TIME BANKING

An Introduction and DIY Kit  

TimeBanking 
Creating Community 
ONE HOUR AT A TIME 

In community, people turn to one another. EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO

GIVE. TimeBanking helps everyone comes out ahead, regardless of where
they start. TIMEBANKS CREATE TRUST AND WELL-BEING by asking people
to share what they can offer to help…
Rear healthy children
Preserve families
Care for the frail
Redress injustice
Build community
Sustain democracy
Build bridges of inclusion
Generate WELLBEING AND HAPPINESS

At the end of this introductory brochure, find a DIY TimeBanking exercise

to do alone, or share with friends.

TIMEBANKS USA, WASHINGTON, D.C.

5500 39TH ST. NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20015. P: 202-686-5200
 TIMEBANKING
PAYING IT FORWARD…
MAKING IT COUNT
 
 
  For 20 years, TimeBank members have been taking
  volunteering one step further, using Time Dollars to create circles of
giving and receiving that VALUE AND BUILD on what each and every
  person can offer.
 
  TimeBank members choose to receive one Time Dollar for each hour
  given. Each time you help, you earn. By using the Time Dollars earned to
  receive what others can offer, or by donating your credits to others, you
grow the circle of OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE. Hour by hour, person by
  person, each helping act leads to a new act of helping, and then another...
 
  Around the country, thousands of individuals, groups and nonprofit
  organizations in TimeBanks turn “pass it on” into everyday practice.
  Special Community Weaver software keeps track of the hours that
  TimeBank members earn and spend by giving and receiving.
  The circles of giving and receiving GROW AND DEEPEN over time –
  drawing people together regardless of age, ethnicity, faith, or income level
  and reweaving communities of caring and mutual support and respect.
 
 
TIMEBANK GIVING AND RECEIVING CAN INCLUDE:
Transportation, sewing, companionship, dancing, games, events,
tutoring, language help, arts, crafts and music, car repair, home care,
computer support, financial guidance, cooking, hair & beauty,
 
housekeeping, pet care, poetry, bingo nights, photo lessons, meditation,
 
carpentry, pet parades, mentoring, jewelry making, bicycle repair,
translation, meals on wheels, story-telling, respite, babysitting – the list
goes on….. Keep reading for the DIY Kit.

TIMEBANKS USA, WASHINGTON, D.C.

5500 39TH ST. NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20015. P: 202-686-5200
 THE TIME BANKING
          DIY Introductory Kit     
 
Step 1:  Check for local TimeBanks…. 
The best way to get a taste of TimeBanking is to become a TimeBank member.
Check the map and directory of TimeBanks on www.Timebanks.org. If there’s a
TimeBank near you, give them a call. But if that’s not possible, here’s how you
can get a small taste of TimeBanking using the DIY kit.
 
 
Step 2:  Do the “give & receive” check‐up… 
 
First, print out the “Give & Receive” Chart at the end of this kit.

Use the Chart to check all the things that you could offer to others.

You will probably be surprised about all the many ways you can help others that would not have
immediately come to mind without the chart. If you think of more, add them in!

This next piece of the check-up might be a bigger challenge: Mark off all the ways
that you or loved ones who live nearby could receive help from others.

For many of us, receiving help from another feels awkward and strange. We have been taught to
be independent and to use money to get what we need. Old patterns of giving and receiving that
were an essential part of community have shrunk so much that we give only between close friends,
and many vulnerable people are left outside. TimeBanking expands and builds the circles of
giving and receiving, and they offer those in need with the opportunity and dignity of giving back
as they can. Put yourself in the shoes of those who must always be on the receiving end of help –
how many things they might give, if asked, and wonderful it would feel to be valued for being able
to contribute!

TIMEBANKS USA, WASHINGTON, D.C.

5500 39TH ST. NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20015. P: 202-686-5200
Step 3:  Try Using a Time Dollar (or two)… 
The instructions below can be done by one person or by more than one. Do
this solo if you prefer. Or you can double the fun and the learning with a friend
or colleague or family member – or even a small group. If you belong to a
church or a social club, this can be a great group activity.

Make Your Time Dollars

Print out the sheet of mock Time Dollars and cut it along the lines as marked
to create four Time Dollars.

Also print out the brief explanation of what a Time Dollar is. You will see that
we have put four of the same explanations on a sheet, so they can go on the
back of the Time Dollars.

If you have a printer that prints double sided, we suggest printing the Time
Dollars and the explanation back to back, so each Time Dollar will have its
own explanation on the back.

Practice an Explanation
Practice explaining what Time Dollars are a few times until you feel
comfortable that you can explain what a Time Dollar is when you try out using
your mock Time Dollars.

Set a Timeframe
Now give yourself a fixed time – three days, maybe a week – to try out your
Time Dollars. Schedule a time to reflect on the experience and what you have
learned. Most people find this a surprisingly eye-opening experience that tells
them a lot about how we interact with others and what our expectations are –
things that we usually don’t give a second’s thought to.

TIMEBANKS USA, WASHINGTON, D.C.

5500 39TH ST. NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20015. P: 202-686-5200
Get Prepared
Make sure you are prepared by having these things in your pocket, wallet or
purse:
¾ Your Time Dollars
¾ The brief explanation of what Time Dollars are. (Best if on the back of the
Time Dollars)
¾ Either the checklist of things you can do or a short list in mind that you can
offer verbally.

Now, you are ready to go earn and spend!

Earn and Spend!

As soon as you think about it, you will know that there are lots of ways you could go about
earning and spending your mock Time Dollars. We offer a few strategies. Take your pick!
Follow the instructions and see how it goes. Once you have the hang of it, feel free to make it
up as you go along if you choose to earn and spend more!

Strategy one: The Spontaneous Thank You!

If a person you know – a friend or a family member or a work colleague – does
a caring or helping act for you, then add a Time Dollar to your “Thank You!”
Sign the Time Dollar with your name, like a check. Use the explanation you
have practiced beforehand. That person should know that the Time Dollar you have
just handed over with your thanks represents your commitment to give back to the world with
a helping action. This is your larger thank you for having received something good. Let the
person know that who you give back to doesn’t matter – so the person with the Time Dollar
can use it themselves – or give it to someone else with an explanation that you have made this
offer.

If the person asks what kinds of things you will do, you can tell them, or show
them your checklist. The person who received the Time Dollar can use it to receive help
from you– or they can give it to someone else – but if they give it someone else, they must
explain, just as you explained, that the Time Dollar represents a commitment by you to help
out.

TIMEBANKS USA, WASHINGTON, D.C.

5500 39TH ST. NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20015. P: 202-686-5200
You may find that the person you gave the Time Dollar to wants to talk about
it. That’s fine if you have the time. But remember to tell them that it may be
better if you talk about it after you have paid off your self-imposed Time Dollar
commitment!

Strategy two: The Big Give-Away

Give away a couple of Time Dollars, signed by you, to people you think might
like to get some help from you within your timeframe. Just as in strategy one,
you will need to give them an explanation about Time Dollars. Give them a
copy of the give-and-receive chart to show all the things you are able and
willing to do for them. (Tip one: If you marked lots and lots of items on the chart, you
may prefer to print it out again and mark only those items you feel really comfortable doing.
Tip two: Put an expiration date on your Time Dollar. You want them to try this out with
you within your timeframe – or you won’t learn anything from it to reflect on!)

Strategy three: The Not Quite So Big Give-Away

Exactly like the Big Give Away, except that your offer of help is much more
specific (ie, under your control.) State exactly what you are willing to do when
you are presented with the Time Dollar commitment: Example: I will wash
the dishes and tidy up the kitchen. (Tip: Make sure that this is not something that you
do routinely as part of your role and relationship with that other person. The point of the
Time Dollar is for you to give and the other person to receive in a way they would not
normally do.)

Strategy four: Surprise a Stranger

Sometimes, strangers do kind things for us. This strategy is very like the
spontaneous Thank You! In fact, it is the spontaneous thank you – except that
it’s to a stranger – and since the chances are that you won’t see this person
again, you can hand over the Time Dollar with a written explanation, and
quickly explain that you will be looking for an opportunity to as a result of their
kindness to you – and the Time Dollar represents that pledge.

The Give-Away, second part (if you choose to accept this assignment)
Ask a person who accepted a Time Dollar from you and then used it to ask you
to help: “Now that you have experienced using a Time Dollar, would you be
willing to earn a Time Dollar within the next few days by helping me?” Let that

TIMEBANKS USA, WASHINGTON, D.C.

5500 39TH ST. NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20015. P: 202-686-5200
person know that they can always say no if the timing or task isn’t right, but the
commitment is there for you to ask their help and for that person to earn the
Time Dollar. Note: For all of us control-freaks (and that means a lot of us) this can be the
big chinchilla challenge. Don’t be surprised if you feel awkward. Do it anyway, and see what
happens!

Step 4:  Talk About It! 
 
Lots of ways to do this. You might choose to set a time to give yourself a treat
– go for a nice walk, take a bath, have a cup of coffee – and reflect on what you
learned. You could write down your experience. What good things arose from
it? Were there challenges that faced? If there were, did you learn from them?
Has this experience changed the way you interact with others?

If you have done this with friends and colleagues, then set up a time to talk as a
group. What did you experience? How did it feel? What did you learn?
Where could this go?

As you talk about the experience, you can take the reflection to a deeper level
by including a discussion about the five core principles underlying
TimeBanking.

The Five Core Principles of TimeBanking

1: Assets: Everyone has something to give;
2: Work: Building home and community is real, important work,
3: Reciprocity: Giving is stronger when it’s more than a one-way street,
4: Community: We’re stronger together, and
5: Respect: We deserve it from others – and we owe it to others.

Review the five core principles. How did you see these principles play out as
you tried this experiment? Which of these five principles resonates with you
most strongly? (We have always been surprised at how varied the responses are to these
core values. Often, the members of a group will all find that they resonate to a different value
from the others, and usually there’s a real story behind that… It’s good to ask people to share
what makes their chosen core value more powerful for them.)
That’s The End of The Experiment

TIMEBANKS USA, WASHINGTON, D.C.

5500 39TH ST. NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20015. P: 202-686-5200
Time Bank Needs and Skills Checklist

provide
receive

provide
receive

provide
receive

provide

receive
Escorting Simple Providing Companion
people to decorating local -ship
appointments knowledge
Shopping Simple home Local Phone
repairs contacts friend
Doing errands Gardening Story telling Listening

Horticulture Visiting
housebound
people
Help with form Car repairs Book- Babysitting
filling keeping Child Care
Typing/word Motorbike Computer Meeting
processing repairs skills child from
school
Letter writing Cycle repairs Printing/ After
Design work school care
Budgeting Car washing Surfing the Youth work
net
Sewing/ Organizing Coaching in Basic
Embroidery/ social events sports housework
Dressmaking
Knitting Helping with Fitness Cooking
social events
Woodwork Running a Fishing Washing/
bar Ironing
Metalwork Catering Wildlife/ Budgeting
Nature
Playing a Teach Painting/ Pet care
musical reading Drawing
instrument
D.J. Adult Pottery Dog
literacy walking
training
Entertaining Translation Craftwork Plant
watering
Film and video Teach Interesting House
languages hobby sitting
Giving people a Muscle: Emergencies Delivering
lift Building PROJECT brochures
work
WORK
Driving a car Muscle: On call at Join Teams
Lifting unsocial Painting
moving hours TEAM Yard Work
objects WORK Cleaning
Park
Cleanup
Driving a van Have a go at Bulk
anything!!! Mailings

Adapted with permission from the FairShares Time Bank in England.

 One (Practice) Time Dollar
This Practice Time Dollar is a thank you from
Name____________________Date______
I promise, to the best of my ability, to provide an act of helping
to the person who presents me with this Time Dollar.
The Time Dollar expires on __________ Date
One (Practice) Time Dollar
This Practice Time Dollar is a thank you from
Name____________________Date______
I promise, to the best of my ability, to provide an act of helping
to the person who presents me with this Time Dollar.
The Time Dollar expires on __________ Date
One (Practice) Time Dollar
This Practice Time Dollar is a thank you from
Name____________________Date______
I promise, to the best of my ability, to provide an act of helping
to the person who presents me with this Time Dollar.
The Time Dollar expires on __________ Date
One (Practice) Time Dollar
This Practice Time Dollar is a thank you from
Name____________________Date______
I promise, to the best of my ability, to provide an act of helping
to the person who presents me with this Time Dollar.
The Time Dollar expires on __________ Date
What is TimeBanking? It’s a way to create circles of giving and
receiving that connect people and help them cope with life’s
daily challenges.
A Time Dollar is like a special “thank you.” When you help
another, you receive a Time Dollar for every hour of help you
gave. It’s always an hour for an hour.
When you pay a person a Time Dollar you make a commitment
to do a helping act in turn. Anyone in the TimeBank who has a
Time Dollar in hand can seek out the help you offer.
Persons, groups and organizations can all become members of
a TimeBank. For more about TimeBanking, go to
www.timebanks.org
What is TimeBanking? It’s a way to create circles of giving and
receiving that connect people and help them cope with life’s
daily challenges.
A Time Dollar is like a special “thank you.” When you help
another, you receive a Time Dollar for every hour of help you
gave. It’s always an hour for an hour.
When you pay a person a Time Dollar you make a commitment
to do a helping act in turn. Anyone in the TimeBank who has a
Time Dollar in hand can seek out the help you offer.
Persons, groups and organizations can all become members of
a TimeBank. For more about TimeBanking, go to
www.timebanks.org
What is TimeBanking? It’s a way to create circles of giving and
receiving that connect people and help them cope with life’s daily
challenges.
A Time Dollar is like a special “thank you.” When you help
another, you receive a Time Dollar for every hour of help you
gave. It’s always an hour for an hour.
When you pay a person a Time Dollar you make a commitment to
do a helping act in turn. Anyone in the TimeBank who has a Time
Dollar in hand can seek out the help you offer.
Persons, groups and organizations can all become members of a
TimeBank. For more about TimeBanking, go to
www.timebanks.org
What is TimeBanking? It’s a way to create circles of giving and
receiving that connect people and help them cope with life’s daily
challenges.
A Time Dollar is like a special “thank you.” When you help
another, you receive a Time Dollar for every hour of help you
gave. It’s always an hour for an hour.
When you pay a person a Time Dollar you make a commitment to
do a helping act in turn. Anyone in the TimeBank who has a Time
Dollar in hand can seek out the help you offer.
Persons, groups and organizations can all become members of a
TimeBank. For more about TimeBanking, go to
www.timebanks.org