Time bank

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A time bank is a mostly local association for the provision of mutual services on the basis of a money-free exchange economy . It represents an organized form of mutual aid. A time bank can either similar to a Tauschkreis a timely exchange of services allow (A) or for saving for retirement assets with time-delayed receipt of benefits are used (B).

principle

General

In contrast to the usual, "spontaneous" mutual help such as neighborhood help, the provision and use of services are formally organized by time banks. Although similar to barter of barter circles, some time banks exclude the trade in goods and limit themselves to the exchange of personally rendered services.

The time bank represents an exchange system of services without monetary compensation or without the intention of making a profit . The benchmark (“currency”) for the settlement of services is solely the time expended or used, regardless of the content or result of the service. Services rendered are credited to a service provider on his "time account ", similar to a bank account; the account of the service recipient is debited with a corresponding negative amount ("time debt").

A) Timely exchange

If a member has received services, it usually does not return the service to the service provider, but can provide these to other members of the same time bank. The load must be balanced by the services to be provided, the goal here is a balanced time account. Money is usually only permitted for the payment of "documented expenses, the scope of which should be clarified in advance between both parties".

B) Time-shifted services

The ideas for time provision come from Japan ( Fureai Kippu ), where such systems have been working successfully for decades. The cornerstone for time banks was laid there as early as 1950. It is now the largest care system in the world, with around 1.7 million hours of time saved. There are time banks in more than 30 countries, in the USA alone there should be around 500. Benefits for personal retirement provision are first provided and saved as credit at the time bank. In such time provision systems, services are mainly provided for older users. In the initial phase of such a time bank, elderly people in need of help receive these services free of charge because they have not yet been able to create credit for themselves in the relevant system. Mostly balanced time accounts can only be achieved over a longer period of time. That is why it is important to have suitable sponsorship for this type of time bank. A distinction is made between time banks with and without a guarantee. Several time banks without guarantee are organized in Switzerland as "KISS" cooperatives. A time bank with a guarantee has a sponsorship that guarantees future benefits from time credits even after years if there are insufficient voluntary service providers participating in the future. Such a sponsorship must provide the necessary financial resources. If there is an office to broker the services, costs are incurred. The city of St. Gallen in Switzerland operates a time bank, the corresponding guarantee and operating costs are provided by the city. In addition to municipal facilities such as B. in St. Gallen, there are also private institutions that work with a time bank. The Aachen neighborhood ring Öcher Frönnde eV is one of many examples. The culture of recognition for such achievements is growing. So the initiator of the Öcher Frönnde e. V. received the Federal Cross of Merit.

Procedure

General

At the beginning, a member can register for free or for a small fee (e.g. for accident or liability insurance ) and indicate which services they want to offer. His offer is listed via an office or database and requested if necessary; However, the service provider can decide in individual cases whether he would like to provide the service at the desired time.

A) Timely exchange

In the case of exchange-circle-like time exchanges, the provision of services via databases predominates, because the members are mostly familiar with computer technology and it is a cost-effective solution.

B) Time-shifted services

Services are typically provided through organizations such as the office of the relevant time bank, aid organizations and churches.

services

The services offered by a time bank are initially unrestricted in terms of content, they result solely from the capabilities and offers of its members. However, restrictions due to legal requirements (in Germany e.g. the Legal Advice Act ) must be observed. As a rule, medically indicated, outpatient services such as nursing services that have special requirements are excluded.

General

A selection of typical offers for both types of time banks are:

  • Accompaniment (on foot, in a wheelchair, by car, to authorities, shopping, etc.)
  • Relief for caring relatives
  • Small house and handicrafts, home improvement, grave and garden maintenance
  • Help with administrative tasks
  • Keeping company, reading aloud, helping with personal hygiene
  • Animal care and walking

Other services that are neither offered on the market nor by traditional elderly care:

  • Life care (assistance provider training is essential)
  • Simpler care services as part of rehabilitation in the post-inpatient phase

A) Timely exchange

Additional offers more typical for time exchanges similar to swap circles:

  • Babysitting and taking care of children
  • Computer work, tutoring

Time banks can serve solidarity between the generations: everyone offers what they are good at. They thus form an additional offer to increase the quality of life . There are time banks in many German cities (as of September 2019 there are around 42 banks in Germany that have been identified via websites) or in other countries such as Austria. There is an umbrella organization with around 30 time banks - Zeitbank 55+. Furthermore, time banks can lead to "financial rebound effects". They result in a gain in purchasing power as money can be saved and spent on other things. As a self-help economy, the time banks fill a gap in services that are not provided by the state for fiscal or other reasons, which were previously not marketable and which have not been fully taken over by family or friendly networks.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Bazore , accessed on 21 March 2017
  2. ↑ Jörg Krummenacher: Time provision on the rise. Neue Zürcher Zeitung, November 26, 2016, accessed on March 21, 2017
  3. ↑ so the regulations ( memento of March 27, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) of the Zeitbank Meran, accessed on October 3, 2007
  4. ↑ Hayashi Mayumi: Japan's Fureai Kippu Time-Banking in Elderly Care. In: International Journal of Community Research, 16 (A) / 2012, pp. 30-44
  5. ^ A b c Benjamin Heppner: Time banks as the fourth pillar of old-age provision in Germany. A comparison with the Japanese system "Fureai Kippu" . Diplomica Verlag, Hamburg 2019, ISBN 978-3-96146-701-3 , p. 76 .
  6. ↑ Simone Achermann and Stephan Sigrist: How we will live tomorrow - food for thought for the age of longevity. NZZ Libro Verlag, Zurich 2017, ISBN 978-3-03810-259-5
  7. ^ Zeitvorsorge Köln eV , accessed on March 21, 2017
  8. ↑ Time is valuable. Association KISS Switzerland. Website kiss-zeit, accessed on May 9, 2018
  9. ↑ When sprightly seniors look after other elderly people, it pays off for them and the state. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung , p. 16, May 9, 2018, accessed on May 9, 2018
  10. ^ Website Zeitvorsorge of the City of St. Gallen (Switzerland) , accessed on March 25, 2017
  11. ↑ Katja Meierhans Steiner, Reinhold Harringer: Time provision - the city of St. Gallen relies on time swapping in personal pension provision. In: Soziale Sicherheit, 4/2012, pp. 215–219
  12. ↑ | Current. Retrieved July 9, 2019 .
  13. ↑ Köstler, U./Schulz-Nieswandt, F .: On the logic of senior citizens ' cooperatives . In: Köstler, U. (Ed.): Seniors' cooperatives. A morphological overview of common economic mutual structures of social space-oriented services of general interest . Baden-Baden, S. 114-122 .
  14. ^ Association KISS Switzerland , accessed on March 21, 2017
  15. ^ Benjamin Heppner: Directory: Time banks in Germany. In: Alster Institute. Benjamin Heppner, August 25, 2019, accessed on September 7, 2019 .
  16. ↑ Our clubs. Retrieved September 7, 2019 .