Council plans new social enterprise for Plymouth's senior citizens

Plymouth City Council has unveiled plans to set up a social enterprise run by older people for older people.

A funding bid worth up to £6 million over six years is being submitted to the Big Lottery Fund. The project aims to tackle social isolation by getting older people more involved in their communities and in the design and delivery of services.

A Council spokesperson said: "As a co-operative Council, giving people control of the services they receive is a priority as well as supporting social enterprises."

Cabinet member for Public Health and Adult Social Care, Councillor Sue McDonald said: “I’m delighted we will be involved supporting the setting up of this social enterprise.

"As people are living more independently and staying in their own homes, loneliness is potentially an issue. There is a wide choice of activities and opportunities for an active social life in the city but we have to make sure people know about them and are given the right support so they can get involved.

"This social enterprise means that older people who have a great deal to offer are given the opportunity to help others.”

The Council is working on the bid in partnership with NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning and a range of voluntary and private sector organisations.

A voluntary or community organisation will be selected to lead the next stage of the bid in September and will be supported by the partners.

The social enterprise will:

1. Set up and manage a brokerage service to help people get involved in activities and their communities
2. Increase opportunities to support people at risk of becoming isolated
3. Give older people the power to make decisions on what services the Council spends money on, to design services that reach isolated people
4. Develop an income generating business with opportunities for practical work and consultancy and, possibly, an apprenticeship scheme

Council teams from a range of departments such as housing, leisure, finance, libraries and customer services will support the project.

The bid is being submitted to the Big Lottery Fund’s Fulfilling Lives: Ageing Better programme which funds community-led projects that enable older people who are most at risk of social isolation and loneliness to lead more fulfilling lives.