Tempo is a national charity that helps communities recognise and value the time people give. They believe that everyone has something to contribute and that when people feel valued for that contribution, stronger, healthier and more connected communities grow.

Recognising Contribution. Strengthening Communities.

We are funded by the Welsh Government to deliver Tempo Time Credits Cymru nationally across Wales, working alongside communities in every local authority. Together with more than 1,000 community groups, charities, public services and local organisations, we are helping to build communities where people feel valued, connected and able to play an active role in shaping the places they live.

Working alongside voluntary and community organisations, public services and local businesses, we create a simple cycle of participation, recognition and community benefit.

How Tempo Time Credits work

1. People contribute their time

People get involved in ways that work for them. This might be volunteering with a community group, supporting a local event, sharing skills, welcoming new members, helping in a community garden, making refreshments, setting up a room, supporting neighbours or taking part in shaping local services and community ideas. Time Credits can also recognise participation in co-production, community conversations, surveys and sharing lived experience.

2. Their contribution is recognised

For the time they contribute, people receive Tempo Time Credits. Rather than being a reward, Time Credits are a simple way of recognising that every person's time, skills and experience have value.

3. They use their Time Credits

Time Credits can be used through our growing network of Recognition Partners to enjoy activities and experiences including leisure, culture, heritage, wellbeing, learning, sport and family activities.

4. People feel valued and connected

Recognition helps people build confidence, discover new opportunities, strengthen relationships and develop a greater sense of belonging within their community.

5. Communities grow stronger

When people feel welcomed, recognised and connected, they are more likely to stay involved and encourage others to take part. Community organisations are better able to attract, retain and celebrate volunteers while building stronger relationships with the people they serve.

Supporting communities across Swansea

Tempo Time Credits helps organisations strengthen volunteering, increase participation and build thriving communities. We can support groups to:

Recognise and celebrate the contribution of volunteers and community participants.

Encourage new people to get involved in community life.

Support people who may lack confidence to take their first step into volunteering or community participation.

Build stronger relationships, belonging and community connection.

Connect volunteers and participants to positive local experiences through the easy-to-use Tempo Digital Platform.

Our approach recognises that community participation goes far beyond traditional volunteering. By valuing people's time and contribution, organisations can create pathways into volunteering, leadership, co-production and active citizenship.

Building a network of recognition across Swansea

We also work with local businesses, cultural venues, leisure providers and community organisations to create a vibrant network of Recognition Partners.

These partners provide opportunities for people to use their Time Credits, helping them access experiences that may otherwise be out of reach while encouraging people to explore more of what Swansea has to offer.

Current Recognition Partners in Swansea include Plantasia, Fairwood Park Golf Club, spaces on the Swansea Bay Half Marathon, Taliesin Arts Centre, Choirs For Good and many more.

Every Recognition Partner plays an important role in saying to local people: your contribution matters.

Working alongside SCVS

Tempo Time Credits complements the excellent support already available through SCVS to Swansea's voluntary and community sector.

Together we can help more organisations involve local people, strengthen volunteering, recognise community participation and celebrate the incredible contribution people make every day across Swansea.

For community organisations, Time Credits are a practical way of recognising contribution and building belonging.

For local people, they are a reminder that their time, skills and experience matter.

For Swansea, they help create stronger, fairer and more connected communities where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and everyone feels valued.

Get involved

We would love to hear from community groups, charities and organisations across Swansea who would like to explore how Tempo Time Credits could strengthen volunteering, increase participation and help more people feel connected to their community.

We're also keen to hear from businesses, cultural venues and leisure providers interested in becoming Recognition Partners. By accepting Time Credits, organisations can demonstrate their commitment to the local community, support corporate social responsibility goals, reach new audiences, fill quieter periods and help recognise the people who give their time to make Swansea a better place.

If your organisation or business would like to find out more about Tempo Time Credits in Swansea, we'd love to hear from you. [email protected]