Ruby van der Wekken is an activist and freelance writer around development policy issues and has been active in various organizations on global democracy and environmental issues. She has in particular also been active in the World Social Forum process, the experiences of which have been an impetus to the founding of Stadin Aikapankki of which Ruby is a co-founder. Stadin Aikapankki members exchange services on the basis of time, and operate according to the principles of Timebanking. Several other timebanks have been established in Finland, also Tampere has its own aikapankki! See www.stadinaikapankki.wordpress.com.

1. Stadin Aikapankki
beats to the ryhtm of equity, reciprocity and
solidarity
Ruby van der Wekken 2010
STAP logo and drawings Sanna Pellicioni

2. What is Stadin Aikapankki
• Services are exchanged online against time. 1 tovi for 1 hour of work.
• Operates according to the principles of Timebanking
• International exchange system www.ces.org.za
• 486 members around Helsinki
• > 600 offerings, 125 members have exchanged, 247 exchanges since
October 2009, 620 tovia.
• Helsinki, Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Kouvula, Lahti, Mäntsälä, Oulu, Parainen,
Pori, Raasepori, Tampere, Turku.
• Core group. Different backgrounds and talents, 100% volunteer efforts.

3. STAP Timeline
• 3.9.2009 in Kumpula .....
 ...Local currency? No : Timebanking!
For us it was important that:
Everyone’s time, work and needs are of equal value
>local democracy > economic options.
Alternative to money, Alternative Bank, Alternative means of
exchange.
• www.ces.org.za Community Exchange Systems.
International!
• ..... 3.10.2009 Kumpulan Vaihtopiiri, 10 Kumpenni/t CES

4. STAP Timeline
 Mobilisation and participatory democracy in the exchange circle :
Info evenings
Membership newsletters
Member evenings 7.4.2010 Kumpulassa (20p), 23.8.2010 Kumpulassa
>Core group
100 members 18.3.2010; 200 members 9.5.2010; 300 members14.8.2010
 Wanted to reinforce identity as Timebank+ Helsinki wide membership:
• .... 5.5.2010 Stadin Aikapankki, 1 tovi = 1 tunti
www.stadinaikapankki.wordpress.com

6. Timebank cycle
www.timebanking.org / Sanna Pellicioni

7. Origins of Timebanking
• Edgar Cahn 60’s How to strengthen the core economy?:
Family, neighbourhood, community
The base of democracy, social justice, values as trust and reciprocity
The base of private and public sector
Capital does not value the core economy.
Money > time. What if time would be medium of exchange?
• 1980 Time Dollar LSE www.timebanks.org

8. Timebank:
exchange tool with values
Equity
Enlarging the definition of work
Enabling
Reciprocity
Everyone becomes a giver and receiver, everyone is needed
> Respect and trust
People are assets
Social networks

9. Timebank achievements
New Economics Foundation NEF
Strengthens Core economy :
 ability to care and share for eachother;
 capacity for mutual and non materialistic exchanges
 Civic activity.
Gives people increasingly the opportunity to determine their own
needs, how to fulfill them and how to develop their community
Increases a communties resilience. Ahead of social problems

10. Co-production
1970s Elinor Ostrom .... 1995 Edgar Cahn
• Coproduction: people and society fare better when relations are based
on reciprocity and equality.
• Timebanking is a tool with values which makes Coproduction
possible.
• Coproduction of social services Japani, UK, US
 person to person
 person to agency
 agency to agency

11. Person to Person

13. Agency to Agency

14. Timebanking:
Paradigm change
• to employ the existing skills and talents of citizens, to be
caring, neighbour and citizen, so as to build a
democratically inclusive society.
 State and local decision makers have an important role to play
in the realisation of the potential of Timebanking.
 The possibilities of Timebanking are unlimited.

15. Timebanking as an exchange
tool towards a Solidarity
economy
• The banking of time along the principles of Timebanking
• Timebanking as a critical reflection on market economy and
its drive for accumulation.
• part of the opening up of alternative economic space,
spaces of a solidarity economy, with its practices based on
cooperation, equality, diversity and self determination.

16. Tampereen aikapankki
www.ces.org.za
(join the community exchange system)
• oscar.fresan@kaapeli.fi
Klo 18, ravintola Kahvila (Aaltosenkatu 31-33)
Tervetuloa!