You want to go out but don't know what is accessible for you to go to.

When you plan your visit but it can be hard to navigate and get to where you want to - especially if you have to travel a fair distance from the car / train / bus stop.

Older people don't think of themselves as disabled but may have access needs.

Older people don't like asking for help. What if they could find that information on their mobile?

By looking at different options such as a mobile phone app but also text or voice message. It has portability and potential.

Being able to know what is around you means you know the nearest cafe / bar / restaurant / shop, toilet etc. with the access information you need at your finger tips.

The problem

• 25% of businesses are inaccessible are inaccesible to disabled people. With a rising elderly population demand will rise and there is a need to match the services that companies can offer with disabled and elderly customers.
• Currently 16% of the population are over 65 years old. By 2033 it will be 23% of the population. In 2008 there were 600,000 people aged 85 or older and by 2033 it will be 3.2 million (5% of the population).
• Disabled people are workth £80billion per annum to the economy
• Currently there are approximately 27% of the population with a disability and 6.9million of working age (who are going to be getting older)

Linked to Go Genie the aim is to create a mobile platform that can take what is online and build from it so it is portable outside. Not everyone has a smart phone, laptop or ipad they can carry around. 

Many older people that have more spare time want to go out and enjoy themselves - how do  you find out what is and isn't accessible if you walk with a stick, are deaf, have mobility disability, arthritis, a wheelchair user, partially sighted etc.?

Many don't know they are entitled to discounts when they go out with carers or family members. How do you find that information if it is not readily available and you don't consider yourself disabled?

How do you know your trip out to the seaside will not be spoilt by being unable to find an accessible loo, cafe or parking space. Going to the cinema and finding the lift is broken and having to be carried up and down the stairs. How do you know how to change your plans? 

Transport is a major issue - knowing what is accessible and where to go is important if you don't have a car. That information is not easily available in print format or online on travelline journey planner for any of the regions (it is only available in pdf formats on individual bus company websites).

The aim is to be able to find accessible facilities around you any time you need it and make it easy for you to get there.

It helps businesses improve their access and also make their information more clearly available in print format as well as the information online can be used on their own websites and brochures.

Everyone benefits.

The idea

A mobile platform that makes the information from Go Genie website portable to a mobile phone by app/voice/text.

Many older people do not use text messaging and don't have access to the internet unless it is their family that is helping.

Older people themselves can view images, videos,  photos (if their mobile has that facility) and can contribute their own tips and advice including pictures and video by text/email.

It's knowing what is accessible that is the big problem. If it goes wrong how do you report problems without the hasstle of companing to the manager (by sending an email/text or voice message to Go Genie) which does the rest.

It will enable pre-planning so you can create your own access guide on your phone and even get updates and recommendations from other people (harnessing local knowledge).

Storyboard of potential uses:  http://www.peskypeople.co.uk/go-genie/

The video shows the potential of the inforamtion as it could be displayed on an external website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvcGJ4J69Mg

This idea is led by disabled and deaf people. It was developed in consultation with Deaf and Disabled people in the West Midlands.

What we need

We have an API available to developers (built on Ruby on the Rails) - it is early days of Go genie being built (started this month) with support from NESTA to do a pilot build and contrent / data is being developed). Developer is Stef Lewandowski from A Frame.

We have over 30,000 cultural venues already listed we are working to crowdsource the access information for each and want to expand eventually to all services.

We need:

• web developers innovaters to help us make it happen
• partners/colloaborators
• funding
• investment
• any support you can offer

Tags

access, disability, accessible transport, culture, going out, theatre, cinema, elderly, equality, shopping, transport

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