Time4Good Archives - What is beautiful?

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Going where the energy is

Being a private company in the social sector isn't easy. For a start, we're not eligible for most grants or donations; meaning we depend on revenues. To the uninitiated, there can also be an assumption that a private company has money "swishing about" (if only). That said, I’ve acknowledged over the years that constraints and perceptions like these are a blessing in disguise. They motivate us to keep pushing - carefully, responsibly and within our means - to build something of real value. In 2026, we're preparing to push harder than ever. What we’re building…

July 1, 2025

Why local still matters

By Robert Woolf

Time4Good

Why local approaches still matter (and why national approaches must evolve). Over the past week or so, people have been getting animated about the new £5m national volunteering platform from RVS. It’s sparked some great conversations with our clients, team and online about whether volunteering platforms (and their funding) should be managed locally or nationally. I won’t lie: seeing that…

February 11, 2025

Proof of the pudding

By Robert Woolf

Time4Good

I’ve really enjoyed being part of the Time4Good (T4G) 'Proof of Concept', even though I wish I had more time to focus on it. We launched in Oct 2024, and we end later this month (Feb 2025), with a hypothesis that T4G is more effective than social networks for recruiting, retaining and rewarding micro-volunteers. Our goal has been to prove…

September 20, 2024

The opportunity with timebanking

By Robert Woolf

Made Open Time4Good

Imagine depositing a large sum of money into a bank - would it grow into a fortune? Probably not, but it would earn some interest. Now, consider timebanking. The core idea of timebanking is to give an hour of service, earn a time credit, and receive an hour of service in return. Because time credits have no monetary value, earning…

June 13, 2024

Spread kindness like confetti

By Robert Woolf

Man who planted trees Time4Good

For me, the dark side of the internet is not some far away terrorist or cybersecurity threat, it’s the fostering of negativity and toxic interactions that have increasingly pervaded our everyday online experiences. These days, when I scroll through Twitter/X, it’s mostly just a stream of angry rants. Facebook is bloated with memes and ads. I like WhatsApp for arranging…

April 19, 2024

What did Covid teach us about ourselves?

By Robert Woolf

Made Open Squeezy balls Time4Good

In moments of crisis, we often instinctively turn to those closest to us: friends, family, a trusted mentor perhaps. It’s a natural response, seeking comfort and guidance from those who know us best. In 2015, for example, I hit rock bottom. Made Open was struggling and my knee pain was so bad I could barely walk the boys to school.…

January 28, 2024

The old lady and me

By Robert Woolf

Time4Good

This is a story about destiny, The story begins in search of a key. “It’s lost”, she said. “I don't know who to phone”, “Please help me”, she sobbed. “I live all alone”. I was 19, a student at the time, Cycling in the dark it was well past 9, She stepped into my path and made her plea, I…