Timebanking is a way for people to come together to help others and help themselves at the same time. Participants ‘deposit’ their time in the timebank by sharing their skills or giving practical help and support to others, and are able to ‘withdraw’ their time when they need something done themselves.
Time banking is not…
- Volunteering – where you give your time to a cause you care for & call it a day.
- Bartering – where you trade or exchange something for something else with the same person in a one-to-one exchange.
- A traditional job - You don’t get paid in money based on a societies value for the work that you do.
It’s more of a sweet spot between all three, taking the best of volunteering, bartering and redefining what we understand as ‘work’ to create a more equitable and sustainable way to thrive as a community.
Timebanks have existed since the 1980s when they were evolved by Dr. Edgar Cahn, who sadly passed away in 2022. In light of all the global changes that communities are experiencing everywhere – their time is now, and time banks across the globe are flourishing to address the needs of the communities they serve.
Qmunity Kenz is open to people of all ages, abilities, ethnic and cultural backgrounds living and working in Qatar. The great diversity within Qatar’s Qmunity is what makes our time bank so special and enables such a wide variety of skills to be exchanged.
We welcome individuals and families, community groups and organisations who align to our values and want to contribute to a more equitable and sustainable way of living.
It’s like a pay it forward trading system where time not money is the currency… so one hour of my time helping someone is banked and can be withdrawn when I need help with something.
1 hour = 1 credit.
Though this platform you can add and manage your own exchanges, make direct arrangements with each other and record your exchanged hours.
Qatar has one of the most advanced Social Innovation ecosystems within the region.
Whilst the global focus has been on Qatar’s ranking with GDP, the true assets of Qatar can also be measured by it’s abundant social capital & values that make living in Qatar so special for its diverse population.
In addition to contributing to the advancement of Sustainable Development Goals Qmunity Kenz is aligned to the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV2030) & it’s roadmap towards Qatar becoming an advanced society capable of sustainable development with the goal of providing a high standard of living for all citizens by the year 2030.
No one owns the timebank! Qmunity Kenz is set up as an informal community interest group made up of people who share the same values and desire to contribute to a more equitable and sustainable world.
The platform is designed to make it possible for members to post requests for help and offer skills and resources themselves.
A few timebank admins help keep things running and take on you can identify the core team behind the scenes from their admins badge on the platform. The early adopters who ideated and shaped the direction of Qmunity Kenz can be identified via their co-creator’s badge.
No money will be taken for joining and participating. Qmunity Kenz is currently self-funded by a small group of donors.
A local grant has been awarded (Innovation Coupon) however is delayed. It is hoped that the long-term sustainability of the platform will be addressed though private donations in the meantime and further funding options are currently being explored in line with a social enterprise model.
Our early research shows a number of reasons why people joined Qmunity Kenz.
These included:
- Skill swapping & sharing: 85%
- Getting to know community: 55%
- Discovering new cultures: 50%
- Helping others: 70%
- Creativity Action Service hours: 7%
- Personal development: 45%
- Climate action: 32%
You can donate any hours you earn to our digital Kenz – that will be used to help large scale projects that the Qmunity nominate and advocate for.