A team of about 10 people collaborated to progress a ‘bank’ of volunteer credits to better encourage and reward volunteerism in Geraldton, at Pollinators’ Lunchtime Lab session last Wednesday.
The Luchtime Lab session followed from Pollinators’ most recent GeroSoup in which Pollinators member Christian Watters pitched the idea of developing such a bank of volunteer credits to better value the contribution of volunteers to the Mid West community and economy.
“For too long people who undertake volunteer work have not been rewarded for their efforts,” Mr Watters said.
“In today’s society money seems to be the only currency and the Geraldton Volunteer Credit is all about changing that.”
Participants at the Lunchtime Lab discussed the existing initiatives such as a UK-based volunteer credit service Hull Coin (www.hull-coin.org), the currency exchange Bitcoin (www.bitcoin.com), and service exchange system Timebanking (www.timebanking.com.au).
They also discussed the notion of creating a ‘Frequent Flyer’ styled set up in which volunteers bank their volunteer hours and are rewarded in terms of redeemable prizes. Organisations needing volunteers would donate the prizes at a much lesser cost than employing people to conduct the work they required.
The venture is being progressed by those members, collaborating on meetings and next actions using Pollinators’ online member collaboration platform: “Podio.”
Lunchtime Labs are lunchtime sessions on Wednesdays where Pollinators’ members collaborate on progressing specific ideas, problems and projects. They are open, free for Pollinators members, driven by members’ suggestions and held on Wednesdays between 12:30 and 1:30pm.
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