Learning for Change: How Social Innovations empower young people in risk of marginalization and enga

How can social innovation empower young people in risk of marginalization and engage them in community action? “By creating a means for everyone to discover and succeed in work they want to do, with the support of their community.”—DBA, The Main Man (HUMAN) 193 Cooperative

The session was based on a panel of individuals whose experience and knowledge of social innovation in their communities have contributed to transitions towards a more sustainable economy. While participants shared their experience in the field and discussed the alternative forms to involve youth in social innovation, they also challenged the audience to dig deeper on how Social Innovations create new spaces and formulas to empower new generations in community action.

One in particular, TimeBank, is a mechanism of exchange where the currency is time; that is, it offers a chain reaction of connections that enable individuals to do something for themselves. Whereas a TimeBank is the mechanism, the facilitator in the community, the people are the fuel. This form of time-based currency provides a provision of services that can be measured in a time unit: one hour equals one service credit. In this type of system, an individual can volunteer to give one hour of service to another, and receive one time credit that can be received by another member in return.

As mentioned by Director/Co-ordinator at TimeBank Hull and East Riding Kate Macdonald,

“Timebanking is a way of connecting people and organizations to exchange skills and resources where time is the principal currency.”

Therefore, the key to its success lies in the value it provides members of society with—a community dedicated to social change and building relationships full of connections that last a lifetime.