The initial focus, or stage one was taking the desire for setting up a time bank, researching what was involved, finding a broker, gaining tax exempt status and seeking support from organisations. You can read previous blog entries to see how we arrived at that point , now I wish to explain the next steps in setting up.

My current role is the person responsible for getting a local Time Bank operational and I see this blog space as mapping the trail along the way. So there are 3 signposts I will erect in this posting

• 1.Setting Up Software – isn't a broker enough?
• 2.Establishing a Core Group – priming the pump, start trading
• 3.Next Steps – promotional material, needs survey, organizational involvement

TimeBank Software - Isn't a broker enough?

I am funded for a few hours a week to run our Time Bank and if I was to be involved in brokering every trade I could be completely overwhelmed. So software allows members to trade between each other and keeps a record of the exchanges that take place, further to this I can completely manage our Time Bank software and can organise accounts for members who do not have access to the web.

The software package from TimeBanks, is a neighbourhood license suitable for a Time Bank of up to 35 members sponsored by Relocalize. The subscription to the Community Weaver software also includes ample support material such as user manuals, and access to coordinator forums. Setting up the Community Weaver software was very easy as it is remotely hosted in the United States and only requires a login address.

An issue arose during the enrollment process and the software had to be “localized” so that Lyttelton members could use the postal address format standard in New Zealand. The Community Weaver development team in TimeBanks made the appropriate modifications so that by the middle of March we were able to begin trading using the software. I have some experience with website development and have made a frontpage for our Time Bank that links to the Project Port Lyttelton website and gives members an entry point to the Community Weaver software Lyttelton TimeBank. We are still coming to grips with the software, but on the whole it is very user friendly and meets our current requirements.

My personal preference would be to have our own software package that could be installed on our organisations computer so that we were not completely dependent on Timebanks USA. However currently I can find no other option that is anywhere near as professional. Most importantly is that Community Weaver enables the broker the necessary independence to get on with promoting our local Time Bank while allowing members to trade between each other freely.

Establishing the Core Group.

If you have not read anything else about Time Bank then from my perspective the following information needs to be added to a checklist of “Essential Ingredients for a Successful Time Bank” That is, the establishment of a core group.

I had just been talking to our steering group and initial 3 or 4 members about getting a committed team to start trading when a timely package arrived in the mail during the first week of April. It was confirmation of our software licence from TimeBanks and included a 40 page booklet the Start Up Manual for Member Led Time Banks! Whew, what a relief! I was feeling a bit like I was starting something new without much to go on and to receive the booklet that has the distilled knowledge of 20 years of experience from TimeBanks is helping us focus our energies.So I will quote directly from the Manual,

"Our experience has taught us that Time Banks nearly always fail when they are staffed by one person who has lots of enthusiasm and vision, but still is only one person! In truth, Time Banking is all about ‘team leadership’ so creating a Time Bank where members are fully engaged and invested in its operations and management is vital to its success."

This is our current challenge, establishing a core group committed to running our Lyttelton Time Bank. In the manual 6 roles are outlined. Obviously one member can take responsibility for more than one role, however the basic philosophy of Time Banking is sharing, if all the tasks are shared between members the sense of belonging and responsibility is fostered and our Time Bank is made stronger and more relevant.

• Role I Time Bank Ambassador - Member Recruitment
• Role II. Membership Coordinator - Member Orientation, ‘Keeping in Touch’; Making matches
• Role III. Events Coordinator - Focuses on all group activities of the Time Bank
• Role IV. Webmaster - Training New Members on On-Line Time Banking; Running the on-line community page
• Role V. Admin - Collecting dues, Financial/Budgeting, Fund raising
• Role VI. Team Leader - Makes sure that everyone is happily taking responsibility for their role.

In fact the really exciting challenge for our group now is to find new member keen on taking one of these roles or supporting one of the members responsible. I think we need 20 Members! And so this is our immediate goal, I believe this is a critical number to create a sustainable Time Bank, with the core members committed to regular trading.

Next Steps – Promotional material, Needs-Skills Survey, Organizational Involvement.

Now that we have so many of our protocols in place we can design promotional material and use a range of publicity to raise awareness of our Time Bank in Lyttelton. Combined with this is to design a survey to help us understand what the residents of Lyttelton indicate they need help with and what in turn they can offer their neighbours. We are also trying to promote a way in which local community organisations can participate in our Time Bank.

In all this process I keep in mind our goal is to strengthen our community connections, to build new pathways for relationships to flourish and for our town to become a place where we come to know each other better.

Margaret Jefferies, Chair of PPL, has the final say in this month's Blog with some real and personal comments

I have had a real interest in alternate or complementary currencies for some time. I know that for creating a sustainable world we need to recognize the nature of money, how it is created and be aware of its effects on every aspect of our lives, our world. We need new forms – such as Time Banking. I am a board member of Living Economies www.le.org.nz ,a New Zealand group formed to address money issues in ways that reflect natural systems. I’ve attended a conference in NY on various complementary money systems. It was at this conference that I recognized that a Time Bank system would be ideal for our Lyttelton community. Chris has explained how he is going ahead with organising this.

Now a down to earth challenge that we face is that in this community people are keen with the Time Bank principle, keen to offer their services, but appear reluctant to ‘buy’ services. A golden opportunity opened up showing us how we might start to shift this furiously independent self sufficient view! Recently I discovered I need urgent heart surgery, this is a shock to the system! My needs are increasing around this time. A lot of people in this community wish to support me in various ways, so I am using the situation to be a little petulant and accept their help to me only if they are willing to do it through the Time Bank. A little manipulative, but it means I am modeling the ‘buying’ of services. It is forcing my friends to look more closely at the implications of Time Banking and what it can achieve if we engage in the process. And it is fun. I have been a little anxious being in my house alone, so people come with their own work, reading, whatever, so there is someone around which gives me a sense of security. I get driven to appointments, I get to feel surrounded by love at the same time knowing that we are creating the basis of a system where everyone in this community can gain in a similar manner.

Time Banking here in Lyttelton has the ability for us to move away from being fiercely independent to discovering the joys and ease of doing things co-operatively. Quite a shift in culture!