Help us create a world where everyone has a voice, especially as we age!

Hello!

Those of you who have taken the chance to answer the survey – thank you so much! Your insights and comments are invaluable and I absolutely loved your personal emails and comments. I appreciate your generosity!

If you have not had the chance to contribute yet but intend to do it – please take the time now. And thank you in advance!

With gratitude,

Stela

Here is the original context.

I am supporting a research project that is very inspiring – an opportunity to establish a US chapter for VOICE – a global citizen engagement network with the mission to create an age-inclusive world. VOICE engages citizens in research, product testing, co-design workshops, so they can contribute their experience and ideas to identify unmet needs, gaps and opportunities to drive innovation for healthy aging.

I really value your input and insights so I hope you can spare five minutes of your time to answer a brief survey. Please respond yourself, share with people in your network and beyond, and help us understand the market opportunities for VOICE. More details and context below.

To take the survey click here or the button below.

Thank you so much for your valuable insights!
Stela

People around the world are living longer. If we are to make the most of the opportunity to live a happy, healthy longer life we need a society which helps us to ensure we have better lifestyles and can plan for more choice at different stages of life, and for organizations and businesses to offer affordable user-friendly products and services which ensure people have what they need and want.

VOICE (Valuing Our Experience) – is based at the UK’s National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) – and is on a mission to help create a world in which we all live better, for longer. To learn more about NICA and VOICE click here.

VOICE is an international community of citizens, a network across the UK and internationally which makes it easy for people to contribute their experience and ideas. For example, to take part in research studies, or to help co-develop and co-design products and services, often engaging in product testing and giving feedback. VOICE members contribute their immense insights from both their lived and professional experiences, sharing ideas to identify unmet needs, gaps and opportunities to drive innovation for healthy aging.

We are exploring how best to establish a VOICE chapter in the US and would be very grateful if you could contribute to this survey. This will be hugely valuable in helping us to understand market interest and readiness for VOICE in the US. We know people are really keen to have opportunities to contribute their experience, and make a significant impact on people’s lives through helping companies to develop innovative solutions and approaches – ultimately to help older people and their stakeholders thrive – now and in the future.

This is an anonymous survey – however, if you wish to stay informed about VOICE US and/or get involved in future activities, you can volunteer email information at the end of the survey.

About the VOICE program

VOICE members evaluate products and offerings that are developed by a variety of businesses ranging from established corporations to small startups with unique offerings. This involves testing the product (e.g. sleep tracking device is taken home and the member records their experience with the device over a period of time), or participating in co-design workshops, or providing feedback via surveys or polls. The opportunities and projects can require participation in person, some projects can be done virtually synchronously, or virtually asynchronously. There is a VOICE digital platform where the members can browse available projects and sign-up to participate. The project related communications (scheduling, reminders, requests for feedback etc.) are handled by the platform and sent to participant’s email. The VOICE members receive a nominal remuneration for their time and engagement. The amount and type varies by project. There is no fee to become a member of VOICE.
The purpose of the VOICE members feedback is to ensure the products and offerings are accessible, inclusive and age agnostic. As a result of engaging with VOICE activities, the members feel a sense of belonging to the VOICE community, get a lot of satisfaction and fulfillment from the intellectual stimulation, and feel proud by their ability to contribute to the broader mission of creating a world in which we all live better, for longer.