Skills exchange - any interest?

[HarmonyMusic 10]

You could set up a face book and use the events function to invite people to help or train in whatever skill is required in exchange for you doing a skilled event on a different day. The issue you will have is that you might only have 1 DIY expert and 50% of the members want help with that so they are always having to help but the members they help may not have the skills you would want in exchange

[here'2'there 10]

Count me in if this goes any further. I'm a man with a van service. I have loads of little jobs that need doing round my gaff ...... you know the ones you never get round to doing lol !!

[bethwebb 10]

im great with children, (ex reg childminder) i now work with Dementia patients so would be able to offer baby sitting for all ages,

 

I wouldn't let you near my elderly relatives with that demeaning attitude. Dementia or no, they're still adults.

 

Regardless, I'm interested in this. Quite a good cook, and good with doggies if anyone needs a dog sitting service.

[staffsNlaffs 10]

A great idea. i'm a good gardener but how could you equate my relative low skill base with say an electrician,who would be far more skilled, if i were to swap time with then. would i have to do twice the ammount of work

 

No you just need to make sure when the flowers bloom in his garden that the green and yellow ones dont touch the blue ones...

[John---doe 10]

I was involved in a now-defunct LETS (Local Exchange Trading Scheme or System) in the north of city.

 

Everybody - regardless of the service/skill they were offering - received the same number of credits per hour for their work. I thought this was fair - after all, being a qualified accountant is bugger all help if you've got a lawn that needs mowing or spring bulbs to plant!

 

The LETS scheme which uses stones , seems to run differently, in that people can decide for themselves what to charge.

 

From my experience, the main problem with setting up a LETS is finding volunteers who are willing to give their time to doing the paperwork/accounting, so joining an existing group might be a better option than trying to set a new one up.

 

Probably now defunct because it didn’t work the way it was set up.

 

Do you really think a qualified accountant, (who can earn lets say £500 per day) will swap a days work for a gardener (who can earn lets say £100 per day) ????

 

You must be able to see that in a Capitalist society it will only work if the Accountant gets more ‘credits’ for his days work than a labourer – no matter how skilled.

 

Otherwise the scheme will only operate with labourers /unskilled swapping jobs, tradesmen swapping with tradesmen, etc, etc.

[staffsNlaffs 10]

You must be able to see that in a Capitalist society it will only work if the Accountant gets more ‘credits’ for his days work than a labourer – no matter how skilled. /QUOTE]

 

Skinner wrote a book (Walden Two) about a modern Utopia which dealt with the matter of swapping skills in this way. Payment was free time credits or something

[AlyJ 10]

The 'Time Bank' works in Chesterfield in the same way as the LETS scheme. It's an hour for an hour no matter what the skill. I would argue that it takes more effort to dig a garden than it does to do some accounting. Not all highly qualified people are as ruthless as John Doe would have us believe however! Altruism and community spirit is not the sole domain of those who have less qualifications or 'expertise'.

[hriley1987 10]

This is a great idea.

 

My skills : graphic design (logo / leaflet / flyer / brochure design as well as imag retouching) using Adobe CS5 and Quark, marketing, brand consultancy, drama teaching, copywriting, scriptwriting, English and Philosophy tuition, SEO

 

Skills I need: gardening, DIY, ironing and sewing

[art_blaze 10]

I have many friends that participate in this sort of thing. For instance my friend removed a link from my drivechain, I sealed his bath. Another helped me repair my guttering, I painted her home. I have many friends who do help for help. Theres no payment or credits.

 

Maybe we could just advertise our need and what we can offer and see if there are any takers.

 

It's such a reward to help someone in need and to know your kindness is going to improve there lifes. Hope this works.

[teenyweeny 10]

my skills are cleaning and looking after my dogs i also do a bit of knitting,and have been known to take part in a bit of baking.im also a good listener.

[Brunette 10]

I wouldn't let you near my elderly relatives with that demeaning attitude. Dementia or no, they're still adults.

 

 

 

I don't think that's what she meant! I think that being an ex-childminder and working with dementia patients was the poster giving her credentials, and she then went on to state that she could offer babysitting services (for children, I assumed).

 

I think you've been a tad harsh and read that person and their attitude completely wrongly.

[Hayley1 10]

I'm a keen gardener and an award winning Cross Stitcher & I dabble in Hardanger. I've been known to knock up curtains or take up the odd pair or trousers.

 

You can check out the gardening in the blog linked below, and here for the kind of needlework I get commisions for - anything from a small personalised baby sampler to large Marvel characters.

 

Oh yes, and document production (typing)

 

I could do with someone skilled to help my hubby lay a patio and skim a couple of walls.

 

 

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Edited April 21, 2011 by Hayley1