The Royal Borough of Greenwich and its Co-operative Commission partners have teamed up with the University of Greenwich and care professionals to pioneer new solutions to delivering adult social care.
The Care Reimagined ‘Hackathon’ happened on 29 and 30 November, where University of Greenwich students took a co-operative approach to find practical solutions to improve the quality of adult social care. In Royal Greenwich, over 3,500 residents rely on adult social care and there is a growing need for personalised support. Most services are run by private companies where a focus on profit can lead to poor outcomes, so more sustainable business models are needed.
A co-operative (or co-op) is a business or organisation that is owned and run by the people who use it or work there. Instead of one person or a big company owning it, many people share ownership and make decisions together. Co-ops mean everyone gets an equal say, and any money the co-op makes is shared or used to make things better for the collective and its members.
Councillor Averil Lekau, Cabinet Member for Co-operative Innovation and Co-op Partnerships said: “Nearly a year ago, we launched Together for Greenwich, our vision for creating a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable future for our borough; one which embraces co-operative principles and puts decision-making in the hands of communities. Social care is a key focus for our Co-operative Commission. It is through collaboration, such as this one with the University of Greenwich, that we can innovate approaches to building a robust care system that empowers everyone.”
Councillor Mariam Lolavar, Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care and Borough of Sanctuary, said: “Adult social care is facing serious pressures. An aging population means rising demand and the care system is dominated by profit-driven providers, which can lead to low wages, poor conditions and staff shortages. We thank the University of Greenwich and their students for taking up the challenge to explore how co-operative principles can create ethical and community-centred care solutions which put people first.”
Councillor Jackie Smith, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy, Business, Greenwich Supports and Environmental Services said: “Co-operatives are key to growing a more inclusive economy. They offer a way in which we can tackle critical issues such as social care provision whilst building community resilience and ensuring that prosperity is shared. By pivoting away from profit-driven models to increase publicly owned and third sector capacity, we can ensure that economic development benefits our residents and communities.”
Lynette Lisk, Programmes Manager at the University of Greenwich said: “This hackathon showcased how vital partnerships between universities and local councils are for tackling pressing community issues. Our students were inspired by the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s commitment to improving adult care for Greenwich residents, and thankful for the opportunity to use their skills to make a difference whist gaining valuable real world work experience and expert mentorship.”
The Hackathon kicked off with masterclasses by Co-operative Commission members Emma Back – Founder of Equal Care, a co-op dedicated to the putting the power in hands of individuals and families, and Ed Mayo – Chair of the Rural Urban Synthesis Society, a volunteer-led community land trust based in south London, alongside Lynette Lisk.
With the guidance of industry mentors, the students developed their ideas and pitched to the experts: Cllr Mariam Lolavar, Emma Back and Lynette Lisk. These included developing a software system that allows users to collaborate with care providers to join forces in terms of education, business support and marketing, and an educational communication campaign to improve knowledge and understanding of co-operatives within the borough, which can aid recruitment of new co-operatives.
The event demonstrated how much potential there is to collaborate on the co-operative delivery of adult social care. The Royal Borough of Greenwich and the University of Greenwich will reconvene to continue this partnership and plan next steps going into 2026.