1. Maps, Apps and Storytelling
Local and national solutions for addressing
social isolation in the Digital Age
David Wilcox, Drew Mackie
and members of the Digital Inclusion Group

2. How we got here
Explorations with
Nominet Trust and DIG
into Living Well in the
Digital Age
Community development,
partnerships, social media,
networks, social reporting,
co-design, simulations
Development and workshop
with DCLG Grey Cells team
Living Lab local model
Proposed AAA networking

3. Turning reports into action
“Promising approaches” report suggested:
 Identify and connect local assets
 Build relationships for individuals and organisations
 Develop a menu of options and personalise solutions
We suggest:
 A local Living Labs kit for co-design
 A national learning network for AAA
Both local and national need maps, apps and stories

4. What maps can show
• Who holds resources, who collaborates on
projects – and where the gaps are
• How people’s social networks change with age
– and isolation may develop
• How individuals and families can connect to
services and assets in the community
Currently piloting a Croydon Living Lab

5. Asset maps show
resources,
connections, gaps

6. Maps include details of resources and attributes

7. Maps include details of resources and attributes

8. Pre-school
Parents
Siblings
Grandparents
Aunts/
Uncles
Cousins
Friends
Nursery
Health
Professionals
1
Personal maps show relationships changing with age

9. Primary
Parents
Siblings
Grandparents
Aunts/
Uncles
Cousins
Friends
Health
Professionals
School
Interests
2
Personal maps show relationships changing with age

10. Secondary
Parents
Siblings
Grandparents
Aunts/
Uncles
Cousins
Friends
Health
Professionals
School
Interests
Opposite
Sex
Clubs etc.
3
Personal maps show relationships changing with age

11. Early
Adult
Parents
Siblings
Aunts/
Uncles
Cousins
Friends
Health
Professionals
Work
Interests
Clubs etc.
Partner
Partners
Parents
Children
4
Personal maps show relationships changing with age

12. Middle
Age
Siblings
Friends
Health
Professionals
Work
Interests
Clubs etc.
Partner
Partners
Parents
Children
5
Grandchildren
Siblings'
children
Personal maps show relationships changing with age

13. Older
Age
Siblings
Friends
Health
Professionals
Interests
Clubs etc.
Partner
Children
6
Grandchildren
Siblings'
children
Personal maps show relationships changing with age

14. Individual and family maps show support networks

15. Combining maps, apps and stories
In a Living Lab co-design workshop:
• Develop stories of typical characters you wish
to support – situation, interests, connections
• Choose project ideas and technologies from a
menu of options
• Review the map of resources and relationships
and build a programme

16. Workshop props
Character sketches
and storyboards
Project ideas
and apps
Organisation profiles
resources, connections

17. Developing Labs and kit
• Piloting methods in Croydon, discussing with
other areas
• Designing the kit so maps, apps and co-design
methods can be used together or separately
• Drafting proposal to BIG – kit could be used by
areas that didn’t get Ageing Better funds
• Open Source, collaborative approach.
Contributions welcome

18. Promoting innovation across AAA
The challenge
• L & SI requires innovation
and action across topics
• Lack of collaboration
identified as a problem in
the ageing industry
• Digital innovation and a
networked approach could
benefit all topic groups
• AAA could take the lead –
no-one else is!
The solution
• Adopt an asset-based
approach
• Map resources within AAA –
and who will share
• Set up a cross-topic learning
network about Living in the
Digital Age
• Experiment with new
methods, look for project
opportunities