(This is my response to the blog post Rewarding volunteers with time credits posted on 10th April by Georgina Cornelius of Age Cymru Swansea Bay. A link to her article can be found at the end of this one A 500 character allowance on the blog itself for replies just isnt enough! Georginas original article is here: http://ageuk.org.uk/cymru/swanseabay/how-you-can-help/volunteering-blog/dates/2015/4/rewarding-volunteers-with-time-credits/ )

Add a little Spice

Interesting point about the danger of volunteering filling a gap created by reduced budgets and cut staff. But I cant help but wonder if the point has been missed here about Time Credits.

Dont get me wrong, Ive been a staunch defender of non-payment to volunteers since I first volunteered in my teens. In my view, once a monetary exchange has taken place, the volunteering relationship ends and the volunteer just becomes a low paid, un-contractable member of staff. Not receiving financial gain for a voluntary act is a widely supported idea, and is even highlighted in the EU definition that we heard so much about during the 2011 European Year of Volunteering.

But Time Credits is a completely different beast all together. And of all of the Time Banking models out there, particularly Just Add Spice.

For a start, it is by no means a reward for volunteering. Its a community currency that volunteers are one part of and this absolutely key to understanding this model.

Firstly, lets look at the way this model of time banking increases equality. At the core of time credits is the concept of coproduction. And at the very heart of coproduction is the beautiful idea that everyone has something to offer and that what you have to offer is no more or less valued that what the next person has to offer. So it doesnt matter if youre the Chief Executive of the local authority, or Steve* who lives next door who is recovering from substance misuse and is currently out of work.

The resources that you give when volunteering knowledge, skills, experience and time are worth exactly the same.

One hour of volunteering = one time credit.

Whoever you are.

Whatever your history.

Whatever your circumstances.

Whatever your future.

The same.

Secondly, this model shifts the volunteering perspective. Rather than an organisation identifying their own needs, and then seeking (often in isolation of other services) volunteers, this model is volunteer centred. It starts with the question of what can you offer? Then the volunteer can use the massive time credits network to find opportunities where their skills set can be best put to use.

I have no doubt in my mind that some people will volunteer just to earn the time credits, rather than for the common good. But why do we think this is such a bad thing? Any community development work nbbbbber will easily cry into your lap about the challenges of engaging the hard to reach. If people are volunteering and part of the great time credit network, theyre becoming more visible to local services, will have more information at their disposal and become less hard to reach.

Which is what we want, isnt it?

Thirdly, lets look at those spends. Its quite a misconception that time credits are bribes that lead to treats in return for volunteering. Of course there are big corporate sponsors involved, and Im sure theyre quite an attraction.

But lets not forget that time credits are also used for room hire so community groups who provide such an essential service in reducing social isolation are able to meet. Theyre used by people who cant afford to have their laptop fixed to have it cleaned up so they can still access services online. Theyre used for education and training. Theyre used to hire equipment. Its not all cinema going and swimming.

The time credit project enables small businesses like myself and the big nationals to flex our corporate social responsibility muscles. Were able to identify spare capacity and open it out in return for time credits. For me, that means opening up training courses and workshops to people who likely cant afford to do so. And in return I am part of a large network of organisations who are also keen to play their part in moving the community forwards, and I am able to provide quality volunteering opportunities as a time credit earn and thus expand my own capacity when needed. Win, win.

The time credit project not only helps us to grow our networks, but also to grow our communities. There is no more money coming into Wales, and we have less and less at our disposal. Reciprocity is absolutely key to our communities being able to move forwards. By taking this kind of asset based approach, we can really see the value of both the physical and organisational resources, and the skills in the community.

Our communities need a helping hand to bring about meaningful change and this tired, rusty, archaic concept of volunteers not receiving gain is outdated and needs to be revised to reflect the needs of contemporary communities. Even the EU definition mentions financial gain, and only financial.

If you havent already, I urge you to go ahead and bring Spice to the table of your organisation and have a meaningful conversation about the potential of Time Credits.

At the least you could both learn from each other and explore how to embed reciprocity and take an asset based approach, at best it could be a game changer for your organisation and your volunteers.

Becca Rosenthal

(Business owner, volunteer, encourager!)

www.rivkirosetraining.co.uk

*Steve is a fictional character for the purpose of this article

Georginas blog post: http://ageuk.org.uk/cymru/swanseabay/how-you-can-help/volunteering-blog/dates/2015/4/rewarding-volunteers-with-time-credits/

Spice Time Credits: www.justaddspice.org