Time, not money, is the currency at the Hour Exchange. Innovator Stephen Beckett, lead programmer and participant in Hour Exchange Portland.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT & CONVERSATION
- For fun, if your group were a community unto itself, what skills, talents, knowledge or service would you provide in an Hour Exchange? What benefits would you receive?
- Does your community have a program similar to Hour Exchange Portland?If so, what services does it provide? What benefits have you received? Is the program based on equal value of hours? If your community does not have such a program, discuss what services you would like provided; what benefits would you like to receive; and would you make the hours equal?
- Hour Exchange Portland is a member of the hOurworld Cooperative, an international network of time banks.
ACTIONS
If you are interested in starting a time bank in your community, hOurworld information on how to get started and Time Banks USA has information on first steps also.
ABOUT STEPHEN
Stephen Beckett is participant in Hour Exchange Portland. He is co-founder and lead programmer for hOurworld Cooperative. He graduated with honors from the University of New England’s Physical Therapy degree program and has been practicing a mix of mainstream and eclectic manual therapies for over 18 years. He also studied at the Maine College of Art and his paintings can be viewed at www.maineartstudio.com