Lewis CaliburnAs part of the Government ‘Local Skills Improvement Fund’ initiative, Automated Spaces was recently awarded a contract to create a ‘first of its kind in the world’ demonstration space to showcase “the art of the possible” with regards to independent living technologies in six separate further education colleges in Kent and Medway.
The project was split across three different college groups: East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group) (Broadstairs, Canterbury & Folkestone), MidKent College (Gillingham) and North Kent College (Dartford & Tonbridge).
The demonstration spaces incorporate Automated Spaces unique approach of combining smart home solutions and a connected care platform, to proactively assist people to live independently. They provide an immersive environment that allows students to learn increasingly critical skills in the healthcare sector and visitors to be shown this new ‘Evolution of Independent Living Technologies’.
“It really is fantastic that we are going to be able to showcase our unique approach to providing independent living technology assistance to people across several use case scenarios. These demonstration spaces will provide a great platform for the next generation of healthcare professionals, as well as local stakeholders and business owners in the healthcare sector, to immerse themselves in solutions that can provide such positive outcomes,” says Alan Matthews, Managing Director of Automated Spaces.
The spaces have initially been created to highlight the positive outcomes that can be provided, across three specific scenarios: A person living at home with dementia; a residential care setting; and sheltered housing.
There are a wide array of independent living technology solutions included in the spaces; from a variety of manufacturers of home automation solutions to a connected care platform providing healthcare monitoring and insights.
“We are working with many great manufacturers and service providers, such as Control4 and AVERio, to provide a comprehensive portfolio of solutions,” says Alan.
Phil Neilson, CEO of AVERio, adds “We are delighted to be a part of this fantastic scheme. Home is where the heart is, which is why we make independent living in the place you call home easier for those who need support. With opportunities like this, the Care Tech sector can show what is possible within the independent living settings and importantly, we can help more people live happy, more independent lives.”
The rollout of the demonstration spaces, across the six colleges, began in the middle of March and ended in April.
“It has been a pleasure to work with the various colleges and especially the lead team for the project, at EKC Group, we can’t wait to see the reaction from students, adult learners and external visitors to the spaces” says Alan.
Paul Sayers, Chief Information and Strategy Officer at EKC Group, furthers, “Creating these spaces is a key element of our Local Skills Improvement Plan project. We have worked closely with a number of stakeholders and care sector organisations to make sure these new facilities enable us to directly address current and future skills needs in the sector. It has been amazing to see the spaces become a reality.
“They are complemented by a suite of new assistive technology and digital courses carefully contextualised to the health and social care sector, which range across Levels 1 to Level 5, from ‘Functional Skills for Health & Care’ to Managing Assistive Technology in Health & Care Environments. These courses will equip our students with the skills they need to progress to successful careers and the current workforce with the skills and confidence to understand and apply the principles of assistive technology, across a wide range of settings.”
The colleges are also opening the demonstration spaces to stakeholders in the Health & Social Care sector in the region e.g., NHS, Home Improvement Agencies, Housing Associations, Care Home and Sheltered Housing Providers. Some 350 students are expected to benefit from these facilities per year.
The feedback from the college’s academic staff, after the initial installation and staff training sessions, has been enthusiastic.
“I’m delighted that our students have access to this cutting-edge technology and to short courses which credit their knowledge and skills in assistive devices and systems. This allows them to become not only the first choice for employers in the care sector, but the kind of workforce of the future that can utilise these technologies to make a significant difference to the quality of life of individuals under their care,” comments Mark Andrews, Deputy Executive Principal Strategy & Curriculum of North Kent College.
“At MidKent College we’re committed to equipping our students with the skills needed to thrive in the rapidly evolving landscape of health and social care. The integration of these demonstration spaces marks a significant step forward in bridging education and real-world application. By allowing our students to engage with cutting-edge independent living technologies, we are preparing them to meet the demands of modern care environments and to champion innovative, person-centred solutions. This initiative embodies our mission to foster adaptable, skilled professionals who can make a meaningful impact in their communities,” adds Claire Bush, Director of Digital and Care at MidKent College.
The first courses to utilise the new curriculums and demonstration suites commence in January 2025.
“We’re really looking forward to receiving the feedback from the students and staff using the demonstration suites, in the next academic intake, to see if there are any further enhancements that can be made. We are really excited to be part of this innovative project to help train the next generation of Health & Care professionals,” Alan concludes.