Led by the Progressive Conservatism Project, On Your Side will set out a new, radical agenda for how older people can be better supported by the state and each other in a time of shrinking budgets, by creating a new facilitator services to unscramble the complex web of state and charitable help already on offer.

There is already a successful model for how to achieve this. The Cotswolds Village Agent scheme is a proven intervention which goes to the heart of conservative themes of post-bureaucratic public services, built around the user.  What we now need is a comprehensive assessment of if and how this approach could be spread across the country.

This project will explore the potential to roll out Village Agents - a specific form of community-led support for older people.  Village Agents tie together public and charitable services to unlock older people’s own skills and resources.  In doing so, the scheme not only provides a better, more human service to clients, but also greatly reduces demand on expensive care and health services. 

For information please email  jonty.olliff-cooper@demos.co.uk