P A U L I I N A S H I L O N G OT I M E H E A L S N E T W O R K / M A I N S T R E A M I N G T O V I S U P P O R T P R O J E C T

A I K A P A R A N T A A - V E R K O S T O / T O V I T U K I T U N N E T U K S I - H A N K E

W W W. A I K A PA RA N TA A . N E T / E N G L I S H

Time bank basedCo-Production of Support and Care

TOVI SUPPORT & TIME HEALS NETWORK

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THEMES TODAY:

TimebankingTime banks in Finland

Time Heals Network Tovi Support Model of Support and CareLetter to Comfort Initiative Current and Potential Applications ofTimebanking, Tovi Support and Letter to Comfort in Health and Social SectorChallenges and questions

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TIMEBANKING IN A NUTSHELL

Members exchange a diversity of services against time. The “currency” of exchange is time.One time credit usually equals one hour of work.The main guiding principle for each exchange is that everyone’s time and work are of equal worth. Based on trust -> account can be in the red.A circle of services.

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CIRCLE OF SERVICES IN TIME BANK

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GLOBAL CONTEXT

Complementary and community currenciesDifferent experiments since the 19th century.LETS (Local Exchange Trading System) systems in Canada, Australia, New Zealand since 1980’s. Fureai Kippu in Japan: Care of the elderly citizens for special currency.

Time-based currency exchangesCurrency of exchange is timeConcept of Time banking coined by Edgar S. Cahn in 1992.

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COMMUNITY EXCHANGE SYSTEM (CES)

An open source internet-based platform for time banks and community exchanges -> virtual market place.Created in 2010 for the Cape Town Talent Exchange.Now used by over 700 exchanges in 74 countries.www.community-exchange.org

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TIMEBANKS IN FINLAND

The name of the time credit, or currency, used in Finnish time banks is Tovi (Moment). One Tovi equals one hour of work.Currently over 40 Finnish time banks registered at CES, not all are active.Stadin Aikapankki (Helsinki Time Bank):

6 years old, has over 3000 members.

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HELSINKI TIME BANK (STADIN AIKAPANKKI)

Grassroots driven, unregistered, politically and religiously unaffiliated collective.Based on the following values and principles:

EqualityReciprocityWe-spiritEcological sustainabilityEconomic justiceLocal and participatory cultureFreedom of action and autonomyCooperation and just decisionmaking procedures

Members have developed a Tovi-etiquette to ensure smooth exchanges between members.stadinaikapankki.wordpress.com

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TIME HEALS NETWORK

Time Heals (Aika parantaa) is a network that offers Tovi Support – support and care by means of timebanking. A civic initiative that blossomed within the Helsinki Timebank (Stadin Aikapankki) in 2011.Over 80 committed Tovi supporters.www.aikaparantaa.net/english

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MAINSTREAMING TOVI SUPPORT PROJECT

From 2013 until 2016 Time Heals Network (Aika parantaa –verkosto) and the Social-Psychiatric Association of Southeastern Finland (Kaakkois-Suomen sosiaalipsykiatrinen yhdistys ry) implement the Mainstreaming Tovi Support Project (Tovituki tunnetuksi -hanke) with the aims of mainstreaming and expanding the system of Tovi Support to different parts of the country and different spheres of society.

By doing so the project strengthens the core message of Time Heals: Everyone can and may sometimes need support to cope.

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TOVI SUPPORT (RECAP)

A low threshold system of peer support for those situations when life takes a turn for worse. Offers flexible and tailor made support; besides discussions, one can also get concrete help with housekeeping, child care, etc. through the time bank.Not meant for treatment of serious illnesses or crises. Typical support period lasts about five meetings. In return for their time the peer supporters receive tovi time credits. The peer supporters may have acquired their expertise through education, employment or life experiences. Based on reciprocity: The same person can sometimes be the one to receive support, and on another occasion the one who provides it. 12

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TOVI SUPPORT

Tovi Support does not use conventional money, rather the currency used in time banks – time. In order to offer or receive tovi support, one must be a member of a time bank. Joining a time bank is easy and is available at no cost.

Time Heals Network can cover the credits for the initial support period (1-5 meetings) if needed.

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THE ETHICAL PRINCIPLES OF TOVI SUPPORT

All Tovi supporters sign a declaration that they are committed to adhere to the ethical principles of Tovi Support:

Equality and the respect of one’s right for selfdeterminationConfidentialityResponsibilityIndependenceTransparency

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EXPERTISE OF TOVI SUPPORTERS– EXAMPLES…

• How to find help from Time bank* Adoption * ADHD * Anxiety * Time management * Alcoholism * Asperger’s syndrome * Autism* Divorce * Seeking help* Burn out * Retirement at young age* Life changes * Parenting a special child* Stage fright * Ageing parent* Self-harm * Support in coping* Bullying * Crises * Accepting chronic disease * Living with chronic pain * Logotherapy * Death of a family member* Immigration * Depression * Mood disorders * Mindfulness * Memory disorders * Puberty * NLP * Visual disability * Problem solving * Tutoring * Learning disorders * Relationship issues* Polyamory * Positive psychology * Solution focused method * Addictions * Terminal care * LGTB families* Mediation * Gender and sexual identity* grief * Eating disorders * art therapy * Financial problems * Unemployment * Everyday life of reconstituted family* Serious illness* Parenting * Peer support * transactions the authorities * Single parenting *

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INNOVATIONS OF TOVI SUPPORT

ReciprocitySame person can sometimes be the supporter and sometimes the recipient of support.The recipient of the support is not a passive receiver of help but through Time Heals Network and a time bank a productive member of a mutually supportive community.Harnessing the skills of the recipient of support can also have empowering effect, which, along with sense of belonging to a community, may expedite recovery.

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INNOVATIONS OF TOVI SUPPORT

Reciprocity and volunteeringA model of helping based on reciprocity brings also a new perspective to the debate about the development of volunteering. In a time bank all actors are genuinely equal – everyone receives and gives something against time – and everyone can define for themselves their manner and volume of participation, based on their own needs and skills.

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INNOVATIONS OF TOVI SUPPORT

New kind of peer productionTime based exchange of resources enables professionals and experts by experience to provide support equally.The model offers new perspectives and possibilities of further applications on peer production and co-production of services.

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INNOVATIONS OF TOVI SUPPORT

Flexible and holistic approachTovi Support is holistic and tailor made to suit the needs of the recipient of support; discussions can be supplemented with concrete help with housekeeping, child care, etc. through the time bank.The supporters can use the credits they have earned for services they want through time bank.

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GOALS OF TOVI SUPPORT

Keep the core message of Time Heals in public agenda: Everyone can and may sometimes need support to cope.To lower the threshold to discuss problems and coping, strengthen the atmosphere of caring in the society, expand the range of support networks, and make available previously unutilized resources. 20

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LETTER TO COMFORT

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Another low threshold form of support that was initiated by Time Heals Network in May 2014.

There are now Letter to Comfort writers, post offices or couriers in 30 different localities in Finland.

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LETTER TO COMFORT

We invite people to write comforting letters to strangers.

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LETTER TO COMFORT

Time Heals Network or other actor operating a ’Letter to Comfort post office’ delivers the letters based on the wishes of the writer to different places, for example:Senior citizens day centre, youth centre, refugee reception centre, homeless shelter, coffee shop, etc…

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CHALLENGES

Despite the world wide proven benefits of Timebanking, Finnish taxation authorities published in 2013 guidelines regarding timebanks and taxation, according to which all skilled work received in the timebank should be taxed according to market value. Timebank activists have been contesting these developments, saying that among other things it destroys the idea of equality on which time banks are based, and as such its potential. Helsinki timebank has put to the forefront the possibilities of working with a timetax (tovivero, which is already operational internally in Helsinki Timebank), and among other is trying to keep a dialogue going on this issue with Helsinki City actors.

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FURTHER INFORMATION

www.aikaparantaa.net/englishstadinaikapankki.wordpress.com/ www.aikaparantaa.net/kirje-tuntemattomallewww.rgtb.org.ukwww.timebanking.orgwww.neweconomics.orgwww.community-exchange.org

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FURTHER INFORMATION

pauliina.shilongo@kakspy.com or aikaparantaa@aikaparantaa.net

Tel. 040 7103246

Thank you!

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