Objectives
Time 2 Trade was established in 2002 in Sandwell in order to tackle problems with health and well-being, and to provide residents with access to skills and services present in their community. It was established with a view to help strengthen and renew community networks vital to the social and physical health of a community.
The Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell is located in the West Midlands, around five miles from the centre of the City of Birmingham. The Borough is one of the most disadvantaged areas in the country, with high levels of social problems and of chronic disease such as Coronary Heart Disease and diabetes. The 2001 Census reported that 22% of Sandwell residents had a limiting long-term illness and over one in ten people’s general health was rated as ‘not good’. Also, Sandwell is one of the most deprived Boroughs in England. On the 2004 Department for Communities and Local Government Indices of Multiple Deprivation Sandwell’s average score ranked it at 16th most deprived local authority out of a total of 326. Sandwell also has higher Job Seekers Allowance claimants’, overall unemployment, and lower economic activity rates than average at the regional and national levels.
The aims of the Timebank are to:
Promote well-being and improved health outcomes through enabling greater activity, learning, and access to healthy living opportunities.
Tackle health inequalities through providing opportunities and empowering people to take greater control of their health and wellbeing.
Foster social inclusion through encouraging activity within the community. This provides an opportunity for individuals, such as those with learning disabilities that often face barriers to become a part of the community and older people who feel lonely and isolated from other generations.
Promote dignity and independence allowing people to live in their homes longer.
Enable greater access to goods and services to members of the community who are cash poor.
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