Company:The Freebird Club
The Freebird Club is a travel-based social club for older adults, enabling positive ‘connected’ ageing via social travel and homestays[1]. Operating as a global peer-to-peer members club for over 50s, the Freebird Club enables older adults to travel and stay with each other in the context of a trusted community of like-minded peers.
| Type | Travel and Homestay |
|---|---|
| Industry | Tourism and Social Innovation |
| Founded | April 2017 in Dublin, Ireland |
| Founder | Peter Mangan |
| Headquarters | Dublin , Ireland |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Website | https://www.freebirdclub.com |
History
The Freebird Club was founded in 2016 by Peter Mangan, Senior Manager of Research and Innovation at University College Dublin. The idea of the Freebird club began when Peter "started renting out his country cottage in Co. Kerry to visitors from around the world. While Peter was away working at a university in Dublin, his retired veterinarian father Owen was on hand to meet and greet the guests. This was an enjoyable experience for Owen, but when fellow older adults came to stay, something special happened. There were nights together in the local pub, games of golf and local sightseeing trips, with Owen at the helm. In essence, fun was being had and friendships were being formed that went way beyond the usual host/guest interaction".[2]
Seeing the enriching social interaction his father was now enjoying, Peter began thinking how this experience could be enjoyed by older adults everywhere.
Following a successful pilot phase, the company was officially launched in 2017 as a social travel and homestay club exclusively for the over 50's. The club is now developing as a global 'peer-to-peer' community, whereby Freebird Club members can travel and stay with each other in the context of a trusted members' social club.
The club currently has around 4000 members in 70 countries, and about 10% of the members are hosts in about 30 countries worldwide.[3]
How it Works
The Freebird Club is a 'peer-to-peer' club, which enables members to travel and stay with fellow member hosts, who have opted to make their spare rooms available for nightly rent. To travel or host via Freebird, you first have to become an approved member of the Freebird Club.
To become a member, you click on the "JOIN CLUB" button, provide some basic personal details, complete a simple profile description of yourself, and pay the once-off Joining Fee (€25).[4]
How to become a host
Once you’re an approved Freebird Club member, you can list your available accommodation by clicking on the “Become a Host” button, and adding a description of your home and local area, photographs, and a price per night to stay with you in your home.[5]
How to travel and stay with hosts
As a Freebird guest, you can search for places you would like to visit, and find a selection of Freebird hosts in the area and find the most suitable host for your trip. You can contact hosts directly in order to find out more information or to request a booking should you wish to proceed.
Buddy System
The Freebird Club also has a “buddy” system for security: An adult child might be the “buddy” of a parent traveling through Freebird, gaining access to information about the hosts and notifications about the parent's stay. “We don’t want to be ‘Big Brother,’ but we want to provide a sense of comfort for people who’d never dream of using Airbnb,” says Mangan.[5]
Social Impact
The Freebird Club’s mission is to enrich the lives of older adults through meaningful travel and engagement. The Club wants to empower older adults to connect, travel, make money, have fun and enjoy themselves regardless of age.
The Freebird Club is looking to tackle two growing problems for the aging population.
The first is loneliness and social isolation - studies have shown that it can lead to increased mortality in older adults. Social isolation can also increase risk of dementia, hospital readmission, and an increased risk of falls.
The second one is the financial insecurity in later life, many are struggling on inadequate pensions, despite having mortgage-free homes.
The Freebird Club is also simultaneously providing for older adults a more sociable and cheaper alternative when traveling.
Awards[6]
- European Social Innovation Competition 2015 - Winner
- Aging 2.0 Global Start Up Search, London 2016 - Winner
- European Social Innovation Tournament 2017 - 1st Prize Winner
- Smart Ageing Innovation Awards 2017 - Overall Winner
- Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council - Best Innovation 2017
- Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Chamber - Best New Start Up 2017
- KBC Bright Ideas, Prize Winner 2017
- Silver Echo and Ageing Well International Awards - Finalist 2018
- World Tourism Forum Lucerne Start-Up Innovation Awards - Finalist 2018
References
- ↑ Kennedy, John (2017-10-23). "The Freebird Club could strike gold in the silver economy" (in en-GB). Silicon Republic. https://www.siliconrepublic.com/start-ups/the-freebird-club-travel-hospitality-over-50s.
- ↑ "About us" (in en). https://www.freebirdclub.com/about-us.
- ↑ Gillard, Jackie. "It's now easier to take on new adventures and make friends after 50 | Canadian Living" (in en-CA). Canadian Living. https://www.canadianliving.com/life-and-relationships/family/article/it-s-now-easier-to-take-on-new-adventures-and-make-friends-after-50.
- ↑ "How it works" (in en). https://www.freebirdclub.com/how-it-works.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Eisenberg, Richard. "The Freebird Club: An Airbnb For The 50+ Set" (in en). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2017/12/05/the-freebird-club-an-airbnb-for-the-50-set/#3eddc7c9463c.
- ↑ "The Freebird Club - Social travel & homestay club for people over 50 | Awards" (in en). https://www.freebirdclub.com/awards.
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