FROM a small Skibbereen charity shop to a new digital era, hOUR Timebank is availing of new technologies to connect individuals across West Cork and beyond.

A timebank is a form of social development where an individual earns ‘time credits’ based on how many hours they volunteer. 

For example, you might spend two hours helping to paint someone’s kitchen. Afterwards, you can redeem your two time credits for a free guitar lesson, or a painting workshop, or having somebody weed your garden.

The reciprocal system aims to connect communities, and highlight the many skills we have to offer to each other.

hOUR Timebank has been described as Ireland’s answer to the social enterprise that has seen great success in the UK and the world over – and its newly-launched website is now the model leading the way for other countries.

Founded by Jasper Ford and Mary Casey, the organisation is West Cork-based, having previously operated from their charity shop in Skibbereen. As the organisation evolves, the focus is becoming digital.

Jasper recently designed and launched an online platform that brings time banking into a whole new world, allowing users to log on, list the skills they can offer, and view and redeem other user’s listings, alongside a plethora of other features.

hOur Timebank co-founder Jasper Ford who ran the enterprise from a charity shop in Skibbereen before going digital

Previously, the time bank organisation had a ‘time broker’ - a worker who connected members by matching their skills and requests. The new online system will open up more volunteering and time credit redemption options to users across Ireland.

Though just two months in operation and still in active development, the website has over 200 active members, with 1,300 hours of volunteering exchanged.

‘I’ve seen more interaction on the platform in the last two months than I have in the last 12 years,’ said Jasper.

The new platform has attracted interest from time banking organisations all over the globe, including in the UK, America and Switzerland, who want to adopt the website in their own areas.

Jasper believes that once more people begin engaging with the hOUR Timebank website, it could ‘really pull West Cork together.

‘The most important thing we’re tackling is social exclusion and isolation and getting people back involved in the community.’

A social impact study carried out by West Cork Development Partnership when the project was still ‘time broker’-based found that for every €1 invested in hOur Timebank, €16 would be generated in social value.

The report also found that 95% of those involved with TBI felt more socially connected afterwards. 100% of respondents felt that their wellbeing had improved.

What one hour of volunteering might get you in return

Jasper hopes that time banking in Ireland will follow in the footsteps of UK organisations, allowing volunteers to redeem their ‘time credits’ in local cinemas and attractions.

Although hOUR Timebank operates as a national project, according to co-founder Jasper, West Cork remains at the heart of the project: ‘What we want to do is create a successful West Cork time banking and volunteering project, and if anyone else over the country wants to join in the fun, that’s a bonus.’

Jasper hopes to collaborate with local institutions to allow volunteers to redeem their time credits in cinema, exhibitions and other attractions. Many Time Banks in the UK have achieved this, even collaborating with local councils to expand the range of opportunities available.

The speed and availability of modern computer coding software has made building an online platform for hOur Timebank much easier for Jasper.

He has been working with computers since the early 1980s, but he says that the advanced technologies available to him now are ‘absolutely insane’.

Mary Casey is the self-described ‘people-person’ of the organisation. Having co-founded the charity with Jasper, she has seen the momentous effects time banking had on people’s lives when meet-ups were being organised by the ‘time broker’.

Co-founder Mary Casey who describes time banking as 'one of the most beautiful things I have ever been a part of'

Groups of volunteers came together to carry out a range of projects, including tidying up a person’s garden or erecting a polytunnel.

One instance in particular really stood out to Mary. Alongside eight other volunteers, she installed a bee house in a lady’s home as she was physically incapable of the hard work required herself.

According to Mary, the woman said that the act of kindness ‘literally transformed her life, that she was finally able to achieve a dream of hers to have bees that she never, ever would have been able to do had we not come.’

The woman provided soup and sandwiches for the volunteers, and they all shared a meal and conversations together.

‘People got to know each other that wouldn’t normally have met in everyday life,’ said Mary. She believes that even one hour volunteering a month can make a difference, not just for the individual you help, but also for your own self-confidence.

People who have helped others through time banking feel fulfilled knowing that they had something to offer to others.

‘Imagine being asked to help somebody and you have previously felt ‘well, I’m not worth anything, or my time isn’t worth anything’.’

For Mary, time banking is ‘one of the most beautiful things I have ever been a part of. I was not expecting to get such an amazing impact on bringing people together.’

The excitement around the impact of Jasper’s new platform is palpable. Mary, who feels she is not very computer-literate, says the website is tailored for people like her.

The co-founders dream that time banking will become embedded in everyday life.

Mary hopes that ‘if somebody’s lonely or isolated, or if a doctor feels maybe a patient could do with some social prescribing, that maybe he or she would recommend joining a time bank.’

The organisation is looking to collaborate with more organisations as the community grows. Jasper is developing a separate version of the platform that will be more desirable for public bodies to contribute to.

Although the future of Timebank Ireland is digital, Mary says that at the core of the project, ‘it’s all about the human.’

To find out more visit hour-timebank.ie.