thinkpublic

In the past 35 years the number of those over 65 grew by 31% and those under 16 fell by 19%. By 2029 nearly 40% of England’s population will be over 50. By 2031 the number of over 75 year-olds in the British population is expected to increase from 4.7 million to 8.2 million. By 2031 the number of over 85 year-olds is expected to be nearly 3 million compared to 1.2 million in 2006. (Pensions Minister Mike O’Brien and Chairman of the Audit Commission Michael O’Higgins, 2008).

In a bid to address the challenges surrounding our ageing population, this month’s Social Lab aims to explore the debate. With policy makers, third sector organisations, service providers and independent people in attendance, we hope to discuss and explore ideas that may start to answer some of the following:

1. How can we help give the ageing population interesting and worthwhile things to keep them physically, mentally and socially active?
2. How can we develop a more positive language about old age and ageing?
3. How can we embed age equality in public and local services?
4. How can we create homes and neighbourhoods that adapt to the challenges of ageing, encourage more peer and intergenerational contact and recast ageing as a time of contribution and opportunity?

We believe that equality and opportunity matter for elderly people too. We hope that some of the discussions can assist to develop and inform new possibilities for relevant stakeholders. We hope that everyone will leave this month’s lab, with tangible actions that together we can all make happen!

The Social Lab takes place on August 14th. If you would like to find out more information or to be involved, please contact cassie.robinson@thesociallab.com.

On Monday thinkpublic spent the day at Northampton General Hospital running a Pitch Your Project event. Pitch Your Project is part of our Journeys to Health collaboration with UK volunteering charity TimeBank.

Groups of local people attended the day to pitch their health related idea to the team of “dragons”! Amongst the pitches were “Chesspoint Services”, a local initiative utilising the game of chess as a means to improve the lives of people with mental health difficulties. The second group in to see the dragons were the energetic and inspiring committee members from “Holidays at Home”, an annual holiday for folk over 65 who have not had a holiday in the last 2 years.

Following their pitch each group then spent time with us in the ‘Green Room’ where we openly discussed their current communication tools and gave advice and shared knowledge on improvements.

The day was really enjoyable and we met some inspirational characters who are truly working to better the lives of others around them. Good luck to everyone who attended the day!

For more information about Pitch Your Project, you can visit JourneystoHealth.org

Last week, thinkpublic’s film department worked with students at the John Kelly Girls’ Technology College in Neasden, London to make films that would help inform the development of their school. We challenged 28 Year 7 (11-12yrs) students to storyboard, film and edit five films describing what they want for the future of their school. Ideas ranged from escalators instead of stairs and uniforms for teachers, to curriculum changes. The workshop aimed to both support the forthcoming new Key Stage 3 curriculum, teaching independence and self-confidence, and feed into the development of new school buildings.

+ John Kelly Girls’ Technology College
+ QCA: The Secondary Curriculum Reform
+ National Curriculum

“In Hong Kong where the “service economy” makes up over 90% of GDP, the search for professional and systematic approaches to ensure continuous improvement and innovation of services is imperative.” (Hong Kong Design Centre, 2008).

The Hong Kong Government are currently focused on “Four Pillars of Economic Improvement”: Design and Creativity, Innovation, Logistics and Tourism. Earlier last month, due to the creative and innovative nature of their improvement plans, the Hong Kong Government invited thinkpublic Founder and Director Deborah Szebeko to participate in the “ReD 2008″ Service Design Conference at the Hong Kong Design Centre in Kowloon Tong.

Speaking to an audience of over 300 people (70% public servants) and alongside presentations by HKSAR Government representatives Teresa Chu and Jennifer Chung, Deborah and Elaine Hide (Service Improvement Lead, Luton and Dunstable Hospital), presented a practical case study about their Experience Based Co-design work at the Head and Neck Cancer Clinic at Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

Whilst in Hong Kong, Deborah was also given the opportunity to visit Tuen Mun Hospital, in the New Territories west cluster (pictured), offering thinkpublic a real insight of their current health services.

The Experience Based Co-design project and methodology received extremely positive feedback and swiftly led to conversations surrounding a potential 2008 pilot project, where thinkpublic could work with Hong Kong public sector departments, exploring service experience improvements.

+ ReD 2008: Hong Kong Design Centre.
+ Tuen Mun Hospital.

“Technology enables government to achieve two seemingly contradictory goals; collaborate at scale and deliver services to citizens with pinpoint accuracy.” (Cabinet Office Minister).

Earlier this month, thinkpublic held a ‘Design Clinic’ at GC 2008 Expo, the UK’s leading public sector IT event. Attended by nearly 5,000 public servants, the GC 2008 Expo exhibition and conference, held at Earls Court London, explored how the latest technological innovations can be implemented to solve government challenges.

In a bid to challenge the predictability of exhibition stands, thinkpublic proudly set up a ‘Design Clinic’ garden, and spent the day helping a range of public sector services understand how best to involve their users and staff in designing services, products and communications. You can see more photographs from the event over on Flickr.

The Social Lab is a space where people can develop concepts to address social change. It brings together people wanting to share ideas and people wanting to support them. The website, www.thesociallab.com, showcases the results of these innovative collaborations. Current Social Lab projects include The Real Work Experience, Public Service Thank You and ithinkpublic.

The website also provides information on monthly Social Lab events. Each lab is themed and invites people to come who represent a range of experience and expertise from different sectors, so our guests benefit from diverse wisdom and perspectives.

The first event on the 29th May is fully booked, however if you would like to attend future events please email us at hello@thesociallab.com.

As a result of a letter to Gordon Brown in February, Thinkpublic’s Deborah Szebeko and Alice Osborne knocked on the door at Number 10, Downing Street this morning, to meet Greg Beales, Senior Advisor for Health and Social Care Issues to the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Sharing stories of health and third sector innovations, Deborah and Alice had the opportunity to discuss the value and potential of co-designing with health sector staff and patients.

Thinkpublic’s work with The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement has been featured in the Summer 2008 issue of DCM (Design Council Magazine).

The article, entitled ‘Why encouraging NHS staff to think differently is good for the nation’s health’, focuses on thinkpublic’s work with The Luton and Dunstable Hospital on the first Experienced Based Design [EBD] project. Highlighting the valuable role of design, Lynne Maher, Head of Innovation practice at the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement explains, “For many in the NHS, when you think of design you think of people designing chairs, not services.”

Thinkpublic and the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement are working together to discover how children and young people want to be involved in designing emergency health services. Recently, Health and Social Care students from Walton High in Milton Keynes took part in an exciting workshop.

The workshop was designed to enable the pupils to share their ideas on how the NHS can better involve children and young people in the design process. They shared their ideas for the value of inviting emergency service professionals from walk-in centres, GP surgeries and Accident & Emergency to talk in schools and help educate them on their local and available options.

We are now in the process of designing a lesson plan and toolkit, to help schools build and sustain relationships with their local health services.

Thinkpublic exhibited work at The Future 500 winners event last week. Deborah Szebeko was listed as one of Britain’s Top Ten ‘Rising Stars’ in The Observer publication. Alongside an array of leading entrepreneurs, Thinkpublic exhibited projects such as The Real Work Experience, Alzheimer100 and Pitch Your Project.

+ Event photographs.
+ The Observer: Future 500 Winners
+ Courvoisier The Future 500