PR 00172 - Explore

What is the problem/issue you are trying to address?

Combatting loneliness for the people aged 70 – 79 and people with second residencies in the area by using especially improved communication tools and offering targeted leisure offers.

Pilot aim:

The partners (Lead = Westtoer) and the city of Oostende would like to find new methods how to engage with the elderly, and specifically second residents. In 2016 Westtoer published a report on the ‘Impact of second residents on Coastal tourism’. The report included quantitative information of possible communication methods. This pilot aims to apply new methods based on this research and needs assessment. E.g. there is an interest of 41% of second residents to have more contact with local residents

Stakeholders on your pilot

• 20th of June 2017: focusgroups with elderly and second residents older then 55 + who visit the Belgian Coast: 10 participants
• 6th of July 2017: A Sea of time: citizens, experts and local entrepreneurs
• 19th of September 2017 : focus group ‘Vrijetijdsmobiel’ (‘Leisure Mobile’): sports department, contact point seniors in need, the district manager of the city centre, S-Plus, the culture department (UiTPAS), the library of Ostend, the cultural centre ‘De Grote Post’ and the elderly and volunteer policy coordinator.
• Workgroups ‘neighbourhood residents’

Pilot beneficiaries

• Second residents
• Local business providers, such as restaurants, hotels, attractions providers

The goal is to have an increased participation in leisure activities using especially improved communication tools and to involve elderly and second residents more to prevent loneliness.

Ideas generated

8 ideas were concretely developed during the focus group with second residents:

• Extension cultural offer for second residents
• Inclusive community network
• Meet and greet
• Welcome in our community
• Speeddating
• Reduction voucher
• Fidelity card for second residents
• Workshops with starters kit

Values for selection

• Flexibility: second residents want to decide themselves when they participate. They don’t want to enter into an agreement to participate e.g. on a weekly base.
• Being active: participants expressed that they wanted to join a local cycling or hiking club
• Involvement: participants would consider to be a volunteer and to get to know their neighbours

Acceptability

The project team reacted positively. Economische Impuls Zeeland and GGD Zeeland conclude that engaging second residents and reaching out to them is very difficult. This is due to the fact that their second home is not their permanent base of residing and consequently difficult to know whether they are present or not. We also included the local communities as a stakeholder to detect how they currently communicate with second residents and what their needs are. Westtoer has to take into account that the local communicaties also have a communication channel towards second residents about their functional needs (parking, etc.)

Demand

There is a need to know what kind of information second residents need and the ways they want to receive this information.

Implementation/Practicality/Organisational/Financial Feasibility

Based on the focus groups, there is an initial idea to develop a fidelity card for second residents that offers reductions to second residents. This card contains several aspects that were a result of the focus groups:

• Reduction voucher
• Fidelity card for second residents

In terms of practicality, there is a concern that there exist already different kinds of cards, such as UItpas (for the cultural offer), K-pas (special card for second residents in Koksijde), Privilegepas (special card for second residents in Oostende). The fidelity card needs to have distinguishing features from these cards.

Furthermore, if this card needs to be used at private actors (hotels, restaurants, attractions), it is necessary that the operational side is as easy as possible and that this card doesn't bring along extra workload for the suppliers. We think about a system of scanning, but this system will have a financial impact. It should be investigated if this is financially feasible.

Additional assets and resources

There is a need of communication expertise to promote this fidelity card. There are several questions to be responded. e.g. on what channels will the card be promoted? What company can assist in setting up a scanning system this is compatible along all suppliers along the coast line? Which private actors are willing to include their offer in the card? What is the win situation for them?

Adaptation

The goal remains to develop a business or service model that increases uptake of leisure activities.

Integration

Do you think this project will work within the current local setting/structures? What changes need to be made to integrate your new project into existing infrastructure or programs?

Selected ideas for next phase

BWesttoer would like to select the idea of developing a product such as the fidelity card for second residents, a type of “second-residency” card in which this target group can profit from reductions and opportunities to gather with local inhabitants. This card doesn’t bring along a kind of obligation, but will encourage them to participate in activities. The development of this card will be accompanied by a strategic communication towards second residents.