our first open innovation skills sharing evening ..

Learning to knit whilst fundraising for Age UK Bromley & Greenwich

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Guest blog by Kim Day  from Age UK

Over the past 18 months, Age UK has been part of the Nesta Open Innovation Programme working to develop our first Open Innovation product. Along the way it has been a journey of trials and tribulations. We have challenged our way of thinking. We have had to relook at our initial ideas and go back to the drawing board on more than one occasion.

Through all of this we have worked hard with our Open Innovation Coach Kim and Nesta’s Alice Casey to explore different options. We have also developed partnerships with Ecomodo and Age UK Bromley and Greenwich to create our Age UK Bromley and Greenwich Wealth of Experience circle. From all this hard work and amazing partnerships we were able to host our first Open Innovation skills sharing evening!

Last Thursday one of our Age UK volunteers taught two supporters to knit for the first time. The evening was hosted in a local restaurant where food and drink was shared. Our new knitters were quite excited to learn came armed with lots of patterns, needles and wool. Their ambition and excitement almost got the better of them and was agreed we would start with a simple cat blanket and simpler jumper. The group have agreed to meet our Age UK volunteer over the course of the next few weeks to help the projects progress.

The Age UK supporters were thrilled to be part of the Age UK Bromley and Greenwich Wealth of Experience knowing that while they are learning to knit they are also able to help an older person. They found out about the programme through the Ecomodo site and are looking forward to try other skills sharing activities. They are also eager to become volunteers to help an older person in their community either through the skills sharing platform or their local Age UK.

This is the first of many Open Innovation skills sharing projects that we hope to showcase over the next few months.

wealth of experience ..

Over the last nine months we have been working in partnership with Age UK to look at ways to raise donations for the charity while reducing isolation in old age. The work to date has been focused around testing the idea, exploring options and uncovering barriers specifically in relation to supporting vulnerable people.

Focusing around the sharing of time and skills and in alliance with Age UK Bromley and Greenwich, a pilot scheme has just been launched across the borough. The ‘Wealth of Experience’ pilot puts local residents who need a task doing in touch with Age UK Bromley and Greenwich timebank volunteers who can do it, in return for a suggested donation.

By utilising existing volunteers to offer their services through Ecomodo not only enables them to fundraise for Age UK Greenwich and Bromley but delivers extra peace of mind to vulnerable people who need help as each of their volunteers have been previously vetted.

To bring together all of their volunteers within Ecomodo, Age UK Bromley and Greenwich created a ‘Wealth of Experience’ lending circle that only vetted volunteers can join, enabling people to browse their offers in one place. As Age UK Bromley and Greenwich is one of ecomodo’s good causes, any of our lenders can choose them as a charity to fundraise for but only vetted individuals will be able to join their circle.

If you live in the area of Bromley & Greenwich are are interested in utilising your skills and becoming a vetted volunteer please contact Age UK Bromley and Greenwich to set up a vetting meeting.

Alternatively, feel free to list items on Ecomodo and select Age UK Bromley and Greenwich as your chosen good cause. If you’re not sure what to lend? Click here to Get inspired.

This project has been funding by the Cabinet Office, through Nesta’s Open Innovation programme.

we’re partnering with Age UK ..

Nesta recently run an Open Innovation programme for charities to find new ways to overcome major challenges within their sector. Through the Cabinet Office’s Innovation in Giving Fund, managed by Nesta, we had the opportunity to meet with a number of these charities and explore ways to collaborate.

Through the process we spoke to Age UK, who were very interested in the potential of working with ecomodo on a sharing platform that raises donations while reducing isolation in old age. And we are delighted to recently hear that Age UK was one of the 10 charities accepted to go forward.

Working together, the idea is to build on Ecomodo’s existing platform and for Age UK to explore new business model based on skills-sharing whilst encouraging older people to actively engage in society.

Paul Farthing, fundraising director at Age UK, says: “By working with Ecomodo, we believe we have found a way to bring these two challenges together, and generate an income stream that could be a long-term, sustainable platform for Age UK to fund its services.”

We are incredibly excited by this opportunity to work alongside one of the biggest charities in the UK. This mutually beneficial partnership can help us deliver the scale we need to drive impact whilst enabling Age UK to deliver on their mission and fundraise in a new way.

With Age UK, we will be exploring two models: a white label option branded as an Age UK and an integrated model where Age-UK offers would appear alongside others charities; to see which is most effective.

For the project, Age UK has been awarded £120,000 from Nesta to support technical development, salary contributions for key staff at Age UK and Ecomodo and market research.

#2 celebrating Cromford weekend ..

Guest blog by Tom Veitch from Global Action Plan

For a few months now Global Action Plan has been running the Cromford Shares project, focussed on exploring different ways to increase the amount of sharing that takes place in the Derbyshire village of Cromford.

From the start we wanted to look at different ways that people could share, from very low-tech ideas (like a notice board in the Post Office) to an online system for those who were more used to using websites like Freecycle and Freegle.

We reviewed a few of the available ‘sharing’ websites and chose Ecomodo for two main reasons. Firstly, the ‘trusted circles’ gave a way of helping people to feel safe that they wouldn’t necessarily be sharing with ‘anyone and everyone’. Additionally the sharing agreement and the optional insurance that accompanies each ‘share’ gave some security and tackled some of the common barriers that people mentioned when we talked about the project initially.

Ironically, one benefit that we had not foreseen at this stage was the option of lending with a donation going to a good cause – and that people were free to pick their own local good causes, rather than just national charities.

A few weeks ago we had the chance to promote Cromford Shares and Ecomodo at Celebrating Cromford, a weekend of activity in the village. We held a market stall at one of their events as well as the main market on the Sunday. We took along props to demonstrate the types of things that could be shared. As it was a rainy weekend we were even able to lend our “borrow me” umbrella at various points.

Most people were very receptive, and a common comment was “what a great idea”. A lot of people were familiar with Freegle and Freecycle and saw Ecomodo as a natural next step. We signed up 25 people to Ecomodo on the day, with lots more taking away a leaflet for more information. Even if people were visitors to Cromford they could check out what was available in their area.

Interestingly, a lot of people we spoke to had already heard about Cromford Shares, but hadn’t got round to signing up to anything yet, so it showed that, whilst it can take a while for an idea to get off the ground, it is worth sticking in there and keeping talking about the project.

Cromford Shares is part-funded by the Tellus Mater Foundation.

Stories from our members #2

getting creative with shared resources ..

Recently we were invited to join Se-ed’s National Sustainable Schools Conference at London Zoo to run a workshop around “how schools can become more sustainable and creative with shared resources.” Delegates at the conference included teachers and representatives from primary and secondary schools as well as students of sustainability and staff from local councils.

Through our workshop, we used a series of games and co-creation techniques, to inspire the attendees to think differently about the resources around them and spark new opportunities that shared resources can bring for them and their school.

Alongside describing how Ecomodo delivers new opportunities for schools to fundraise and get equipped through shared resource, we encouraged participants to consider the value of sharing both economically and environmentally, why re-use and collaborative consumption are so important in a the broader context of sustainability; and how schools can act as a catalyst to spread good behaviour throughout their community.

For the session we asked the group to think about how ecomodo can work, not just in the context of their school community, but across all the different communities they as individuals belong to (their neighbourhood, friends, family, clubs etc). We wanted to broaden their thinking to “what local shared resources means” as well as instill the idea that through adopting a new behaviour within one community it enables it to easily spread to others.

Our first game was to uncover the assets of each individual in the room. We asked them to put on the wall at least 3 assets (everyday goods, skills or spaces) they might lend as well as something they may like to borrow. Quickly making these assets visible using post-its immediately gave rise to impromptu discussions around what people could do – even if they just had access to the items on the wall.

“Oh a shredder – now that would be useful”

Next, with a couple of volunteers, we played some further games to show how using Ecomodo to build a community and make resources you’re willing to share visible, can spark a whole host of new opportunities for different activities.

Near the end of the session, we asked the participants to put their “school community” hat on and break out into smaller groups to brainstorm this question:

“If we only had .. we could ..”

We wanted them to conjure up new types of projects to engage students, using action based learning, purely inspired through utilising borrowed assets.

And here are some of the ideas that came out of the session:

• Night vision equipment for a project to understand local wildlife to see what comes through the school at night.

• Gardening equipment to understand food and growing

• Costumes & props to re-enact moments in history

• Outside spaces to use as a different space from the classroom

• Specimens from zoos for biology projects & African artefacts for cultural projects

• Sewing machines to learn about recycling and upcycling

• Meteorological equipment for geography and learning about the weather

• Solar panels & wind turbines for science and energy projects

And lots of skills including: willow weaving, story tellers, drivers with transport, singing workshops, artists & craft

We will be shortly running this workshop again at Se-ed’s National Sustainable Schools Conference second event in Leicester on 30 November.

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Click here to find more information about how schools can use Ecomodo to fundraise, get equipped and save money and share resources with other schools locally.

50 fabulous good causes ..

WOO-HOO! We now have 50 registered good causes for you to donate to when lending your stuff!

Ecomodo.com is an effortless and everyday way for supporters of good causes to fundraise, simply by lending and borrowing everyday objects, skills or spaces with their neighbours, friends and colleagues.

From lawnmowers to tents; golf clubs to awnings, individuals can simply list items to lend and see what others have on offer. Items can be lent for free or lenders are able to charge for an item, and choose if they want to keep the fee or make a donation to charity.

How to start fundraising on Ecomodo ..

1. Think about all the stuff around home that you want to keep but don’t use that often. And if can’t think of anything > Get inspired.

2. Take a photo of your item and add it on our web-site to lend.

3. Choose a price to lend for a day (or week) and select one of our 50 good causes to donate to. If you’re favourite isn’t there just make a suggestion and we will try to sign them up.

4. Sit back and wait until a borrower in your area needs your item.

5. When you recieve a request – arrange a time to collect and return. At the end of the transaction you will have raised money for your good cause!  – Easy!

And if you have a skills or spaces you can also add those to lend  too. It’s easy to and anyone can do it – and much easier than running a marathon.

Good causes on Ecomodo can be any not-for-profit group (from a registered charity, school PTA, social enterprise or community campaign). And though we have 50 good causes registered we are always looking for more. So if you run a charity or not-for profit group then register your good cause for free on Ecomodo. Read more about the benefits and how to get involved.

Here’s the 50 fabulous good causes we have signed up so far ..
Friends of the Earth, The Prince’s Trust, Waste Watch, 10:10, Bricks and Bread, RSPCA (Hillingdon, Slough, Windsor, Kingston & District Branch), Positive Action in Housing, 3rd Guernsey Scout Group, Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, Cambodian Communities out of Crisis, Care for Children, Children Walking Tall, DARE uk,Earthwatch Institute, Environmental Justice Foundation, Exercise Tiger Trust, Fanconi Hope Charitable Trust, Greener Leith, Food4Macc, FoodCycle, Forces Childrens Trust, Group B Strep Support, Guernsey Climate Action Network, International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals, Islamic Aid, Lungevity, Lemon Aid Limited, Low Carbon West Oxford, Millennium Health Microscope Foundation, Positive Action in Housing Ltd, Puriton Horse and Animal Rescue, Scope, St Martin’s School PTA, The Book Bus Foundation, The Fostering Network, The National Autistic Society, The National Society for Epilepsy, Thrive Africa, UK Youth, Grace & Flavour CIC, Harringay Online, Sheffield Alcohol Support Service, Sustaining Dunbar, Carmarthen Town AFC, Food4Macc, Plant Heritage, Touchwood Project, Giving World, Contact the Elderly and XLP Research Trust.

your shed : everyone’s treasure trove

Is your shed a haven or just the place to hoard a heap of stuff? Whatever the answer, this week it’s time for a bit of shed love.

For those who haven’t heard of National Shed Week, it’s an annual event in it’s fourth year that brings together “Sheddies” from around the world to show off their sheds and compete for the coveted “Shed of the year” award amongst other things. The competition, run by Readersheds covers sheds of all shapes and sizes and this year’s entries include workshops, eco-sheds, summerhouses and pubs. And if like me, you’re a fan of Dr. Who there are even Tardis sheds.

At Ecomodo.com we love sheds. Sheds are full of all sorts of lovely things that are very useful but unfortunately may not get used too often. But now you can make your shed become the treasure trove of your neighbourhood.

Using Ecomodo.com you can lend out everything in your shed to the people that live nearby.  You can choose to lend for free, to make some extra cash for yourself, or fundraise for a charity or good cause.

If your shed contains: DIY or garden tools, ladders, kayaks, bikes, tents, spare chairs or even kid’s stuff in storage for the 2^nd born to grow into; then lend it out and help others save money by borrowing instead of buying the things they don’t need often.

You can also choose to lend the shed itself and help someone out with a bit of temporary storage, to fix up a bike, or complete a woodworking project. Or share your “sheddie” skills and lend a hand to someone nearby.

OK. I know what you are thinking. “I’m not sure I feel comfortable lending out my stuff”.

If you are a little concerned about lending your stuff, Ecomodo can help you lend with confidence. You can set up a lending circle for your friends, neighbours, work colleagues or people you know from a local club or pub and invite them to join. You can then choose to lend your stuff to everyone or just people in your lending circles. Alongside this you can opt to take deposits or insurance for extra peace of mind.

Lots of people in the UK are already opening up their sheds for the common good and starting to lend hedge cutters, lawnmowers, jet washers, shears and strimmers to name a few.

So whether your shed is the pride of your household or just a depository for your stuff, let’s get your shed earning its keep. This week, show a your shed a little shed love and spend some time sifting it. Take a photo of anything you think would be useful for someone else to use, and add it to lend on Ecomodo.com.

So .. what’s in your shed?

get prepared for the big lunch!

Ecomodo has teamed up with The Big Lunch to help everyone get what they need to make their party go with a swing. Find out more.

Kick-started last year by The Eden Project, The Big Lunch is a one-day get together with your neighbours to eat, chat and have fun. It can be anything from a simple lunch to a full-blown street party with DJs and a hog roast. So this Sunday 18th July, why not hang out with your neighbours and chat whilst chomping on some chips and dips.

Whatever you need: a music system, games to play or extra tables and chairs; a helping hand to cook, make decorations, organise or clear up; or even a space to hold your Big Lunch: Ecomodo can help. Post a wanted ad to tell people around you what you’re looking for.

Need to raise some extra cash for food and drink? Rally your troops and get your neighbours lending all their assets and ask them to donate any profits to you. Ecomodo lets people lend almost anything so register your Big Lunch as a good cause, add some items to lend and start fundraising today. Search your shed and attic and get inspired for things to lend.

And at the end of the day, after the last sausage roll has gone and the bunting is coming down, keep your Big Lunch day alive by lending and borrowing throughout the year. Create a lending circle for your neighbourhood and get everyone, new friends and old to start pooling their assets for the common good.

every budget has a silver lining ..

It’s tempting at budget time to jump straight to the calculators to work out what the effect is for your personal finances. Once you’ve done that, stand back take a broader look and you might see some new opportunities there. Here are 5 we’ve thought of ..

1. From January 2011 people will buy less because of the VAT increase. An increase in demand for second hand goods is great news for people that use Freegle to get rid of stuff, for those who sell their unwanted things on eBay and for people who use Ecomodo to make money by lending out their seldom used stuff to people who prefer to borrow instead of buy.
   People who bring forward purchases to beat the VAT increase in January 2011 can use Ecomodo to lend out their new stuff, helping others less able to spend, and making back some of the purchase price.
   This renewed interest in the longevity of stuff will also drive a resurgence in repairing which can only be a good thing for the environment and jobs.
2. Many families will have less disposable income. Don’t fret, it is easy to live a rich life without riches.
   Most families have stuff lying around which can help make up the shortfall through being sold or lent out, and friends, neighbours and colleagues probably have most of the skills, spaces and stuff they need to achieve their goals for far less money.
   Ecomodo can reveal these possibilities in a community.
3. Charities and other good causes will find it harder to convince people to part with their hard earned cash.
   There is an ever increasing set of innovative ways to continue to donate without taking money out of your pocket. Charities can raise funds from entirely new sources such as web searching, exchanging currencies and community resource lending.
4. With pay freezes and the national insurance increase, morale in communities and workplaces will be low. People will feel blue. But there are some reasons to feel good.
   Times like these make us find other ways to achieve our goals by making better use of the resources around us. If that ends up bringing communities together and reducing our environmental impact that is a good thing.
5. Budget cuts across Government departments are likely to impact environmental and social projects. The onus moves to communities and citizens to work together to make a difference creating the Big Society. Will the emergency budget really kick start Big Society?

Meriel Lenfestey, co-founder of Ecomodo believes strongly in society’s ability to adapt. “The rise in social enterprise and community focus places everyone in good stead for the years ahead. Society and attitudes will need to change… but for the good. Good for pocket, good for planet and good for people“.

Come and join Ecomodo today .. www.ecomodo.com

do the green thing ..

What better day than Green Britain Day to Do The Green Thing !

The Green Thing Trust has become our latest good cause to choose to donate to when lending out your assets. They’ve become a friend of ecomodo and invited us to write a guest entry on Green Thing’s Blog.

If you’ve not heard of Green Thing, it is a not-for-profit public service that inspires people to lead a greener life. With the help of brilliant videos and inspiring stories from creative people and community members around the world. My personal favourite is a Gusty and Ford.