Inspiring innovative senior-friendly urban ideas, dialogue between generations

Singapore

THE creation of a "club-like area" includes a gaming arcade for seniors to mingle with the younger generation to bond with them.

That was the solution a group of four students from Yumin Primary School came up with to help retired seniors who want to utilise their time more purposefully and, perhaps, acquire new skills along the way.

The proposal was among the three top winners of Frasers Property's community investment initiative, Inclusive Spaces, which was unveiled last Friday.

According to the Singapore Department of Statistics, the ageing population in Singapore (aged 65 and above) is projected to increase more than 50 per cent to around 900,000 by 2030. Hence, this year's programme focused on active ageing and intergenerational engagement.

Multi-generational teams - which included upper-primary and lower-secondary students, active senior citizens, and Frasers Property employee volunteers - came together to co-create and reimagine ideas for more inclusivity in real-estate projects.

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In the awards event, graced by Minister of State for National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, six teams across five primary and secondary schools were recognised for their ideas.

Chia Khong Shoong, group chief corporate officer, Frasers Property, said: "This is our second edition of Inclusive Spaces, our flagship community investment programme developed as part of our commitment towards enhancing accessibility and adaptability of our spaces . . . Through Inclusive Spaces, we hope to develop greater empathy in our youth and tap their creative energy for ideas that make real-estate spaces more inclusive for our Merdeka Generation."

Madhu Verma, founder of Design for Change Singapore (DFCsg), which was a partner of Frasers Property in the event, said: "The younger participants were surprised to find seniors living actively and wanting purposeful lives, while seniors were amazed at children's understanding and interest to build a better world for them. Inclusive Spaces exemplifies DFCsg's belief that children are not too young to bring change to society."

The other top two ideas came from Edgefield Primary School, which prototyped a "tech bench cum interactive table" aimed at enhancing seniors' digital awareness as well as solving technology challenges; and Westwood Secondary School, which projected integrated green spaces into properties, with accessible facilities for seniors to be able to rest and relax.

More than 100 students participated in the Inclusive Spaces. They were supported by 20 mentors from the Singapore University of Technology and Temasek Polytechnic.

Providing real life perspectives on areas for improvement in the built environment were 25 active seniors aged 60-75.

They were picked from ACE Seniors, Singapore Anglican Community Services, TOUCH Community Services, People's Association, Lions Befrienders, and Council for Third Age.

One of the participants, Ong Huay Siang, said the Inclusive Spaces initiative "allows active seniors to share with the younger generation our thoughts on the kind of spaces and programmes that we would like to see in the community . . . It is encouraging to have companies such as Frasers Property do more to bring both seniors and youth together to facilitate better understanding and exchange of ideas."