Timebank Auckland Central operations

Revised – 19/05/2023 – updated to remove Timebank Mangere and replace with Timebank Auckland Central as pilot timebank as well as update with how operations in the timebank have changed.

Overview

Timebank Auckland Central “the Timebank” or “TBAC” is a local timebanking group based out of Gribblehirst Hub in Sandringham www.ghub.nz. The Timebank is intended to support both individuals, groups, and some organisations and businesses, to provide support for its members and a sense of community without the use of money.

Timebank Auckland Central is an inclusive membership organisation which is open to people of different ages and stages in life, including to those with disabilities, and those with no internet connection. It helps members exchange offers and requests for help and support of various kinds, using notice boards, email, and phones to communicate, including for non-technically inclined people, and Facebook for those on Facebook.

TBAC is a local timebank in the Timebank Auckland network which uses software chosen by Timebank Auckland but makes its own operational decisions.

How to join Timebank Auckland Central

Individuals, groups and organisations may all join Timebank Auckland Central.

Individuals and groups
To join as an individual or a group you will need to complete this membership application form. Join here

Joining criteria for individuals

In order to join Timebank Auckland Central you are required to join the Timebank Auckland wider network and you must meet the following criteria:

Be at least 16 years old to apply. Younger people can become Timebank members with the on-going assistance and oversight of a Guardian Angel (such as a parent or caregiver) who is already a member of the Timebank.
Use your real name and your current address when you register as a member.
Provide information to Timebank Auckland that is current, complete and accurate at the time you provide it, and agree to update this information if it changes.
If you are not in anyway known to our currently membership we may request a character reference who is over 18 and who have known you for more than a year. Where you are applying with the assistance of a Guardian Angel that person can be one of your referees.

Timebank Auckland does not currently take steps to verify the information provided by you in your application. Timebank Auckland reserves the right to decline membership to any person who is not, in its sole discretion, a suitable applicant.

Joining criteria for organisations and businesses

Organisations, such as schools, and businesses may also join Timebank Auckland Central.

TBAC offers membership to organisations and businesses of many kinds, under the following conditions:

Where services are proposed to be offered for time credits, this is to be arranged by way of vouchers for such services which can be donated to TBAC or provided to TBAC in exchange for time-credits. Such arrangements can be organised through a Timebank coordinator.
Where services are being provided for in this manner, TBAC will identify the member business on its website as a sponsor, and may agree to providing links to sponsor websites or other forms of promotion.
Organisations and businesses may not use the Facebook page to promote their business or for other commercial purposes, though they may use Facebook to request services as any other member is able to do.

Timebank Auckland

Timebank Auckland is the Auckland-wide online member-based information hub where time credits are logged on behalf of local timebank members. It also posts offers and requests, and talents and skills across the Auckland-wide network.

Once you are a member of a local Timebank, such as Timebank Auckland Central, you’ll be sent an email for you to activate your Timebank Auckland membership. You MUST join Timebank Auckland in order to have your time credits recorded. If necessary a coordinator can help you with this.

Timebank Auckland is then mainly used by coordinators, rather than members, to manage members’ offers and requests, and to record trades and store time credits.

However, you are also able to record time credits and check the status of your Timebank account yourself.

Timebank discovery sessions

Timebank Auckland Central encourages all its members to attend a timebank discovery event held either in-person which are held on the first Tuesday of the month or via zoom at an arranged time. Joining these sessions is a great way to start your timebanking journey.

Coordinator role

Coordinators are the heartbeat of the Timebank. They help members identify and share: offers and requests; opportunities to connect and help the local community using timebanking; share with members and non-members about timebanking; and record exchanges on a member’s behalf.

You will be connected to a coordinator who can answer your initial questions.

The coordinator will have an oversight role in the Facebook private group. The Facebook private timebank group is open to Timebank Auckland members from across Auckland as well as people who are not members of any timebank but have agreed to follow the joining rules. This group is private and open and welcomes people who are timebank curious and supportive of timebanking ethos. The group administrator relies on the timebank members who are part of the group to guide the interactions which may not reflect our timebank values. Where necessary a timebank coordinator or the administrator of the group can be asked for guidance. the main role of the timebank coordinator in this group is to share opportunities for members and non-members to engage with community opportunities.

Guardian angel role

A guardian angel is a member of the Timebank who supports another member who, through age or some other factor, needs on-going support or supervision for their involvement in the Timebank. The guardian angel keeps an eye on their Timebank activity, for example, ensuring they have their time credits logged on Timebank Auckland, share offers and requests for the member they are supporting or provide computer help.

Offline members will need the help of either a coordinator or a guardian member to record their offers, requests and time credits on the Timebank Auckland website.
Requests, offers, earning and recording time credits

In the Timebank members offer their skills and talents to other members, and make requests for help from other members. The Timebank helps create exchanges of offers and requests amongst its members.

Our coordinators focus on helping members uncover and share their skills as well as encouraging members to make requests from other members. Coordinators do this by talking to members and understanding their experiences, needs, interests and goals.

These requests and offers can be shared through notice boards as well as online in a Facebook private group and on the Timebank Auckland website information hub.

Earning time credits

When members use their time or skills to help others in the Timebank they earn time credits, one hour provided earning one time credit. A member can earn time credits by:

helping another member
attending workshops
volunteering time for one of our allied organisations.

Recording the exchange as time credits

All exchanges are recorded as time credits where one hour of a person’s time is one time credit. The time credit accrued for services is rounded to the nearest half hour. This cannot be exchanged for money.

Most members record exchanges by notifying their coordinator who will record it in Timebank Auckland http://auckland.timebanks.org. Members can provide such information by texting, emailing or messaging the coordinator in the Facebook private group.

Alternatively, technically capable members may choose to join the Timebank Auckland website and do this for themselves.

You are able to access a record of the time credits accrued by asking your coordinator for your balance.

Using time credits

Members can spend time credits on skills and goods offered in the Timebank. While most exchanges happen locally it is possible to spend time credits remotely with members of Timebank Auckland who belong to other local timebanks.

Currently time credits can be used:

on other members skills
purchasing member-made goods;
by gifting them to another member
hiring tools from the timebank.

In the future we hope time credits can be used on :

vouchers
goods donated by a business.

Complaints

Remember that, if there is a dispute between members regarding offers and requests they should, in the first instance, attempt to resolve this themselves.

If you are concerned about some aspect of your experience as a member of Timebank Māngere please come and talk to us. A coordinator will try to resolve your concern.

If your concern is still not resolved please let us know in writing, addressing your complaint to a person in the management team.

How time credits are created and managed

Timebanks use time as the currency as a way to exchange skills and sometimes goods in a community. It is also a way to reward volunteers. Timebanks reflect the interests and focus of the people who take an active role in it.

One hour spent providing Timebank services to another Timebank member is equivalent to one hour of time credit that can be used to receive timebanking services from another Timebank member. The time credit accrued for services is rounded to the nearest half hour. All members’ time is valued equally.

Community Fund

The Community Fund is the source of new time credits for Timebank Māngere. They are created to:
reward beneficial activities and support members
to support organisational member providing a way to reward volunteers
give to members in need
encourage greater participation of members in community activities.

Members may also choose to donate credits to the Community Fund. This is not reversible. Coordinators will decide how to use donated credits and they must be used to further the goals of the Timebank.

Creating an active timebank

One of Timebank Māngere’s goals is to create an active timebank. It is the exchange of skills which builds connection and community resilience: time credits are intended to be used as a way to encourage exchanges rather than as a way to store value over time. Our focus is on creating an active timebank based around members supporting each other.

To encourage exchanges in the community :

we discourage the storing of time credits and look for ways for you to spend them
time credits may expire after a year unless there is a reason to store them for longer; this can be decided on a case-by-case basis.
members can at any time donate them to the Community Fund.

Inactive accounts

If there has been no activity in relation to your Timebank Māngere membership for a period of 12 months or more, the membership will be considered by the coordinators to be inactive. The coordinators may, by email notice to you, cancel your Timebank account. Any time credits you have will be added to the Community Fund.

If you still wish to participate in Timebank Māngere, you will need to set up a new Timebanking account. You will not be able to recover time credits from your previous Timebanking account as they have been forfeited.

Potentially just disable a member.