Wise Connections: co-designing places to support creative ageing
Lead Research Organisation:
The Open University
Department Name: Faculty of Sci, Tech, Eng & Maths (STEM)
Abstract
As we grow older, we need to keep growing our intellectual, social, cultural and professional aspirations to produce something of value for us and for others. Research suggests that as we age, retaining and growing these creative capabilities is fundamental for our health and wellbeing, the wellbeing of our families but also the development of our society at large. However, research also suggests that as we grow older we progressively find fewer real opportunities to (re-)imagine, (re-)discover and truly integrate what we value to do or be into the production of something of value. In other words, as we grow older there is an increased marginalisation of our creative capabilities.
The aim and vision of the project is to respond to this challenge by creating a kind of 'habitat' that provides opportunities for people (and the communities in which they belong) to keep growing their creative capabilities as they age. This habitat is envisaged as a network of physical and/or digital spaces, referred to as 'allotments', where people and organisations have opportunities to co-produce or simply engage with physical and/or digital socio-cultural materials and activities, referred to as 'seeds'. Seeds can reach people in their own homes, public or professional environments and aim to work as triggers that inspire and enable people to (re-)imagine and (co-)create something of value for them and others. 'Seeds' are developed to foster curiosity for exploration, connection of people's interests, emotions, aspirations and ideas, integration of different identities, experiences and capabilities and experimentation. The value of this proposal is the opportunity to access 'seeds' that enable people to shape their own 'places', i.e. their own spaces of social connections of trust, valued practices and environments, where they can discover, integrate and connect what they value to do into the production of something of value.
The project will develop the first family of seeds and allotments but also the organisational and enterprise model that is required in order to sustainably grow this ecosystem.
The aim and vision of the project is to respond to this challenge by creating a kind of 'habitat' that provides opportunities for people (and the communities in which they belong) to keep growing their creative capabilities as they age. This habitat is envisaged as a network of physical and/or digital spaces, referred to as 'allotments', where people and organisations have opportunities to co-produce or simply engage with physical and/or digital socio-cultural materials and activities, referred to as 'seeds'. Seeds can reach people in their own homes, public or professional environments and aim to work as triggers that inspire and enable people to (re-)imagine and (co-)create something of value for them and others. 'Seeds' are developed to foster curiosity for exploration, connection of people's interests, emotions, aspirations and ideas, integration of different identities, experiences and capabilities and experimentation. The value of this proposal is the opportunity to access 'seeds' that enable people to shape their own 'places', i.e. their own spaces of social connections of trust, valued practices and environments, where they can discover, integrate and connect what they value to do into the production of something of value.
The project will develop the first family of seeds and allotments but also the organisational and enterprise model that is required in order to sustainably grow this ecosystem.
| Description | The project has created an interactive approach to help people as they grow older to "think outside the box" and discover how they can mobilise and connect their interest and skills to do something that is of value for them and others. In the first phase of the project, the approach was delivered by a 'box' that is distributed at homes, GP practices, Libraries, Coffees shops to encourage the self-driven discovery, development & realisation of initiatives between people and organisations. The box has taken several different realisations (as a community game, as a door to door 'passing the parcel initiative' or as a static box in various venues). One of the key objectives of these experiments was to understand whether these boxes can generate interest but also interactions that can lead to initiatives. The first phase of the study showed that these boxes had been adopted and appropriated by various settings (GP practice, Community Libraries, Local heritage initiatives) demonstrating the feasibility of the approach. In the second phase, the project focused on the design and prototyping of an interactive box that would serve as a catalyst for meaningful conversations. These conversations aimed in particular to assist social prescribers, befrienders, caregivers, and older adults in exploring what they truly value to be able to do or be, whether related to social and economic well-being, mental health, or caregiving responsibilities. The second phase of the study had the following key outputs/outcomes: Insights: insights about the social and cultural factors that inhibit or enable conversations through the use material objects - and the possibilities or limitations of developing general purpose 'box' to facilitate meaningful conversations A prototype: the development of a general purpose interactive box that can be used as a catalyst for meaningful conversations within diverse contexts: such as social and economic well-being, mental health, or caregiving responsibilities. |
| Exploitation Route | The project produced a series of different interpretations of an interactive box that helps people connect to each other and explore creative ways to improve their life. As we share our learning of the conditions that support the box to work well in different settings (regarding both the physical characteristics of the box and the ways in which the process can be facilitated) we expect more organisations to be able to use and adapt those boxes in their own context. The outcomes are relevant to social prescribers, third sector organisations and social enterprises supporting older people and their carers, and practitioners working with vulnerable people in diverse communities. As an example, up to this point a number of public organisations, local communities and private businesses have used and appropriate the approach (interactive box): This includes a GP practice in London, a Coffee shop, a public library and Church in Bristol. Following the completion of the funded period, the following organisations have also used but also further develop the Wise Connections approach to facilitate creative conversations: Neighbours Connect Southmead,Mendip Vale Medical Group, Bridges for Communities, University of West England, Architecture MArch program |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Healthcare |
| URL | https://wiseconnect.weebly.com/ |
| Description | The project has created an interactive approach to help people as they grow older to "think outside the box" and discover how they can mobilise and connect their interests and skills to do something that is of value for them and others. The approach is using a 'box' that is distributed at homes, GP practices, libraries, coffee shops and other community places, to encourage the self-driven discovery, development & realisation of initiatives by bringing together people and organisations. The box has taken several different realisations (as a community game, as a door to door 'passing the parcel initiative' or as a static box in various venues). The boxes have been adopted and appropriated by a number of public organisations, local communities and private businesses - demonstrating its potential impact: This includes a GP practice in London, a coffee shop, a public library and church in Bristol. After the completion of the funded period, organisations that were not in the original list of partners have also used and supported the development of the Wise Connections approach in order to foster creative conversations. This includes the following organisations: Neighbours Connect Southmead, Mendip Vale Medical Group, Bridges for Communities and University of West England, Architecture MArch program |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Healthcare,Other |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | Wise ConnectionsPartnership |
| Organisation | Alive Activities |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The Open University brings an extensive research track record in the area of citizen-led design and the management of large collaborative projects that involve citizens, community groups and public, private and third sector organisations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Local Learning is a non-profit organisation with expertise on creating engaging and inclusive places through street theatre, storytelling, art, film, radio, archaeology and digital technologies. They bring expertise on creative engagement and a network of organisations and places working with older people. AgeUK Oxfordshire and the Age of Creativity network focus on creative & cultural activities to support better health and wellbeing of older people bringing this expertise and access to the Age-Friendly communities. Alive is a charity dedicated to the quality of life of older people and their carers and offer strategic guidance and connections. |
| Impact | The creation of an interactive approach to help people as they grow older but also communities and organisations to "think outside the box" with the objective discover how they can mobilise and connect their interest and skills to do something that is of value for them and others. The approach is using a 'box' that is distributed at homes, GP practices, Libraries, Coffees shops to encourage the self-driven discovery, development & realisation of initiatives between people and organisations. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Wise ConnectionsPartnership |
| Organisation | Myers-Insole Local Learning |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The Open University brings an extensive research track record in the area of citizen-led design and the management of large collaborative projects that involve citizens, community groups and public, private and third sector organisations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Local Learning is a non-profit organisation with expertise on creating engaging and inclusive places through street theatre, storytelling, art, film, radio, archaeology and digital technologies. They bring expertise on creative engagement and a network of organisations and places working with older people. AgeUK Oxfordshire and the Age of Creativity network focus on creative & cultural activities to support better health and wellbeing of older people bringing this expertise and access to the Age-Friendly communities. Alive is a charity dedicated to the quality of life of older people and their carers and offer strategic guidance and connections. |
| Impact | The creation of an interactive approach to help people as they grow older but also communities and organisations to "think outside the box" with the objective discover how they can mobilise and connect their interest and skills to do something that is of value for them and others. The approach is using a 'box' that is distributed at homes, GP practices, Libraries, Coffees shops to encourage the self-driven discovery, development & realisation of initiatives between people and organisations. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Wise ConnectionsPartnership |
| Organisation | Open University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Open University brings an extensive research track record in the area of citizen-led design and the management of large collaborative projects that involve citizens, community groups and public, private and third sector organisations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Local Learning is a non-profit organisation with expertise on creating engaging and inclusive places through street theatre, storytelling, art, film, radio, archaeology and digital technologies. They bring expertise on creative engagement and a network of organisations and places working with older people. AgeUK Oxfordshire and the Age of Creativity network focus on creative & cultural activities to support better health and wellbeing of older people bringing this expertise and access to the Age-Friendly communities. Alive is a charity dedicated to the quality of life of older people and their carers and offer strategic guidance and connections. |
| Impact | The creation of an interactive approach to help people as they grow older but also communities and organisations to "think outside the box" with the objective discover how they can mobilise and connect their interest and skills to do something that is of value for them and others. The approach is using a 'box' that is distributed at homes, GP practices, Libraries, Coffees shops to encourage the self-driven discovery, development & realisation of initiatives between people and organisations. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | 'Celebrating Innovation in Healthy Ageing' event organised by ZINC |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The event invited Zinc x UKRI Catalyst Award holders to deliver live pitches and showcase their projects to funders, investors, charities, businesses, and academic researchers. It was organized as a series of pitches, accompanied by networking opportunities, to facilitate the transition of research from 'the lab to the market,' thereby driving innovation in healthy aging. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrating-innovation-in-healthy-ageing-tickets-529144123317?utm_campa... |
| Description | Dare to hope Box |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The project has created an interactive approach to help people as they grow older but also communities and organisations to "think outside the box" with the objective discover how they can mobilise and connect their interest and skills to do something that is of value for them and others. The approach is using a 'box' that is distributed at homes, GP practices, Libraries, Coffees shops to encourage the self-driven discovery, development & realisation of initiatives between people and organisations. The box has taken several different realisations (as a community game, as a door to door 'passing the parcel initiative' or as a static box in various venues). The current study show that these boxes has been adopted and appropriated by various settings (GP practice, Community Libraries, Local Community Project initiatives) demonstrating the potential impact of the approach. At the moment, it is estimated that more that 100 people interacted with the box. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://wiseconnect.weebly.com/ |
| Description | Prototyping a box that fosters 'outside the box' conversations about ageing |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | With this entry, we cover a series of 8 events organised towards a shared overarching purpose: to design and prototype an interactive box that serves as a catalyst for meaningful conversations. These conversations aimed to assist social prescribers, befrienders, caregivers, and older adults in exploring what they truly value to be able to do or be, whether related to social and economic well-being, mental health, or caregiving responsibilities. The events built on the key 'box concept' and approach of 'thinking outside the box' developed in the first phase of the Wise Connection project and it extended beyond the completion of the funded period. The work was coordinated by Alive and in addition to Local Learning, it involved three new partners: Bridges for Communities, Mendip Vale Medical Practice (MVMG) and Neighbours Connect Southmead. It included the following events: 1. Meeting with Volunteer Coordinator from Bridges for Communities 2. Meeting with Senior Social Prescribers from Mendip Vale Medical Practice (MVMG) 3. Meeting with Volunteer Coordinator from Neighbours Connect Southmead 4. Focus Group with Befrienders from 'Bridges for Communities' 5. Focus Group with MVMG Social Prescribing Team 6. Peace Feast, Easton Family Practice Centre 7. Focus Group with 'Men's Group' from MVMG 8. 'Lunch Club' Box activity with Neighbours Connect Southmead. Approximately 80 people were engaged in the activities. For carers, befrienders and service users, the activities helped make connections, open up and share feelings and thoughts, and feel part of a community. For practitioners in the organisations involved, the activity helped developed facilitation skills, enhance their practice and generate ideas for further activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| URL | https://wiseconnect.weebly.com/ |