Do our neighbourhoods support our needs to be outdoors and be mobile? Do you always take the same routes to go to your local shops and what are your reasons for that? Are there any particular areas you avoid because you do not like it, and why? How is the condition of the footpaths that you use to go to places?

The Plug-in recruited influencers to join the University of Adelaide research team to become a ‘senior citizen scientist’ as part of a pilot study to test a new method of collecting information about public open and green spaces around local neighbourhoods.

As a senior citizen scientist, influencers aged 60+ years were engaged to explore the places they loved to visit, why they enjoyed it and why they avoided the places they didn’t. They were asked to collect this information using a smartphone app that recorded experiences in public and outdoor spaces at any time of the day, night or week.

The experiences and insights shared about the public spaces will help town planners local councils to design, develop and maintain better public spaces that can be easily accessed and enjoyed by older people within communities.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this important project by sharing their experiences and insight to help create better public spaces that everyone can enjoy.

For further information please contact us on 08 8224 5526 or email connect@theplugin.com.au

About the researchers

This research activity is part of a co-design pilot study conducted by the University of Adelaide in partnership with Office for the Ageing, SA Health to trial a ‘citizen science’ approach to evaluating green and public spaces. The results will be used to inform a larger research proposal.

If you would like more information about the study please contact the researchers:

Dr Helen Ruth-Barrie
helen.barrie@adelaide.edu.au
8313 3560
Prof Veronica Soebarto
eronica.soebarto@adelaide.edu.au
8313 5695