement.
We help local Auckland timebanks to collaborate and connect around events, share resources, and provide opportunities for members to participate in events, exchange skills, and earn and spend time credits with other members. These exchanges will be advertised, facilitated and recorded using the Facebook group, Timebank Auckland website xxx , through the Timebank coordinators and through local affiliated groups and organisations. Local timebanks are free to make their own decisions regarding details of how they operate.
Timebank Auckland is committed to being open to people of all ages and abilities. In order to facilitate the engagement of less internet-connected, less-abled, and vulnerable people (eg the elderly and minors), a “Guardian Angel” arrangement is used, where such members can engage through the assistance of a nominated, responsible adult.
Membership of Timebank Auckland is currently free, but this may shift to a subscription model at some point as software and running costs of the timebank in the future may incur costs which are out of our control.
When a breach of the Membership Agreement has occurred, coordinators will attempt to mediate conflicts. However, as a community, members are expected to play a large role in resolving disputes through open and/ or mediated discussion wherever reasonable. If harm is caused, more serious restorative accountability processes can be held at the discretion of the person harmed.
Timebank Auckland Membership Agreement
Code of Conduct
Our community thrives with a culture of care, and this includes important expectations of all members. As a member of Timebank Auckland you agree to the following standards of behaviour that Timebank Auckland subscribes to:
- Members have the right to a safe environment where they are treated with respect, dignity and privacy.
- Members do not discriminate against other Timebank members.
- Everyone is welcome to participate in the Timebank regardless of ethnicity, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, and religious and cultural beliefs as long as they adhere to this agreement.
- Members may not enter other members’ homes unless expressly invited.
- Members will not pressure or harass other members in person, by phone, the Facebook group, or by email.
- Members agree to report any suspicion or incidence of abuse to a Timebank coordinator.
Safety protocols
To help ensure safety of yourself and Timebank Auckland members, you agree to:
- Take responsibility to keep yourself and your property safe.
- Cooperate with reasonable requests made of you by a Timebank coordinator to help keep Timebank members safe.
- Participate with good intent in Timebank Auckland, and treat your fellow members with courtesy, kindness and discretion.
- In receiving a service, undertake to do your best to ensure the health and safety of the member providing that service.
- Provide truthful personal information.
- If another Timebank member has made you feel unsafe for any reason, share that information with a coordinator.
- Keep any password information secure.
- Not share member contact information with other members without permission.
Responsibility around offers and requests
- Local timebanks operating under the Timebank Auckland umbrella provide opportunities for members to share offers and requests; such exchanges should be agreed between parties in advance of the support or service being provided.
- When an exchange has associated costs, such as for materials or petrol, these are to be worked out fairly between Timebank members involved in the exchange.
- You should only provide Timebank services if you reasonably believe that you have the capability, skills and necessary qualifications (if any are required) to provide those services. For example, if you have an illness or medical condition you should not undertake any activities that would adversely affect your health.
- When members initiate an exchange with other members, it is at their own risk.
- When you complete a trade, it must be recorded in your account. You agree to do so, or inform a coordinator of the details of the trade, so that the coordinator (or alternatively your designated Guardian Angel) can record the exchange in your account.
- You agree not to pass on information relating to offers and requests to non-members without the permission of the person who made the request.
- Should a trade be inadvertently recorded twice, you will notify the other member and agree to reverse the exchange or jointly ask a coordinator to do so.
- Where relevant (e.g. building, electrical or plumbing work), you must ensure that you have all required licences and consents, and relevant insurances, and that you comply with the law when you provide any Timebank services.
- You are entitled to decline offers and requests without having to provide a reason.
- Where any dispute arises between you and another Timebank Auckland member you agree in good faith to attempt to resolve the dispute amicably through negotiation or other informal means before pursuing any formal action.
Use of Timebank Auckland organisation and member information
Local timebanks under the Timebank Auckland umbrella operate in the gift and sharing economy and promote open exchanges based on time. As such, using member information or any Timebank Auckland organisation for personal financial gain, to promote a personal agenda or dishonestly is unacceptable. As a member of Timebank Auckland you agree not to make claims that are misleading, deceptive, or false, or to promote illegal activities.
Privacy
- Information provided by members to Timebank Auckland and its local timebanks during sign up and while participating in the Timebank will be used to help run the Timebank, assist with funding applications, and keep members and their property safe. If necessary for safety reasons, information you provide may be given to relevant authorities.
- Timebank Auckland and its local timebanks will not use your information for commercial gain, or pass it on to advertisers, marketers, commercial enterprises or government agencies (unless required to by law).
- To help facilitate trades Timebank Auckland and its local timebanks may pass on offers and requests to other members, including via the Facebook private group. Coordinators will only share your information with other members to help facilitate such exchanges. Email by default will be visible to other members but you are welcome to change this.
- Photographs of members may be shared within the Timebank Auckland network without permission of the member. Photographs used for promotional purposes require permission of members in the given photograph.
- We recommend that you are cautious about what you share with members not personally known to you. Members are required by our code of conduct to maintain privacy over information that is disclosed by other members, but you are the person most responsible for looking after your own privacy.
- All information is stored online in 3rd party software. This software is selected for its good reputation and Timebank Auckland relies on the security of the servers of companies to keep your information private. Therefore we cannot guarantee security or privacy of any of this information. This includes Facebook, Airtable, Mailchimp and Timebank USA.
Liability
- Timebank Auckland and local timebanks under its umbrella are not liable for any loss, damages, expenses, costs or charges of any kind, which you suffer or incur arising from your participation in Timebank Auckland or a local timebank under the Timebank Auckland umbrella.
- Timebank Auckland and its local timebanks do not offer any guarantees about either the background or skills of its members.
- As a member you agree to indemnify Timebank Auckland from any loss, liability, damages, expenses, costs or charges of any kind which the Timebank suffers or incurs arising from your participation in Timebank Auckland.
- As Timebank Auckland and its local timebanks do not automatically undertake a Ministry of Justice check or vetting of members it is the responsibility of each member to deal with other members in good faith, and to make their own decisions about who they are happy to exchange with, and on what basis. This especially applies where in-house services, the care of vulnerable people and/or driving are concerned.
- You are responsible for any tax or other liabilities incurred in relation to Timebank services you provide to or receive from other Timebank Auckland members.
Termination
- You and Timebank Auckland may terminate this agreement at any time. Timebank Auckland has the right to terminate a membership in the event of any conduct by the member which Timebank Auckland considers to be a substantial failure by the member to comply with the terms of this agreement, including the Code of Conduct. A prolonged period of non-involvement in Timebank activities may result in termination of membership.
- If Timebank Auckland has reason to suspect that a member has engaged in any unlawful activity, and reasonably believes that disclosure is necessary, Timebank Auckland will forward the issue to the appropriate authority.
- Should you terminate your membership of Timebank Auckland you will need to request that a coordinator disable your Timebank Auckland profile.
Should you decide to terminate your membership of Timebank Auckland your time-credits will be forfeited.