Time Banking Scotland

What is Time Banking?
Time banking is based on the simple principle that for every hour of time a person contributes to help another, they receive the equivalent in time credits. These time credits are stored and then exchanged for services when needed from others. For example - if you help someone for an hour decorating their home, you can ‘buy’ an hour of someone helping you - let’s say - cutting your grass.
It’s that simple! And it works for any service or talent you can offer.

        

Time Banking Scotland is a new and exciting initiative between Volunteer Development Scotland and Time Banks UK which aims to connect people with their communities and interest groups by exchanging their time and talents in a mutually beneficial way - demonstrating Volunteer Development Scotland's commitment to informing and connecting people with volunteering.



At the moment there are nine established time banks and several others in development throughout Scotland. Time Banking Scotland aims to support existing time banks as well as assisting individuals, organisations and communities to set up and run their own time bank.

If you would like to set up a time bank, join a time bank or would simply like more information about Time Banking Scotland, please contact tam.cassidy@vds.org.uk or  text  'Timebanking' to 07786 200 350

 

Time Banking Scotland Information Leaflet

Case Study 1    l   Case Study 2     l   Case Study 3    l    How to Join a Time Bank    l    Find your nearest Time Bank

 

The Time Banking Prison Initiative has been running for over two years now. It was first developed between Castlemilk Time Bank and Shotts Prison, a maximum security prison which holds prisoners serving sentences lasting from a minimum of four years to life.

The Time Banking Prisons Initiative helps to recognise and reward the volunteering that prisoners undertake within the prison and which contributes to prison's community life. It uses the Time Credit concept to reward them, hour for hour. However, instead of the prisoners spending the credits they have earned on accessing services for themselves - they donate them to the participating Time Bank as a gift to people in the community who can't earn enough time credits for themselves due to personal circumstances.

Volunteer Development Scotland have taken a lead role in the development of this initiative and there are now 6 Prisons actively involved:

There are also 3 Time Banks involved in the scheme; Castlemilk, Campletown and Angus. A steering group has been set up and consists of the 6 participating Prisons, Castlemilk Time Bank, The Scottish Prison Service and Volunteer Development.

How this initiative helps both the prisoner and the community

The HM Chief Inspector of Prisons report on the Open Estate (HMP Castle Huntly and HMP Noranside) has identified Time Banking as good practice. This was one of three areas mentioned. It states:

Time Banking

Time banking is a process whereby people who have signed up to the scheme can undertake voluntary work and put the time in 'the bank'. This time can then be used to have reciprocal work carried out, or the time can be donated to a 'collective bank' which can be used for community causes.

Some prisoners at Castle Huntly have signed up to the time banking scheme and earn hours by doing voluntary work such as supporting peers as Samaritan Listeners, Literacy Tutors or working on the prison magazine. The time accrued in Castle Huntly has been sent to projects in Campbeltown and Castlemilk. The prisoners have received positive feedback from the projects where their time has been used. This is an area of good practice.

Read the full report

A short film on the Time Bank in Castlemilk. Meet the people who contribute to their local community in Castlemilk by earning time bank credits and how the Time Banking system works to everyone's benefit.



Click here to watch