2011 TimeBanks Conference

View the highlights of the 2011 TBUSA Conference, continue to participate in our learning circles, and review summary reports of workshop learning opportunities.

Time for Transformation: Banking on Families and Communities to Be the Change

TimeBanks USA is at the center of a dynamic movement to preserve families, rebuild communities, affect systemic change and promote transformation around the world.

The 2011 TimeBanks Conference provided an opportunity for individuals, youth, families, communities, states, and countries across the world to come together to share and learn more about TimeBanking and its extensions from one another.

Over 200 eager, inspired participants attended the conference, held at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island on August 4-7. The conference, sponsored by TimeBanks USA and the Rhode Island TimeBank Initiative at Parent Support Network featured:

• Pre and Post Conference Training Opportunities
• Racial Justice Initiative: Child Welfare Colloquium
• TimeBank Dinner Event:   Healing, Hope, and Humanity
• RI TimeBanks Community Potluck Dinner Event:  Time, Taste, and Talent
• Open Plenaries and Learning Circles
• Workshop Learning Opportunities

The opening plenary, Embracing the Values of TimeBanking to Create Change brought together a panel of experienced TimeBank leaders to share how they have made change by utilizing the values of TimeBanking in the areas of youth justice, informal and formal supports, human services, human rights, community development, local economies, eco-justice, sustainability, arts and culture. Conference participants will have the opportunity to ask the panelists questions. This panel presentation led into learning circles, where came together in forum discussions around Environmental Justice and Sustainable Living, Multicultural Relationships in TimeBanks, and more. TimeBanks USA has highlighted learning circle discussions on this website and  we want to keep interactive discussions going that was started at the conference.

Over 26 workshop learning opportunities were held during the conference that were led by experts in their fields, included Funding and Sustaining your TimeBank, Activating Community for Better Health through TimeBanking, Co-Production and Systems Change, and many more! Explore these topics, review summary reports, and continue the conversations and further the learning through the discussion boards provided for each topic.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to our reporters, Sherry Sutler, Nelson Carrasco, Holly Cekala, Tizoc Perez Casillas, Virgie Ingram, Jennifer Clark, Bonnie Taylor, and Ebony Winston for their work taking notes and creating reports.  Many of their words appear here, and this work could not have been done without their wonderful energy and commitment.  Thanks also to our videographers, Leon Hills and Willa Lovejoy, for giving of their time and effort to document the conference.
-Sara & Madrianne, TimeBanks Connect 2011