Hello fellow Timebankers.
As part of the Timebank's strategic goals for 2018, The Outreach Committee has been formed and is seeking members. The Outreach Committee is responsible for assisting in growing our organization and broadening and deepening member participation.
Time commitment required: @ 3 hours per month--more if you find a project that really appeals to you, less if you cannot participate due to prior commitments during a specific time period.
Types of activities: General Outreach Committee Meeting to explain our formational agenda and come up with some specific goals and targets for our work, meeting with Member Organization Coordinators to assess their needs and provide training or speakers for their meetings; occasional opportunities for tabling at relevant events when appropriate
Reward: All hours of your service qualify for Timebank credit. You will have the opportunity to engage with the membership at a deep level and encourage increased and deeper involvement of existing members and help recruit new members who are already members of our partner organizations.
Skills required: A curiosity about how our Timebank can increase engagement of its current membership and how we might attract new members who could help create a more diverse and engaged Timebank for years to come.
Until now, I have been functioning as a committee of one, but I think there is enough groundwork laid that we can now have a discussion and take action to achieve our goals of contacting our member organizations to see what assistance the coordinators need with Community Weaver and posting the organization's requests and offers. The individual coordinators might also appreciate speakers to come and present to their volunteers about the Timebank and its benefits. Signing up more organizational volunteers makes our membership grow, become more diverse and results in more skills available for sharing--a triple benefit for all of us. We will be signing up new members and working to increase involvement with existing members. The specific goals and activities have yet to be defined, so you are joining this committee at the right time and have the ability to shape and direct outcomes.
One last word about joining this committee: You have time to join it, even if you don't think you do. I promise that the work will be fun and tackled in manageable bites. Anything we accomplish through the Outreach Committee is a step in the right direction and has never been done before in our organization. I promise that this work won't hijack your schedule and keep you from spending time at work or with loved ones. My involvement thus far has been engaging with groups that I had interest in, but no real knowledge of such as Meaningful Movies, West Seattle Democratic Women, Sustainable West Seattle, Puget Ridge Edible Park, and The West Seattle Tool Library. All of these organizations have fantastic Coordinators and Volunteers and have been delightful to work with and assist in deepening their connection to our Timebank. I think this is an opportunity to grow our community and that you will blossom in your membership in it. Just give it a try.
I look forward to hearing from you and meeting with those interested.
Julie Garbutt
Vice President/West Seattle--West Seattle Timebank