Living Lab Lastovo was established as part of the international INNOCLUSION project as a space for testing and developing solutions together with real users. The idea behind a living lab is very simple: new solutions are not tested only in an office or a laboratory, but in everyday life, where they are actually meant to be used.
Lastovo is a particularly interesting setting for this. A small and remote island, a large share of older residents and limited access to many services quickly reveal whether a solution is truly simple, useful and applicable. Udruga Val has been working with older residents for many years, so the testing was built on trust, conversation and direct feedback from users.
During INNOCLUSION, we tried out various solutions related to safety, independent living, access to help, social connectedness and digital inclusion. One of the key findings was that older people are not against technology. What matters is that it is simple, understandable and solves a real problem.
The most recognisable result of Living Lab Lastovo is Lastovski bural, a digital chest of the island’s memories, knowledge and cultural heritage. It grew directly out of conversations with older residents and the need to preserve what still lives on in personal memories and family archives.
What makes the Bural especially valuable is that it sees older people not merely as users of digital content, but as its most important source. Their knowledge takes on a new form and becomes accessible to younger generations, Lastovo’s diaspora and the wider public. In this way, the Bural contributes to genuine social equality for older people, recognising them as a vital link between the values of the past and the society of today.
We want to keep developing Living Lab Lastovo as a place for testing social and technological innovations in real island conditions. We are open to collaboration with civil society organisations, researchers, universities, tech companies, start-ups and other Living Labs.
Our advantage is simple: real users, real conditions and fast feedback on whether an idea works in real life.