Delivery Organisation: Timebanking UK
Location: Nationwide
Contact details
Name: Kerri Tyler
Organisation: Timebanking UK
Tel: 01453 750952
Email: kerri@timebanking.org
Timebanking for Health (T4H) is a programme encouraging time banks to work closely with local hospitals to help older people be discharged when they need to, and to help them live independently. Support includes lifts to appointments, companionship, help with housework and shopping, errands, playing games and cooking.
Timebanking enables people to give/receive ad-hoc support. For every hour’s help a time bank member gives, they earn a credit to ‘spend’ at their time bank. Although older people needn’t be members to receive help, joining turns them from ‘receivers’ of help to ‘givers’, offering their own skills including mentoring, cooking, and sharing photographs.
Project Impact & Outcomes
Timebanking for Health has been shown to have a number of benefits:
- Reducing loneliness and isolation
- Improving of physical and mental health
- Creation of friendships and local connections
- Creation of a support network for older people
- Improved self-esteem
One case study particularly demonstrates the power of the initiative in a more qualitative way:
Diego (not his real name) is a recent immigrant from Venezuela. He’s 70 and lives with his family. He was keen to give something back to the community but didn’t know where to start. He has become a keen member of the Chelmsford time bank, offering breadmaking classes and becoming part of the steering committee. He now feels very much part of the timebanking family although he did initially need a little encouragement; once he started taking part in timebanking, he really enjoyed it.
Related resources
- A step-by-step guide to Time Banking for Health
