As part of the Government ‘Local Skills Improvement Fund’ initiative, AVERio, in partnership with Automated Spaces, has played a leading role in delivering a groundbreaking ‘first of its kind in the world’ project to showcase the art of the possible with independent living technologies. This initiative has resulted in the creation of six demonstration spaces across further education colleges in Kent and Medway. The project spans three college groups: East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group) (Broadstairs, Canterbury & Folkestone), MidKent College (Gillingham), and North Kent College (Dartford & Tonbridge).
The demonstration spaces feature AVERio’s connected care platform at their core, seamlessly integrated with smart home solutions to proactively assist people in living independently. These immersive environments provide vital opportunities for students to develop the critical skills needed in the modern healthcare sector while showcasing the transformative potential of connected care technologies to visitors.
“This initiative represents an exciting step forward in addressing the skills gap within the health and social care sector. These demonstration spaces provide an invaluable opportunity for the next generation of healthcare professionals to engage with cutting-edge independent living technologies in a practical, hands-on way. They also offer local stakeholders and businesses a unique opportunity to experience how these solutions can address real-world challenges and improve outcomes across diverse care settings. By bridging education and real-world application, we are not only empowering professionals but also demonstrating how technology can transform lives, enabling more people to live independently and with dignity.” Said Phil Neilson, CEO of AVERio
The demonstration spaces have been designed to showcase the positive outcomes achievable through independent living technologies across three key scenarios: supporting a person living at home with dementia, enhancing care within residential care settings, and improving quality of life in sheltered housing environments. These scenarios provide tangible, real-world examples of how connected care solutions can make a meaningful difference in diverse care settings.
Phil Neilson, CEO of AVERio, said “We are delighted to be a part of this fantastic scheme. Home is where the heart is, which is why we make living independently 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 in any settings and importantly, we can help more people live happy, more independent lives.”
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” said Alan Matthews of Automated Spaces.
Paul Sayers, Chief Information and Strategy Officer at EKC Group, said “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
raeality. 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 very 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.” said 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,” said Claire Bush, Director of Digital and Care at MidKent College.
Image depicts lecturer at college in Kent