Social entrepreneur´s profile:

The Right to Relate

The lockdown hasn’t stopped Cycling Without Age from taking care of the elders in other, creative and meaningful ways.

Social Entrepreneur: Ole Kassow

Organization: Cycling Without Age

Field: Protecting the most vulnerable groups

Needs for social innovation to have more impact: Business development and fundraising; digital; marketing and communications

Before and after Corona: From taking elders on bike rides to showing them we’re still here for them 

The mission of the social enterprise before Corona:

Cycling Without Age takes elderly nursing home residents, who are often socially isolated and lonely, back into the streets and allows them to be part of ongoing urban life. As the passengers and cycle pilots co-create new experiences on trishaws, Cycling Without Age showcases the joy of intergenerational relationships to society. 

What changed with Corona?

Cycling with elders is reduced to almost zero.  At the same time, the focus on the importance and value of elders has increased, this is a paradox that will hopefully maximize their movement’s impact, especially since all people in the world now know what social isolation and loneliness is, when it’s forced on you from factors outside of your control. 

The (biggest) challenge: Taking care of especially vulnerable people

Elders often faced social isolation even before the Coronavirus crisis. This is one reason why Ole founded Cycling Without Age.  Reports from elderly residents in the lockdown indicate that they are feeling anxious and depressed. Loneliness and isolation are especially dangerous for those with dementia.    

The solution:

Cycling Without Age is showing their passengers that they’re still here for them by doing grocery shopping and virtual tours in empty city centers, as well as creating new intergenerational relationships in the local setting 

Cycling Without Age is also connecting people to become pen pals through letters, zoom calls, and phone calls, in order to combat social isolation, on both sides, and maintaining relationships throughout the Coronavirus crisis. The friendships that are formed will build up to meeting in person on a trishaw once the lockdown is over. Using the changemaker skill of empathy has positive benefits for both sides of the relationship. 

The personal biggest worry and hope:

Ashoka: How are you dealing with the situation and what is your biggest personal worry?

Ole:That the legitimate fear of corona which means we’re physically distanced and hyper aware of potential risks, stays even after this virus is no longer a threat, and makes elders even more susceptible to isolation. 

Ashoka: “What is inspiring you and giving you hope that we can overcome this crisis?”

Ole: Higher levels of empathy as people feel the effects of isolation on their own bodies, we will no longer have to explain how it must feel to be locked up in your room for days at a time without human contact. I am also amazed that so many young people, who are not at risk of getting seriously ill, distance themselves to others, just to protect that one person, an elderly person, to whom the virus can be fatal. A great sacrifice and beautiful testimony of the value of intergenerational relationships.