Welcome to The West Cork Skills Exchange

What is Timebanking?

Timebanking is a way of trading skills in a community. Instead of money, time credits are used as payment. You earn time credits for the work you do, and then use them to ‘buy’ another member’s time to get the services you need.

Timebanking is not a replacement for services, but time banks can help fill gaps that were perhaps traditionally filled by extended family and neighbours. Time Bank members give and receive all sorts of help, such as listening and visiting, gardening and form filling, or sharing skills in music, knitting and using computers, to simple repairs, ironing and running errands.

The more people share their time and skills, the healthier and happier your neighbourhood will become. With Timebanking, everyday acts of kindness are recognised as the important contribution they are to everyone’s wellbeing.

Everyone’s Time is Equal.

No matter what type of work is done, every person is equally valued.

Creating Community One Trade at a Time.

As we begin to share our skills and get to know each other, we start to develop a sense of connection and we build community. We realize that we have tremendous resources right where we are. These resources may be in the skills and knowledge that we possess, in the things we can lend to each other or in the support and help we give to one another.

Timebanking differs from the financial world. Trading within a community keeps the wealth where it is, amongst us. Local trading (without relying on the national monetary system) can also help build community resilience. Because every trade is valued at the same rate, everyone can afford everything equally.