Fremont Time Operations
The description of Fremont Time operations is divided into sections on: personnel,
membership, mentor relationships,
the exchange process, internal communications,
promotions and public relations, the board of directors, and
future plans
Personnel
The Fremont Time office is staffed by volunteers three days and two evenings a week. There is a
volunteer coordinator responsible for recruiting, assigning, training and supervising the volunteer
staff. The Operations coordinator, (a board member) is responsible for seeing that the activities and
services of Fremont Time are accomplished.
Membership
Volunteer staff provide information about membership in Fremont Time by mail, phone or in person,
responding to inquiries from individuals in the community. After an application is completed and
returned, staff set up a file for the individual, schedule an in-person interview to clarify the skills and
gifts they are offering and identify needs for services they may have and provide additional
information about the mission and activities of the organization. Next, two references are checked
and the prospective member is invited to a group orientation. Orientations are scheduled once or twice a month and take about 1.5 hours. The service exchange process and
members' responsibilities are explained. People have an opportunity to ask questions and practice
offering or requesting a service. Each new member is assigned a member number and is given five
credits establishing their account. An administrative fee is collected from those who are able to pay.
Currently membership is at 221 individuals. The program provides all members with supplemental
insurance coverage while providing services.
Mentor Relationships
One goal of Fremont Time is reciprocity. It is a core belief that everyone has something to offer the
community. It is also recognized that some residents may need extra support in order to participate in
Fremont Time. The Inclusion Committee at Fremont Time focuses on outreach to special
populations and on providing support needed for everyone who wishes to be part of Fremont Time.
One way this is done is through the recruitment of members who serve as mentors for people with
developmental disabilities, youth at risk, frail elders, etc. These mentors can help members identify
their capacities and provide coaching or be part of a team in actually offering a service. Mentors help
members in requesting services too.
The Exchange Process
An exchange is initiated when a member calls or comes into the office and requests a service. A
volunteer staff member fills out a Service Request Form and looks for possible matches in the services
roster based on type of service time needed, proximity ,etc. Members who offer the particular service
are identified and the recipient is provided with the names and numbers of potential service providers.
The service recipient is responsible for contacting the members, arranging for the exchange and
informing the office of the transaction after the service is provided. The office is available to facilitate
the arrangement of exchanges if needed. When the exchange is reported to the office usually by
phone or mail-in card, the hours served (also called good neighbor points) are credited to the
provider's account and debited to the receiver's account. All services are valued equally and good
neighbor points are based on hours served.
There are guidelines for using good neighbor points:
- Members are encouraged to offer services they believe would be useful to the community.
- Exchanges are offered informally on a non-commercial basis solely for personal use of
Fremont Time members. Members cannot access good neighbor points to receive services for
their businesses
- Participants are encouraged to use accumulated points when needed.
- Services through Fremont Time are provided on a strictly voluntary basis and there is no
guarantee to the receipt of services.
- There are no direct or indirect contractual rights to services from other members or from Fremont
Time.
- Exchanges are for services only and not for goods.
- Members cannot sell or transfer points except when points are donated to immediate household
members or approved non-profit organizations
Internal Communications
Fremont Time volunteers prepare and mail a membership newsletter approximately every other
month. The newsletter is a tool to communicate with the membership about organization news and,
policy decisions. It is used to list new services being offered, request services not currently listed in
the roster of services and to share stories and profiles about members and their experiences with
Fremont Time.
Fremont Time also holds Pot Luck gatherings approximately every other month. Membership
business is conducted and food, stories, entertainments and fun are shared by all. The pot lucks
provide an opportunity for members to meet and discover each others skills and talents, facilitating
future exchanges.
Promotion and Public Relations
Press releases and the distribution of flyers and brochures in the community were used initially to
promote the program in the local community. Fremont Time received a good deal of media attention
with stories in several newspapers and organization newsletters. This interest by the media has
continued to the present time and has included several radio interviews and interest in doing a TV
news story. The program was promoted at the Fremont Fair in June 1994 and 1995. An initial list of
people interested in joining came from a sign up sheet at the booth in 1994.
During the first year of operation a VISTA volunteer was recruited to provide outreach. He
promoted Fremont Time and established relationships at senior housing projects, the local food bank
and soup kitchen, group homes for disabled adults and alternative schools. The Inclusion Committee
has continued this work.
These efforts have had and continue to generate a tremendous amount of interest in Fremont Time.
In addition to orienting 15-20 new members each month, the program gets numerous inquiries from
people in other parts of Seattle and King County and from around the United States who want
information about the program. We have even heard from people in Canada and Great Britain.
The Board of Directors
Fremont Time strives to be a member driven organization. The Board of Directors makes an effort to
determine policy on important issues based on input from the membership. Input is gathered at
membership meetings, through committees, the newsletter, phone surveys and by including non-board
members in at retreats and in decision making processes. Board meetings are held monthly. In
addition there are several committees. The standing committees are: Finance and Fundraising,
Operations, Communications, Recognition/Membership and the Inclusion Committee.
Future Plans
One planned change in Fremont Time operations is the publication of a member directory and service
roster that will be provided to all members. Since becoming an all volunteer operation, it is clear that
changes to facilitate the exchange process and make it less labor intensive are needed. When
members each have a copy of the directory they will be able to request services directly from each
other without going through the office. The credit/debit system will ensure that members will
continue to report their exchanges. Assistance will always be available through the office for those
who need or request it.
Other plans include securing funds to develop and market a "kit" for other neighborhoods to use in
establishing their own service exchange networks. We also hope to find funds to support part time
paid staff to continue outreach to special populations and to train and support mentors for these
members.