The Suara Cooperativa social innovation lab has been designed to provide a comprehensive response to innovation needs, bringing together citizens, companies, the start-up world, government bodies and the academic world. As such, Suara Cooperativa’s corporate offices have been converted into a new concept that seeks to revolutionise the way we understand physical presence and collaborative work.
Coolthinkers Space
The Coolthinkers project is an initiative in which professionals with different profiles from various areas of Suara Cooperativa are trained in agile methodologies and design thinking, with the goal of energising spaces for co-creation, hackathons and workshops that provide a response to the challenges that the organisation has to face.
Design thinking is an approach to innovation that focuses on people and uses design tools to integrate people’s needs and desires, the opportunities provided by technology and the feasibility requirements for solutions.
One of the cornerstones of Suara Cooperativa is inter-cooperation, not only to improve the services we offer, but also people’s quality of life, in particular those at risk of social exclusion or in a situation of vulnerability. We work with other entities and organisations to design creative solutions and provide answers to social needs. Examples of challenges addressed include transforming the traditional childcare model, setting up a viable digitalisation model for care homes for the elderly, extending the portfolio of services to other contexts and improving the structure of services with a people-centred approach.
The Coolthinkers project offers an innovative and collaborative approach to address both the challenges and opportunities emerging in the third sector. We thus aim to foster innovation as well as ongoing improvement through the use of agile methodologies and design thinking.
Immersive Reality Room
The Immersive Technology Room is a space fitted out with the latest technologies in partnership with the Catalan start-up Broomx, which aims to provide technological tools to improve people’s well-being and mental and physical health. This group includes people employed by Suara Cooperativa alongside those who receive services from the cooperative. However, the room is open to the whole community and other organisations.
Using Broomx Plug&Play technology, we have built in an immersive solution that is simple and easy to use.
This technology has already been tested in various healthcare settings in Catalonia and other countries.
Internationally, the Canadian Ministry of Health has funded the clinical study The Albert Project to verify the benefits of using Immersive Reality to treat diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other cognitive impairments. In partnership with the Consorci Hospitalari de Terrassa, a 16-session guide has been drawn up to work on cognitive stimulation in processes of incipient and mild cognitive deterioration.
Virtual Reality Technology
Virtual reality (VR) glasses or goggles are wearable technology devices that create an immersive experience in which the user can perceive and interact with a virtual world. These glasses are designed to deliver a comprehensive visual and, in some cases, auditory experience that can realistically simulate different environments, scenarios or situations.
The applications of virtual reality glasses are highly diverse. They are currently being applied to cognitive stimulation, emotional health, prevention of abusive situations and violence, among many others.
Coworking
Suara Cooperativa’s open coworking space is a shared work environment designed to accommodate working people and their associates, including start-ups.
This space provides a dynamic and inspiring atmosphere where professionals can work flexibly, sharing resources and ideas.
It is a place where diverse talents and perspectives merge to foster collaboration and synergy between people and start-ups. This initiative not only provides a physical space for daily work, but also creates opportunities for interaction and networking with other members of the community.
Training Space
Suara Cooperativa’s training space is an environment geared towards training and professional development.
This space is designed to offer training programmes in a range of areas, from technical skills to personal and professional development.
At Suara Cooperativa we are committed to training all professionals as a guarantor of quality, to updating our workers, to empowering ourselves, to incorporating new ways of doing things and to providing the best support for the people we serve.
Makers Space
Suara Cooperativa’s Makers Space is a site focused on creativity, technology and innovation, providing training in areas such as 3D printing, programming and social robotics.
This space is intended to inspire and empower people interested in these emerging fields. In this environment, participants can learn about the most advanced technologies, such as 3D printing, and acquire skills in programming and social robotics.
It is equipped with 3D printers and other technological tools to allow participants to put their knowledge into practice in a hands-on way.
Centre for Independent Living (CVI)
The headquarters of the Suara Cooperativa in Barcelona is home to the Centre for Independent Living (CVI), a project in partnership with the Association for Independent Living, a non-profit third sector social entity that has been declared of public utility, to offer a service dedicated to the search for new technologies and technical assistance, to the assessment and support of people with functional diversity or diverse needs, and to carrying out research into cutting-edge technical assistance, home automation and technology.
The CVI is where comprehensive assessments of individual needs are carried out, while exploring the use of various assistive technologies to determine which would be the most appropriate to ensure maximum well-being, comfort and autonomy.
Furthermore, advice is offered regarding the necessary adaptations to the domestic environment with the goal of enhancing people’s quality of life, incorporating support products, technology and home automation. This care is offered in line with a multidisciplinary care model.