Spending Time, Making Time
TimeBank Hurunui is a network of people who share their services and skills without the need for money. It is free to join, and open to everyone.
Our activities extend from Amberley into communities throughout the Hurunui district and beyond.
What is TimeBank Hurunui?
TimeBanking is a way of trading services and skills that uses time, rather than money, as the unit of exchange. Members of TimeBank Hurunui offer their skills or request services with each other and are given time credits for the work they do. With the credits they gain, each member can ‘buy' someone else's time, and get the service they need. TimeBank Hurunui recognises that everyone has skills to share, and that everyone's time is equal – hence one hour's work = one hour's credit.
TimeBank Hurunui values skills that are often taken for granted - especially non-market economy skills - like parenting, working in and around the home, and companionship. Many of the activities we do on a daily basis in fact. Our community is also enriched by the wonderful range of people's special skills and hobbies - so we have created the TimeBank Hurunui Learning Exchange as a way of bringing these talents to the wider public in the form of classes, workshops, field days and presentations. There are activities for young and old and everyone in between!
Contact our coordinators on 027 524 7332
Why Join TimeBank Hurunui?
TimeBanking encourages stronger communities, as every trade creates a new relationship between two or more people. A community becomes more inclusive - valuing everyone and their unique contribution. TimeBanking enriches a community in the form of friendship, caring for one another, and having our needs met from within our own community. It's a great way to get help with things we can't do, learn new skills, find out what's going on locally, and join in events and special-interest groups.
AND IT'S FUN! We value sharing, helping, learning and laughing together.
How to Join TimeBank Hurunui:
1. Go to the User Login link and click on JOIN. Fill in the required fields, and please also your contact phone number. NB. When filling in your location, please change the country to New Zealand first, otherwise it won't recognise your province (Canterbury).
2. A notification email will be sent to your inbox. Click on the link in the email to confirm your email address. (If members from one household share the same email address, it is possible to have separate accounts. Please contact the coordinator for assistance).
3. Attend an orientation session to learn about the TimeBank Hurunui website and how to trade. Contact a coordinator to arrange an orientation at a time and place that suits you. Orientations take around an hour and earn you an hour's credit!
4. We require a paper copy of your membership application which can be filled out prior to or at your orientation session. For the reassurance of all our members, we also require you to fill out a Criminal-Record-Check form. If you would like to fill out these forms in advance of your orientation, the coordinator can email or post them to you.
5. Once your application has been approved (usually during your orientation session), you can edit your member profile and list your requests and offers.
6. It is also possible for organisations to join TimeBank Hurunui. Contact the coordinator for more information.
Making the Most of Your TimeBank:
1. Login regularly and read the service ads posted by other members. Find an offer you like and email or phone the person who has listed the service. Set a day and time for the exchange to happen and discuss expectations or any costs involved in the trade, eg cost of petrol, ingredients or materials.
2. Decide who will record the exchange on the website, and record the hours traded and the people involved.
Don't hesitate to start trading as every trade creates new relationships in your community, even if your account is in debit. There will always be plenty of opportunities to build up hours.
Regular trading keeps our community and TimeBank Hurunui vibrant and flourishing.
We have what we need if we use what we have.
—Dr. Edgar Cahn, Time Banks Founder
