Intergenerational Design Sprint: Wednesday, Oct 27th, 9am-noon via Zoom, with solution pitches from 1-4pm.
GW faculty and students are invited to participate in a one-day social innovation design sprint, joining local community leaders in generating innovative new program and policy solutions to social issue challenges. This is a unique opportunity to experience a new approach to gathering perspectives from diverse stakeholders to generate innovative, “moon shot” ideas to address community challenges. This social innovation challenge aims to include older adults as vital contributors to our communities, envisioning their role as an important part of the solutions to our current challenges. Registration in advance is required
When you register, you will indicate your social issue interest and will be placed in a small group accordingly. These groups will work together to create innovative new solutions for the DC region. Informational materials and general background on existing local programs for each group topic will be provided prior to the event.
- Access to affordable quality housing
- Transportation and a more walkable city
- Social participation/social inclusion
- Opportunities for civic engagement or continued employment
- Community support and health services
- Abuse, fraud, and neglect
- Life-long learning
- Emergency preparedness and resilience
- Long-term care workforce and care giving
Other participants in this day include leaders of local government agencies, policy-makers, and nonprofit service organizations, including: DC and County Commissions on Aging, disability rights advocates, Arts for the Aging, Elder Justice, Consumer Financial Protections, WMATA and other regional transit, and the directors of regional Age-Friendly organizations.
The event is funded by a 2021 AARP Community Challenge Grant, and is being piloted as an approach to connect college students and older adults to generate new innovative solutions to community challenges. We’re excited to have you be a part of it, and it is recognized that GW students will need to come and go at this event, as their classes and other responsibilities permit.
Note: Facilitators needed! Our goal is for the discussion groups to be co-facilitated by one local community member and one GW student. Prior experience is not necessary, and training from the design-sprint event facilitators will be provided (on October 21st in the afternoon). This is a great opportunity to learn to facilitate a design-thinking approach to social innovation in policy and programming! If you are interested in learning more about being a facilitator, register for the event using the link above, and email Wendy Wagner: wagnerw@gwu.edu.
