​Enrich - a cross-generational knowledge and experience exchange community service

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Design Council

Keeping Connected design chalenge

Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form

Innovate UK (formerly Technology Strategy Board)

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2011

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In 2011 I worked as a Design Ambassador with a London school Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form on the Design Council’s national design challenge named 'Keeping Connected'. Fifteen schools from across the UK were selected to participate in the challenge answering two questions: How do older adults (65+) connect to younger people, their community and the wider world? and Can you design ways to keep them better connected? The challenge focused in designing a service, to bring together younger and older people living in the local community. We focussed on the positive things older adults and young people had in common. “Enrich” is a cross-generational knowledge and experience exchange service taking place at the school. Enrich brings together older adults and young people on the school premises to jointly take part in activities including cookery, dance, and gardening. Proposal was awarded with judges first price and received  £5000 for trial and service implementation at Stoke Newington School and the Community Centre in Gerards Cross in Autumn 2011.

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The judges chose this idea as it seemed to genuinely embody the spirit of ‘keeping connected’. The idea taps into needs of the local community, is easily realisable and most importantly, keeps older adults better connected.