What’s your idea?

Care homes are generally pretty rubbish for everyone, from the people who live in them, their families or the people who work in them. Not enough love, care and money is put into them. Well we have a solution to all that…

Taking a lead from other community owned organisations, Share Home would provide the opportunity for families of the people in care homes (and staff John Lewis style?) and those in the homes themselves to invest in the home (time share style) and form a virtual community online to determine where that money is invested as shareholders (much like any publicly listed company).

This would have the benefit of seeing a real return on the investment that currently goes into care homes (but with no real visible impact) improving the quality of experience for all.

What’s the social need or challenge your idea could address?

While independent living is the aspiration of all, when there is a need to rely on care homes this scheme would provide an opportunity to build connection, community and co-owned responsibility for the improved care of individuals in care homes. And bring some fun and pride to things as well!

What’s really new about your idea?

Very challenging to current practice, very new, been done for more frivolous things (entertainment mostly) but nothing as socially beneficial as this.

What inspired you to come up with your idea in the first place?

Projects such as Run My Pub and MyFootballClub have taken user generated organisations to a whole new level and shown what is possible.

From 1-5, what stage of development would you say your idea was in?

1 – strong idea of the problem at hand, initial research into current examples in other sectors.

What can we do for you?

Help me find people to lead!  This project could use a geek, mentor and funder.

If Social Innovation Camp is able to help push your idea forward, do you have the time or desire to take ownership of it?

Yes. Would love to bring in to the Enabled by family of projects in the medium term if possible.

If not, would you be happy for someone else to take your idea forward?

Happy to work with others to advise, share experience, knowledge and networks. Making it happen is the most important thing!

This idea was submitted by Dominic Campbell. 

Dominic is the director of FutureGov and Co-Founder of Enabled by Design. Enabled by Design was the winner of last year’s Social Innovation Camp.