Outdoor walks
connecting
generations
Digiparks pairs older adults with young volunteers for regular walks through local parks — unlocking local stories through NFC technology and building genuine intergenerational friendships.
Simple by design.
Meaningful by nature.
Get matched
Older adults (65+) are paired with a young volunteer from a local school or community group. Matching is handled by the Digiparks team before your first walk.
Tap the entrance
Hold your phone to the small bronze disc at the park gate. No app download needed — your walk begins automatically with a welcome story about the space.
Discover stories
NFC stations around the park unlock audio clips from long-time residents — memories, local history, and seasonal knowledge unique to your community.
Share yours
Each station invites you to record a response. Approved stories join the community archive — your voice becomes a permanent part of the place.
Interactive stations
throughout your local park
Each embedded in existing park infrastructure — a small bronze disc, a story waiting to be heard.
Entrance point
The welcome station where your walk begins. Tap to start — you'll hear the story of your location and what makes it special to your community.
Rest and reflect
A natural pause in your journey. Rest and listen to stories from your local area, discovering layers of history and meaning.
Community knowledge
Seasonal and timely wisdom from longtime residents — what's growing, what's changing, and ways to get involved locally.
Creative expression
Stories of creativity and collaboration from your community. Tap to hear how local people have shaped this shared space.
Social gathering point
The natural pause for connection. Tap for a conversation starter and see how many other pairs have walked together this week.
Memory station
Reflections from longtime residents about how this place has changed and what remains constant over time.
Closing reflection
The walk's final station. Both partners record a 30-second memory or reflection — two voices, two perspectives, one shared archive.
Your story here
Every walk adds new stories to the archive. The park grows richer with each visit.
Loneliness is a public health crisis.
We're building infrastructure to address it.
Connecting generations
through local stories.
Digiparks is a service that applies interactive technology to outdoor movement and social connectedness. We pair older adults with young volunteers for regular walks through local parks, creating opportunities for meaningful intergenerational connection and community engagement.
Our approach is simple for participants an NFC tap, a short audio story, a conversation — but purposeful in its design. Everything we create is built to be scalable across different communities and parks, with no proprietary lock-in. Gardens, parks, or green spaces become archives of local knowledge and intergenerational friendship.
Developed at Grangegorman Campus, Technological University Dublin, Digiparks is ready to be deployed in your community.
Growing knowledge
through conversation.
At each NFC station, walkers can leave questions and discover answers from others. Build community knowledge asynchronously—one tap at a time.
"What was this spot used for before?"
It was a meeting place for market traders on Saturdays
My grandfather played hurling here in the 1950s
"Best time to visit for bird watching?"
Early morning is best — around 6-7am before crowds
Spring migration brings the most variety
Each question answered offline becomes part of the place's living archive — no app needed, just NFC taps.
Older residents share decades of knowledge. Young volunteers bring fresh perspectives. Questions bridge both generations.
Conversations unfold over weeks. Someone asks today. Someone answers next week. The place becomes a dialogue.
Interested in Digiparks?
Let's explore how Digiparks can work in your community.