OVERVIEW

The "Time Bank" strategy is increasingly being adopted by Hong Kong institutions to build social capital. However, there is a lack of a localized, evidence-based operational and evaluation framework, such as a social capital measurement tool at the community level, to assess project outcomes from a macro perspective. Furthermore, there is a lack of professional support networks to provide ongoing advice and assistance in implementing the Time Bank strategy. Therefore, this research project aims to fill these gaps, with the following specific objectives:

Identify the success factors of time banking strategies in social capital development projects;
Enhance the ability of service program implementers to adopt time banking strategies to effectively develop social capital;
Establish cross-sectoral collaboration platforms to promote and support the development of time banking strategies in social capital construction projects.

To achieve these objectives, we propose a three-year Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) project to deepen our understanding of the relationship between different components of timebanking and social capital development. A Timebank Incubation Hub will also be established to provide concurrent support. The project consists of the following three components:

Component 1

The knowledge development research aims to understand the concept and existing projects of time banking in Hong Kong, develop localized social capital measurement tools, and analyze the success and failure factors of time banking projects through systematic review, research, focus groups and surveys.

Component 2

Implement a knowledge exchange initiative to share insights from Project 1 with the social welfare sector and the public sector through knowledge exchange meetings and training workshops. This component will also involve the development of an implementation guideline and an evaluation framework for future CIIF-funded timebank projects.

Component 3

Establish a Timebank Incubation Hub and project website to promote the timebank strategy and provide concurrent support to future practitioners seeking to utilise timebanking strategy in social capital building projects.

Expected Outcomes

The project aims to foster community participation, mutual assistance, support, and social inclusion in communities. These outcomes will contribute to a stronger sense of belonging, enhance the social networks of individuals and families, and broaden the sources of support available to help them address problems and respond to shared concerns.