Hackney Shares

Hackney Shares is a borough-wide time bank network for the exchange of time and resources for people and organisations, facilitated by an online platform.

Website: www.twtb.co.uk

Created by Timber Wharf Time Bank and based at Headway East London, Hackney Shares’ aim is to maximise and streamline volunteering opportunities in the borough, making time banking sustainable in the process.

Hackney Shares is:

• A borough wide network of time banks, hosting exchanges between any members of any time bank in Hackney, all facilitated by an online platform.
• An organisation-to-organisation time bank, enabling all types of organisations to increase their capacity by unlocking dormant resource.
• A centre of learning and best practise for time banks, providing support for new and established projects.

The central innovation of this project lies in the introduction of a commercial element to the model in the form of the organisation-to-organisation time bank.

Working on the basis of a paid annual subscription, Hackney Shares will be self-sustaining by the end of year 3, passing revenue on to sustain local time banks as well as other volunteering projects.

Hackney Shares will provide a market place where ‘sharing’ activity can be increased significantly in a relatively short time.

It has the capacity to change the landscape of the borough, giving citizens greater ownership in their communities, providing opportunities for up-skilling and facilitating greater efficiency in organisations.

The Award: Headway East London has been awarded £145,000 to develop the network and the online platform Hackney Shares.

Contacts

• Matthew McStravick: Project Manager, matthew.mcstravick@headwayeastlondon.org
• Christopher Sparrow: Project Broker