GoodGym

GG01/FEB09

What is this document for?

You have probably received this document because Ivo Gormley thinks you are potentially suited to contribute something very useful to his BIG [social] Idea.

The aim of the next few pages are to help you understand what he is trying to achieve, the people already behind the idea, alongside the challenges and opportunities he faces and the partners he needs to engage to move forward - and finally, most importantly....

...where YOU fit in!

If you’d like to get involved please contact: t. 07903 311 844 e. ivoivoivo@gmail.com

Good Gym provides lonely housebound older people with regular human contact and motivation for people to run and get fit.

Here’s some background...

People all over Britain run, jog and lift weights and achieve nothing particularly useful. The Good Gym aims to make it easy for people to channel this energy toward social good. The project will set up a framework for people to integrate brief visits to isolated older people and the delivery of useful items to good causes/ dependant individuals into their exercise routines.

Loneliness and isolation are some of the biggest challenges faced by older people in Britain face today. Research released by Help the Aged last week states that nearly half a million pensioners only leave their houses once a week, a further 300,000 are entirely housebound; overall a million old people in the UK are suffering the misery of loneliness.The Good Gym aims to make a small contribution to resolving this problem by providing regular, friendly human contact.

Good Gym so far... in February 2009

Good Gym is the brainchild of Ivo Gormley who took the idea to Social Innovation Camp 2008 and was one the the two winning ideas. The pitch from Social Innovation Camp can be seen at http://tinyurl.com/goodgym

With some initial funding (c. £5k) and support from a few people, including the Social Innovation Camp team, Ivo is looking to build a team to help move the project from concept to reality.

Ivo’s vision is that if the Good Gym model is well structured and easy to adopt then it can be ‘franchised’ out to ensure that it is locally relevant and accessible via an online interface, eg www.goodgym.org/towerhamlets. Ivo does not necessarily want to ‘run’ Good Gym (excuse pun), he’d just like to see the idea take off and create its own momentum.

What’s ahead for Good Gym?Challenges

Proof of concept > Prove concept via R&DSecurity issues regarding older people > strategic partners and advice neededNeed to make it easy to volunteer > slick process neededAccess to databases of older people > legal advice/local authority/charity and outreach orgs inputAccess to runners/volunteers > marketing channels to be identifiedIvo’s lack of time to dvelop the idea > resources needed

Opportunities

Fitness and social exclusion are on the agenda nationwide > GG ticks many boxes: obesity, community, women in sport...etcLondon Olympics 2012 – social and sports context!!! > Tessa Jowell’s Special Advisor has shown interest in GG30 or so runners are keen to help with R&D > engage with volunteers clearly and monitor feedback

What does the big idea need to help move it forward?

• A voice of authority/seniority eg a GP selling the idea to outreach organisations• A 6 month period of R&D around ‘how it will actually work/benefit people to present

stats to outreach organisations before any web development or publicity• Legal support around vetting runners (eg CRB checks/levels of security) and runner

disclaimers (in case of injury etc)• Brand development to help with communicating proof of concept towards a beta web

build (with Headshift) and possible franchising model• Strategic partners in older people and cultural sectors to advise on how the concept

could work best in reality

Key next steps involve establishing proof of concept and communicating this persuasively to potential partners who may help carry the concept to fruition. Bringing the right levels of skills to the project now, either paid or in-kind, will make a big difference to creating trustful engagement around the idea – essential to building a working protoype to illustrate the potential scale of social impact which Good Gym can generate.

The big [social] idea infograms on the following page gives a snapshot of the landscape for Good Gym both up to proof of concept and beyond. It is designed to help identify what team/relationships need to be built around the idea and, perhaps more importantly, show anyone interested in supporting this big [social] idea how they might fit into the big picture.

Interested in Good Gym?

If you are interested in Good Gym and would like to find out more specific information about the project and how you fit in please contact Ivo Gormley on 07903 311 844 or ivoivoivo@gmail.com

About IvoIvo works at thinkpublic looking at different ways in which people can play a greater role in the design and delivery of public services. He is interested in the role of technology in shaping our social and public lives and is working on numerous projects exploring this issue including the documentary Us Now. Ivo has been running to visit a man called Terry twice a week for the last 5 months.

Next steps?