TACSI’s NFP Ageing Challenge

The Australian Centre for Social Innovation has launched the inaugural Innovation in Ageing Challenge in partnership with South Australia's Office for the Ageing offering $100,000 in funding for projects that improve the lives of older people living in South Australia.

TACSI CEO Carolyn Curtis said they were looking for ideas to support two key groups: baby boomers, and older people living home alone. Up to 10 shortlisted entries will attend a two-day workshop to explore their idea in more depth and prepare to pitch their idea to win the funding.

“The Innovation in Ageing Challenge is about bringing new ideas and approaches into the ageing space and providing opportunities for people, teams and organisations to explore new possibilities and improve outcomes for older people,” she said.

The two categories in the Innovation in Ageing Challenge are:

• How can we enable Baby Boomers to continue contributing to their communities?
• How can we enable people living alone to connect socially to their communities and live the lives they want?

Part of the package includes six months of coaching, mentoring and business planning support on offer from TACSI for the winning entries, valued at $40,000.

“South Australians with an innovative idea about how to make the most of life as we get older are being encouraged to enter the Innovation in Ageing Challenge,” South Australian Minister for Ageing Zoe Bettison said.

“This is the first ageing-specific challenge in Australia and is being led by South Australia’s Office for the Ageing and The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI) as a way to get new ideas into the ageing sector.

“We are looking for interesting and fresh ideas from entrepreneurial thinkers to address the global challenge of ageing.

“One of the categories focuses on Baby Boomers, and provides a great area of opportunity for people interested in social innovation.

“South Australia has a higher proportion of older people than other parts of Australia and we want to help ensure that people are leading more fulfilling and enjoyable lives.

“By 2050, around 20 per cent of the Australian population will be over 65 years of age, and as a country we need new solutions to respond to this challenge and this initiative is a great start.”

Applications for the Innovation in Ageing Challenge close on September 12.

Not in South Australia? The Challenge is open to all as long as the idea will benefit South Australians.

All the details are available at ageingchallenge.org.au.