Looks as if Ageing_Better #joinedupdigital may be dead after failed BigLotteryFund bid
First published on mediablends.com September 14 2016
The JoinedUpDigitalProject, initially supported by the Centre for Ageing Better, has now heard from the Big Lottery Fund that its next stage bid has been unsuccessful.
As I reported here one of the main project partners, New Philanthropy Capital, led a £50,000 Proof of Concept bid to the Big Lottery Fund Accelerating Ideas panel in early September.
The three elements of the plan were:
1 Exploring the role of “conduits” in helping older people use digital technology, or using tech themselves. These may be friends and family, or people in frequent touch with older people. Led by NPC.
2 Deepening our understanding of the capabilities and motivations of people in later life who are not currently benefiting from digital, and what would help them to overcome key barriers to sustained uptake. Led by the Centre.
3 Re-imagining user journey for those in later life, to improve interaction with the Department for Work and Pensions and other organisations. Led by EthosVO.
The proposal added that the aim is to develop the network/ecosystem as a shared infrastructure that is owned and run by those who use it.
Tris Lumley, on behalf of NPC, shared the bad news with contributors to the JUD network Slack team. Paddy Hanrahan, who led the work when at the Centre, has now left.
I worked on the first phase of JUD with Drew Mackie, and as I wrote here, we concluded in May with a game event that played through how organisations, people and key connectors can use digital technology to address life challenges and opportunities, and collaborate to do that.
I wasn't involved in the bid, and don't know a great deal more about the details.
My understanding now is that 2. above will still be taken forward by the Centre subject to Board approval.
At this stage NPC is saying someone else will need to pick up the JUD baton, and it doesn't sound as if the Centre wants to use JUD as a brand for its work. There is no further funding from the Centre for the network.
So unless someone else who has been involved takes over it looks if JUD as a cooperative initiative and network is dead.
I've shared a draft of this post on the 70-strong Slack team for Joined Up Digital to check for addition information and whether anyone else will be taking a lead. I'll update if so.