Timebanking UK Partnership with hOurworld, USA

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Time & Talents’ timebanking software (TnT) is available in the UK and Timebanking UK will now be offering it to all of our member time banks and taking on the sole responsibility for rolling it out across the country under a new and exciting agreement with hOurworld Cooperative  (www.hOurworld.org), who created this state of the art software .

The Time & Talents software is a powerful tool for both brokers and members.  It is easy to use and members can post offers and requests, manage their own pages and leave feedback.  There is a reporting feature for easy data collection and most importantly, it will ease administrative duties for  brokers, allowing more time for relationship building and networking.

Timebanking UK are mindful of safeguarding issues and have ensured that this software is flexible and can be customised so that Time Brokers can oversee exchanges if preferred.

Time and Talents is the most widely used software in the USA and is now used by 150 time banks – and growing.  Stephen Beckett built Time and Talents when he was a member of his local time bank in Maine.  He now heads a team of programmers, including our own Ian Toplis, to insure it continues to meet the ever evolving requirements of its users.

Time Brokers and members are welcome to input into the software design and functionality. We call this “Open Innovation” and will always welcome your ideas!

Ian is already working closely with Stephen to make sure there will be a minimum disruption to service when time banks switch to TnT and that all data will be safely transferred and stored at the time bank and in each member’s account.

We are equally delighted to bring into our extended family the two other members of hOurworld, Linda Hogan and Terry Daniels. Terry specialises in the development of community co-ops, which is a lovely fit with timebanking. Linda was a founding member of the Portland, Maine time bank and has been active in the not-for-profit world for 30 years.

Martin Simon, Founder of TBUK, is familiar with their work and has this to say about the alliance with hOurworld.

“At the last count there were 30 different software programmes available for use by time banks and other reciprocal exchange systems.

Governments, Corporations, Local Authorities, Voluntary and Community Associations and inspired individuals from around the world have built and commissioned their own software. 

A long term ambition must be to bring as many of these software programmes as possible  together to “ talk” to each other – so that people in my street can connect with people in your street, whether we are members of a community time bank, a local or global virtual currency, a time credits scheme, LETS or any other system.

The first step towards this ambition, as I see it, is for all that can to come together and co-produce the best tried and tested open innovation software that has been designed by experienced doers and thinkers. I am in no doubt that Time and Talents is that system.”

The Lewisham Local (a Time Bank initiative developed and run by Rushey Green) Time Bank has been using Time and Talents for over a year. Here is what they have to say about their experience

“The Time and Talent software has really helped to make time banking in Lewisham more accessible and interactive.  In the past members had to log all of their hours exchanged with a broker, who would then have to input all of this information into a programme.  Time and Talents is not only very user friendly but also reduces all of this admin time by allowing members to log their own hours.  It also allows them to create message boards and discuss what they would like to do. As well as completing their personal profiles with a photo, a bit about themselves and all of the things they would like to offer and receive.  And as if all of this wasn’t enough, there is also a fantastic smartphone app.

It’s safe to use, hiding addresses and email details and the coordinator can set the email function to their address for anyone with concerns.  The support we have received from the Timer and Talents team in the US has been fantastic and I’ve never waited more than an hour for a response.  Updates have been really useful and the system never crashes and doesn’t get shut down for maintenance like a lot of other sites.

With Time and Talent, members have more opportunity to communicate with each other and more control.  As a broker, I can spend less time doing paper work and data input and more time supporting our members and helping them to get the most out of time banking.”

Simone Boothe

Linda Hogan and Terry Daniels were in England in mid-December 2013.  They were deeply impressed by the local passion and deep level of involvement they experienced in visits to local time banks and are eager to meet more of us. If your time bank is interested in meeting and hosting a visit from Linda & Terry, or visiting the USA, please contact Sarah.

2014 promises to be yet another exciting year!