The quiet revolution of the Time Bank

At a time when every minute seems to have a price and speed has become a measure of value, a counter-current social experiment is taking shape in Italy, in the Canavese area: the Time Bank. It’s neither charity nor barter, but an organized system of exchange based on a single currency: hours. The association, founded in 2019 in Rivarolo Canavese, is building, day by day, a quiet yet solid network of mutual aid, shared skills, and community relationships.

The principle is simple: an hour of cleaning is worth an hour of music or companionship lessons. All actions have the same weight, regardless of the social status or income of those who perform them. The association is currently coordinated by Rossella Ganga, a teacher and member, elected president in March 2025 after Milena Goi, entrepreneur and founder of the Time Bank.

The idea, Goi explains, stems from solidarity experiences that began in England in the 1980s and from examples seen in Turin, but it found its decisive impetus in 2018, after a serious illness. “I was very determined. I saw unmotivated kids, and as an entrepreneur, I knew that in difficult times, you can find the energy to act,” she says. With the help of a friend from Rivarolo Canavese, Alice Bruno – who is still on the board today – the idea transformed into an association. “The founding members, many of them teachers, believed in the project from the beginning, involving friends and even the mayors of Favria and Rivarolo,” Goi recalls.

The model is based on reciprocity. “In the Time Bank, participants are never in debt, but always active,” he explains. “An older person can share their life story in exchange for practical help: it’s a way to feel part of a vibrant and helpful community.”

Current president Rossella Ganga emphasizes that the association’s goal is “to create spaces for the exchange of time, assistance, and skills, strengthening relationships and solidarity.”

The Canavese Time Bank is part of a national network of similar organizations, already widespread throughout Italy. “It’s a different, yet deeply rooted, approach to collaboration. Here, the currency is time: no interest, no debt. Only the hours donated and received are counted.”

The principle is universal: “Everyone has something to offer and everyone needs something. An hour of my time is worth an hour of yours,” Ganga explains. The examples are concrete: a student offers English lessons in exchange for history tutoring, someone helps with the grocery shopping, another takes care of a neighbour’s cat. The exchanges are endless, but all mediated by the association, which ensures balance and trust.

The work, however, isn’t limited to personal exchanges. The Time Bank has also become a social outreach, capable of identifying needs and building connections. Among its regular initiatives is the Italian language course for foreigners at the Favria library, coordinated by members Anna Bracco and Stefania Bruno, designed not only as a learning space but also as a meeting place. The commitment also extends to schools, with projects aimed at middle school students in Gozzano di Rivarolo, and with initiatives to provide financial support to families, such as used schoolbook markets.

As founder Milena Goi said, “in the Time Bank, every hour is worth the same, whether you’re teaching music or cleaning a garage.”

In an area like Canavese, the Time Bank represents a modern form of good neighbourliness: a concrete support network that unites different generations and restores meaning to the time spent with others. Not only a way to meet daily needs, but also a collective investment in the future.

yogaesoteric
November 9, 2025

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