GRASSROOTS ideas are being called for to help people live well at home in the region for longer.
Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership’s Intrapreneurship Programme is back offering a new round of the mentoring and financial support necessary to get such initiatives off the ground.
It comes seven months after the programme helped five ideas become a reality – including podcasts for unpaid carers and a sensory garden for people living in sheltered accommodation.
This time around, up to 12 ideas will be in a position to win support.
Spokesman David Rowland said: “We were really pleased with the response to the first round of the Intrapreneurship Programme this time last year, which sought initiatives that could help people live as independently as possible for as long as possible.
“Five projects went on to receive a share of £50,000 to help launch these initiatives – and I’m delighted to say that we’re already beginning to see the benefits.”
They include the use of virtual reality technology to help bring memories alive for elderly residents, an outreach programme for the LGBT community and the use of sensors to help track unusual movements within homes of vulnerable people.
David added: “The investment in terms of time and financial support has really paid off, and so we’re very pleased to be going back out right now and inviting people to come forward with more initiatives which have the prospect of delivering real support to our communities.”
n If you have an idea and want to apply this time, visit www.lensperspectives.org.uk/dumfries-and-galloway-health-and-social-care-intrapreneurship-programme/