---
title: Rethink Ireland, Social Innovation and the Case for Time Banking | TimeBank Ireland
description: Rethink Ireland's focus on social innovation shows why communities need practical models like time banking, time credits and local exchange.
canonical: https://hour-timebank.ie/blog/rethink-ireland-a-call-for-innovation-in-a-changing-world
generated: 2026-05-14T19:04:09.610Z
---![Rethink Ireland, Social Innovation and the Case for Time Banking](https://api.project-nexus.ie/uploads/posts/community-exchange-and-loneliness-why-local-connection-still-matters-hero.jpg)

Community Partnerships

# Rethink Ireland, Social Innovation and the Case for Time Banking

![Jasper Ford](https://api.project-nexus.ie/uploads/2/avatars/811a27e192bc90737b10c04fcf4f36d3.jpg)

Jasper Ford 2 August 2023 2 min read 0 comments

*Updated May 2026 by TimeBank Ireland to improve clarity, remove old filler, and keep the article useful for members, volunteers, community groups and search visitors.*

[Rethink Ireland](https://rethinkireland.ie/) supports social innovation across Ireland. Its work is a reminder that good community ideas need more than goodwill; they need structure, evidence, funding pathways and the courage to try new models.

Time banking belongs in that conversation because it addresses a problem many communities recognise: people have skills, needs and goodwill, but the systems for connecting them are often weak.

## Why Time Banking Is Social Innovation

Time banking changes the way value is recognised. It makes space for contribution that the cash economy often overlooks, including care, companionship, local knowledge, repair skills and volunteer effort.

It also creates a practical bridge between people who want to help and people who find it difficult to ask. The time credit is simple, but the social effect can be significant.

## Measuring What Usually Disappears

Community impact is often hard to measure because so much of it happens informally. A timebank can record hours, types of exchange and patterns of participation without reducing people to statistics.

That makes it easier for community groups to tell a stronger story about what they are doing and why it matters.

## Where TimeBank Ireland Fits

TimeBank Ireland is not a replacement for social innovation funding or public services. It is a practical model that can help communities use the talent they already have, while building the evidence and confidence to do more.

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