Title: Wise Connections: co-designing places to support creative ageing
Funder: Economic and Social Research Council

Abstract: The aim of the project is to support creative ageing. More specifically, the project aims to create a network of physical and/or digital spaces, referred to as 'allotments', where people and organisations have access to material and socio-cultural practices, referred to as 'seeds', that can trigger and grow their creative capabilities to participate in social, cultural and economic life by producing something of value for them and others. Within this overarching aim, the project has the following objectives: 1.To co-create the first family of seeds - that is materials and practices that could trigger the spontaneous formation of places where people feel empowered to imagine and mobilise their assets and capabilities in order to produce something of value 2 To form the first allotment - that is a community of people and organisations organised around a common place, interest or practice, that are able to produce, cascade and utilise seeds to grow places for creative ageing (in their homes, public or professional spaces). 3.To develop a sustainable strategy and approach to grow seeds and allotments after the completion of the project 4.To set up the organisational and business model that will allow this ecosystem of allotments to grow.

Lay 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.

Research activity codes: 1.2 PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC PROCESSES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE