Hello all, My name is Kevin Jones and I am the coordinator of the new Capital Region Timebanks. (http://CapitalRegion.timebanks.org)
Timebanking is a world wide practice of awarding exchangeable credit to individuals for time that they spend in the interest of others instead of self. Simply put, Volunteering an hour of your time to help another is awarded with an exchangeable credit that can then be awarded to another through direct exchange for a service that they provide to you.
With my love of the concept of respecting all individuals for the value they have over judging them by the monetary assets they posses, I have started Capital Region Timebanks with very little technical knowledge and a whole lot of hope and expectations of function in our community at large. Though Timebanks USA (Timebanks.org) is charging for affiliation and hosting, I am trying to maintain a free membership model.
I invite, actually request, that all of you join and help to usher this technology to the best that it can be. Our software is all built with DRUPAL, which from what I understand makes it very manageable, scalable and secure. We are part of an international Timebanking movement that is working to create exchange systems for the Time credits that will work throughout the network and allow for any timebank member who has given their time in any location to use that as currency for services within any other timebank with any other member.
Please come join us. Every bit of effort you put in will "earn" time credit and I will personally do my best to grow the timebank locally and nationally so that any service you could desire or require in your life can be attained through this means. For Programmers, developers, designers, artists, and so many other skill sets, timebanking is, I think, a perfect match.
If you are working on a project that needs skills you don't have, I want you to be able to ask another member of the timebanking community to help in exchange for credits from your account that you have "earned" by giving your assistance to others. We all have need, and things we either can't do or would rather not do. Imagine sitting and programming for an hour in direct exchange for a kid from the community mowing your lawn and trimming bushes.
I won't go on much longer, but please join us today. I need a drupal developer to manage the site and make it more user friendly. There is a network of Drupal folks that have just joined a timebank in LA and I can't imagine that all of you here would not benefit more than you put into any membership. As we build this community, real business opportunities will arise. Though you may be willing to work for time credit on the timebank software and maybe a few hours for other members on other projects, you are not required to do anything for time credits that you do not willfully do on your own accord because you want to. No body can say that you have to accept their time credits. This is a practice of willful giving of your time as opposed to the monetary economy in which all that matters is that you are earning a living whether you like it or not.
Here is a pretty interesting video from a discussion about Timebanking with a group of Drupal-ers in LA.
http://blip.tv/ladrupal/banking-on-drupal-at-the-echo-park-time-bank-597...
If you have any questions at all, at any time, please reach out. I look ever so forward to what this may bring.
Be well.
Kevin M. Jones
Capital Region Timebanks
518-441-1890