Cape Ann Time Banks Orientation

The purpose of orientation is to:

• Assist new members’ understanding of time banks’ purpose and what participation in the time bank provides members and communities
• Stimulate new members’ ability to make offers of their skills and services within the time bank.
• Assist people in stating what services they wish from others and how to list them in the time bank system
• Learn about the culture of time banking and some of the tips for making membership a success.

1. Start meeting – make sure everyone knows each other (maybe have them say where they live, how they heard about the time bank, etc, but BRIEF)

2. Time bank purpose
Build community by working on community projects.  CATB is beginning to recruit community groups as members.  If you want to earn time dollars by being part of a pool of helping hands, you can offer community organizations skilled services as well as general assistance. Sign up to offer rides, be open to help with mailings, cleaning/painting projects, etc.

Build community by linking individuals who can help each other get things done or take care of something they need or want.

3. To become a full-fledged member, there are 4 requirements:

• Complete your contact information,
• Provide 2 character references,
• Go through an orientation (either at a potluck or one-to-one)
• Pay your membership donation. 

4. Time bank operations – once you become a member, then what?

• Show how members list offers for other members to view online
• Show how members list requests for services from other members
• Show how members get services they need from other members.  Demonstrate the Search function.
• Show how members can gain interest in the services they provide
• Show members how to log hours spent and earned.  Explain that they earn a time dollar for completing their profile and for attending this orientation.  They can also earn 4 additional TD$ for listing 4 pairs of offers and requests.
• There is a membership fee on a sliding scale of $10-40.  We collect it at the time you join and then every March.  An additional part of the membership fee is 4 TD$ per year. Explain why the Time Bank needs both federal and Time Dollars to run. 
• If you can pay now, that would be ideal.  Otherwise you can send a check to Trish Roach, 18 2-Penny Lane, Gloucester, MA 01930. Explain the two ways people can make their TD$ payment each year:  by providing services one-to-one to other members, logging them then donating them to the CATB:  or by volunteering with a CATB project, eg., staff a table at the Sidewalk Bazaar, help plan an event, host a potluck, etc.  If you haven’t found a way to contribute your 4 $TD, on March 1 of each year, the treasurer will deduct from your account. 
• Explain the function of the Leadership Team and that it is designed to run on a rotating basis. 

5.  Have a new member try working the software

• Looking for and requesting skills and services
• Making offers

6. Tips for being a satisfied time bank member

• Make your offers things you will be delighted to have someone request of you – something you love to do.
• Understand that neither the giver or receiver should expect professional standards.
• Be courteous and respond quickly –When members get a request they should respond quickly and be willing to say no.
• It is just as important to request other members’ services as it is to offer your own.
• Take responsibility to determine the safety of each exchange as they would with any other neighbor that offers to baby sit, house sit, drive, etc.
• Consider joining the Leadership Team – we are a member-led Time Bank, so we need lots of leaders to keep the burden of leadership light. Every role has an understudy in case the designated person for the role is unavailable for some reason.  We rotate leadership roles every 6-12 months to keep the leadership fresh and to provide new ideas and contacts for the Time Bank.

Who to contact if they have questions as they begin to participate:  Cheryl Davis

After completing an orientation whether in a group or 1-to-1, please contact Cheryl to let her know who you worked with and which of the 4 required steps (contact information, 2 references, orientation and dues payment) you helped the person complete.