Over 50’s show they have ideas to transform public services

12/7/2011

Six social ventures established by entrepreneurs aged over 50 have been awarded a share of a £100,000 pilot fund as part of NESTA’s Age Unlimited Scotland 2011 challenge – a project seeking to radically transform public services in Scotland by supporting people aged 50 plus who have the spark of a good idea for a new service which could benefit their local community.

The winners are:

• Hour Time in Newton Stewart - an hour for hour equality based time bank which will bring together diverse groups within Galloway by offering people the opportunity to share their skills and talents.
• Footprints Aberdeen - a social enterprise that is web based and aims to stimulate older peoples' interest in and interaction with computer technology.
• A Howe o' the Mearns Heritage in Stonehaven - an innovative project, researching and publishing the rich rural and coastal heritage of the Mearns.
• ZetCars in Evanton - a sustainable transport project using high-speed mobility scooters recharged by renewable energy which will work with older and less able people in the community to help access shops and services.
• The Log Cabin in Sutherland - a project to make the unique Log Cabin in Borgie Forest an exciting and hospitable meeting place for all in the local community.
• The Community Cafe in Aviemore - a social enterprise which will be tested over a six month period, located at a local church in Aviemore for local people to drop in for a coffee and a chat or more.  

Applications to the challenge were received from 70 individuals / teams with the seed of an idea for a social or community enterprise. Eleven ideas were selected to receive further support in the form of workshops, training and coaching to develop their idea. On 29 June they made a final "Dragons' Den" style pitch to a judging panel comprising Jackie McKenzie, Hugh McLean, Founder and Director of Atlantis Community Leisure, Thomas McAlister, Development Manager of Firstport, Halima Khan, Director of the Public Services Lab at NESTA. 

The final six ideas were selected for funding based on their achievements in three areas: genuine innovation which does not duplicate what is already in the community; opportunity to save the public purse by offering services that are more cost-effective; and ability to be scaled and replicated across Scotland.

Jackie McKenzie, NESTA's Head of Innovation Programmes in Scotland commented: "We believe the over 50s have the experience, knowledge and skills that can be applied to anything. We were looking for people who had the spark of an idea about creating a more positive environment for people in their community, the skills to create a project supporting isolated people in their community and the experience to motivate others to get involved. The work that these six ventures will do in their local communities what really attracted us to them, tackling one of Scotland's biggest social challenges and, we believe, helping services move beyond simple efficiencies, to deliver better services for less money, focussed on the needs and expectations of local people. We look forward to seeing their ideas put into practice and having real impact in their communities."

The Age Unlimited Scotland programme was launched by NESTA in December 2009 in response to research which showed the UK is unprepared for the challenges of an ageing population.  NESTA is committed to supporting and working with its older social entrepreneurs to improve their communities and keep everyone active and healthy. The programme aims to help older people be seen as valued members of society, generate income beyond retirement age and reduce demands on the public purse.

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Notes to Editors:

For further information, please contact:

• Graeme Downie, NESTA Communications Manager, Scotland & Northern Ireland on 07595-710856, graeme.downie@nesta.org.uk or Ellie Murphy on 07990- 548023
•  Jan Singleton in NESTA's Press Office on 020-7438-2606, jan.singleton@nesta.org.uk

About the winners:

Hour Time is an hour for hour equality based time bank  which will bring together diverse groups within Galloway by offering people the opportunity to share their skills and talents, from baking to gardening, stacking wood to cleaning windows and visiting individuals who are isolated to supporting young mums. It will help support those who are socially anxious, depressed, unemployed or isolated and help those many older people retiring to Galloway make a useful contribution to and contacts within their new community.

Footprints Aberdeen is a social enterprise that is web based and aims to stimulate older peoples' interest in and interaction with computer technology.  It wants to promote and support older peoples' independence and prospects for living at home and reducing social isolation.  It will be accessible to those with or without access to a computer - connecting everyone and providing the tutoring support necessary to enable meaningful communication into a range of services such as shopping, trusted services, SKYPE communication.

A Howe o' the Mearns Heritage is an innovative social enterprise project, researching and publishing the rich rural and coastal heritage of the Mearns. Locally managed, it will focus on the 50+ age sector, maximising the use of existing resources and capturing the interest of local schools, libraries, historic societies and recording oral histories from local residents of the history of the Mearns.

ZetCars is a sustainable transport project using high-speed mobility scooters recharged by renewable energy. The organiser plans to work with older and less able people in the community to use ZetCars to access shops and services in a nearby town, 3.5 miles away from Evanton, using the new off-road cycle track.

The Log Cabin aims to make the unique Log Cabin in Borgie Forest an exciting and hospitable meeting place for all by developing a series of events and workshops and ultimately offering a residential facility.

The Community Cafe is a social enterprise that will be tested over a six month period, located at a local church in Aviemore run by local volunteers as a place for local people to come and drop in for a coffee and a chat or more.

About NESTA                  

NESTA is an independent body with a mission to make the UK more innovative to drive economic recovery and solve some of the UK's major social challenges. Our endowment status means we operate at no cost to the UK taxpayer.

NESTA is a world leader in its field and is in a unique position to support innovation through a blend of practical programmes, policy and research and investment in early-stage companies. www.nesta.org.uk

NESTA has conducted research showing that the public is desperate to get involved in solving issues that affect them. "Public Services Inside Out" shows that people-powered public services could generate up to six times the investment made in them; "Mass Localism", published by NESTA in February 2010, outlines the ways in which policymakers can capitalise on the innovation which rests in local communities. NESTA has also conducted research into the contribution of over 50's to starting new businesses: 'The Grey Economy' shows how, as the population is getting older, the economic contribution of over 50's is also increasing. More people are working beyond statutory retirement age. And more of them are running their own businesses.

Age Unlimited

Age Unlimited sits within NESTA's Public Services Lab programme of activity in ageing. More information is available at www.nesta.org.uk/age-unlimited-scotland

More information on the NESTA Lab and other aspects of the work on ageing can be found at http://www.nesta.org.uk/areas_of_work/public_services_lab