Timebanking in Carnate - "Projects for Women" Competition

We live in a society typified by the isolation of the individual and a culture of self-sufficiency. Through this project, La Banca del Tempo intends to promote a new model of collaboration with municipal administrations, which aims to tackle, at the economic and social levels, the many emerging local crises before they become chronic. Although the project is not explicitly aimed at women, it does directly affect them, since most Banca del Tempo’s partners are women, and they are the association’s driving force. The project focuses on Carnate, a small town 20 km from Milan. The town grew around its train station; its development was not rationally planned, and it lacks a true town centre where people can meet.
Immigration has brought many changes to the town’s social fabric, and sadly the lack of public funding for social inclusion efforts is a major hurdle.
In such a context, Banca del Tempo plays an important role in facilitating active participation in community life: it promoted the creation of a network of agencies, families, and individuals whose aim is to strengthen the local social fabric. Creating this network potentially makes it easier to identify abuses and reach out to people who suffer from temporary social exclusion yet are unwilling to publically ask for help.