INFORMATION, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

We will stay in touch with you by telephone, text, e-mail or post (whichever preference is noted on your application form).

We can also exchange messages on the Timebanking online platform TOL2 https://tol2.timebanking.org/timeswap/member.

We will send out regular newsletters with news from your area and across the county.

• Contact your Time Officer and explain what you need help with.

• Give us an idea of how long it might take and the best day and time.

• Or log on to TOL2: https://tol2.timebanking.org/timeswap/Member.

• We may not be able to fulfil your request straight away so please be patient.

When you agree to give help, follow this simple procedure to ensure you have all the information you need and everything will run smoothly:

• Let your Time Swap Officer know. Any exchanges undertaken without prior approval from your Time Swap Officer are carried out at your own risk and they will not be covered by our insurance.

• When accepting an exchange write down the name and address of where you need to go and the date and time of the swap.

• Check whether there are any special considerations, or if there is any particular information you should know about the exchange or the person you are helping.

• Be on time! (5 minutes early is even better)

• Be sure you know the requesters name, and they know yours.

• Get some idea of the layout of the surroundings and the availability of any safety equipment you may need, e.g. first aid kit.

• Find out if there are any possible hazards e.g. pets, restricted access

• If you would prefer the Time Swap Officer to be there to make your first introductions, or to stay during the exchange, just let us know.

• Once you have completed an exchange please let your Time Swap Officer know or update eon TOL2. We can only demonstrate how successful the project is if we know the number of hours exchanged.

Only hours can be exchanged and not goods or money (except where reimbursing petrol costs/ingredients/materials) - but this must be agreed strictly in advance and involve your Time Swap Officer. Although the currency of Time Swap is time we do not want members to be ‘out of pocket’ financially.

Always ensure that a family member or friend know where you going and when you are ex-pected back. Ensure your mobile is charged and in credit. If you are driving, park in a well lit area if after dark.

As members you will share some personal information with each other - only share what you are comfortable sharing.

Keep information that is shared with you confidential and don’t share with other members, unless you have a safeguarding concern about a members safety - then speak to your Time Swap Officer as soon as possible. Information we collect will not be shared with other members.

Your personal contact details and information will not be visible to other members on our online system, TOL2. Only your profile picture, biography and Time Swap offers will be visible.

Any requests for help with shopping must be arranged through a Time Swap Officer.

The receiving member must be present and pay for the shopping themselves. To avoid unnecessary risks we will not accept any swaps where money must change hands for the shopping.

Your Time Swap Officer will complete a risk assessment for each swap, including visiting a member in their home if that is where the swap is to take place. Please be aware of any hazards which may arise and always have your safety in mind.

When you agree to do a task if you have any health and safety concerns at any point, even during the swap, then please say no to this task and contact your Time Swap Officer.

Can you do it? You should only carry out an exchange which you feel confident about and competent to complete. If you are unsure about a task, or don’t know if you have the training or experience to complete it to a good standard don’t do it. When at the swap, complete your own mental risk assessment of whether you can do this before starting and contact the Time Swap Officer as soon as possible to rearrange the swap. You should not carry out swaps that require statutory qualifications, such as electrical or gas work. Your Time Swap Officer can provide more information about this if you need it, just ask.

Do agreed tasks only: When carrying out a swap, only do the task you have agreed to. If you do anything that you have not agreed with your Time Swap Officer it will not be covered by our Public Liability Insurance.

When you leave: Make sure you leave any tasks in a safe condition.

No one from Time Swap will knock on your door unless you know about it in advance.

We have a duty to safeguard all adults from neglect and abuse. We follow processes and procedures to help keep all Time Swap members safe, especially those members who have care and support needs. Your Time Swap Officer can give you more information on our own Safeguarding Adults Policy. Any concerns can also be passed to our Designated Safeguarding Lead at SDCVS.

If any incidents occur or you have concerns about a member’s safety or your own, contact your Time Swap Officer as soon as possible. In the case of an emergency contact Emergency Services.

More information can be found on the Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults Board website, www.derbyshiresab.org.uk.

Individuals

If you intend to use your own vehicle to give lifts for any Time Swap purposes then you must complete the declaration on the Induction Checklist and provide your Time Swap Officer with all the relevant documentation.

You will need to make your insurance provider aware that you are using your vehicle for Time Swap duties. The Time Swap Officer can supply you with a letter to give to your insurance company that explains what you are doing, just ask. There are certain dos and don’ts about giving members lifts and your Time Swap Officer will explain them to you.

Organisations

If your members or employees intend to use their own vehicle for any Time Swap purposes then they must complete the declaration on the Induction Checklist and provide your Time Swap Officer with all the relevant documentation. They will need to make their insurance provider aware that they are using their vehicle for Time Swap duties. The Time Swap Officer can supply you with a letter to give to the insurance company that explains what you are doing, just ask. There are certain dos and don’ts about giving members lifts and your Time Swap Officer will explain them to you.

All

Please do not use your vehicle for Time Swap purposes unless this process has been followed.

Members who accept lifts are expected to reimburse reasonable costs for petrol. This must be agreed before any lifts take place. If you feel uneasy about doing this then ask your Time Swap Officer who will do this for you.

Time Swap Officers are not able to take you to swaps, please ensure you can get to the venue of the swap by your own means before accepting.

...you need to cancel or rearrange and appointment:

• Whether you are offering or receiving an swap try to give as much notice as possible

• Contact the person receiving/offering the swap

• Contact your Time Swap Officer and let them know the new arrangements

• If it is not possible to rearrange directly with the person your Time Swap Officer will do this for you

...there is an emergency:

If an emergency happens which forces you to cancel the appointment at short notice please follow above.

If an emergency arises while you are carrying out a swap:

If it is urgent or you consider it necessary, don’t hesitate - dial 999 for the relevant emergency service. Once it is safe to do so, please let your Time Swap Officer aware by calling or emailing them directly, if it is outside of their usual working hours they will respond as soon as possible.

If an accident happens to either member, someone else or damage is caused to the property:

If anyone is injured, your first responsibility must be to your own safety to ensure you are able to provide the appropriate help. Then you need to follow the emergency procedure detailed above. Time Swap members are covered by Public Liability Insurance. Contact us as soon as possible will full details of the accident or incident, including any photographic evidence of damage to the property.

Another feature of Time Swap is Member Groups, whereby individual Time Swap members organise groups of people to pursue a common interest together.

For example, if you like walking you could arrange to meet with others on a regular basis to do local walks.

This can apply to any mutual interest, so this could be a craft, a hobby or a sport.

The person starting a Member Group would not have to lead the group every time, as this responsibility could be shared. Member Groups consist of three or more members. Your Time Swap Officer could advertise this to other members if you wish, or you can post on TOL2.

We will also host Time Swap coffee mornings and social activities to enable Time Swap members to meet each other, share ideas and introduce new members. Your Time Swap Officer will keep you up to date with news of forthcoming events for your Time Swap area.

Time Swap relies on the skills, knowledge, abilities and talents of its members and is not a substitute for paid professional services. All support given is purely on a goodwill basis and the standard of any work completed will always be the best a member can offer. If you require a high standard of workmanship and for them to return in the event you are not happy with the result, you must pay a professional tradesman to complete the work for you.

As with every Time Swap the exchange is an hour for an hour so if you let a community group use your conference room for two hours, your organisation gets two hours worth of credit.

If five employees help another member with one hour of gardening, that’s five hours in total.