As your time bank grows and becomes more successful you might need to think about employing a paid time broker who is responsible for organising all the matches and skills exchanges, the general administration and health and safety issues. This is a more formal set up and these kinds of time banks are usually funded by charitable grants so the time broker can be employed on a full- or parttime basis. They can be located in their own premises or within another organisation like a school, housing association or doctor’s surgery.

The time broker can use the specially designed computer software called Time Online (available from Time Banks UK) to log all the exchanges. He/she manages practicalities such as insurance, health and safety, references and other checks.

Timebanking UK offer lots of training modules on the role of the broker and how to share the load with time bank members who can earn hours for the time they help the broker. It can easy for a broker to unwittingly become a gatekeeper by doing everything which puts the time bank at risk if that person leaves or if the funding stops to pay the salary. Coproducing the time bank and sharing the tasks is another training module Timebanking UK offer.

The role of the time broker:

check A friendly local face who knows all the members personally.

check Someone people feel comfortable asking for help.

check Knows the local area and the skills and interests of the members.

check Keeps the exchanges moving and co-ordinates the time bank.

check Recruits new people and takes up references.

check Responsible for bringing people together and organising events.

check Follows up exchanges to see that all went well.

check Helps organise and produce publicity - leaflets, newsletters, website - to promote the time bank, gives talks and presentations.

check Is the link between the local time bank and the bigger regional and national networks of the time banking movement.

check Links with other local organisations and businesses to get them to join the time bank.

check Can organise training for members using the skills available in the time bank.