Viable new local enterprise
Pairs build small online service ventures with paying customers, repeat revenue and a route to survival and local benefit.
- Ventures trading
- Customers and repeat revenue
- Survival and local benefit
Inclusive growth through new work
Two generations.
Both unemployed.
Together, creating work.
A social venture built on a simple insight: unemployed over-50s and unemployed 18-30s pairings can create new local enterprise and sustained paid work that neither generation could reach alone.
One mechanism. Two outcomes.
Enterprise creation and sustained paid work, given equal significance.
For the initial council, InterGen is an inclusive economic development 12 month pilot with measurable growth and employment outcomes.
Sustained paid work for residents
The same ventures create paid work for both partners, measured by earnings, consistency and whether the work continues.
- Earnings achieved
- Consistency of paid work
- Duration beyond the pilot
The opportunity
Two groups are being left behind by a labour market built around existing vacancies.
Most employment programmes help people compete for work that already exists. InterGen starts somewhere different: with what two generations can create together.
people aged 50 to State Pension Age were not employed, in training, education or retired.
NETER, Centre for Ageing Better, September 202616-24-year-olds were not in employment, education or training.
ONS, April to June 2026one productive pairing creates both viable local enterprise and sustained paid work.
Creation, not placementThe InterGen difference
The pairing is the productive unit.
Each role exists because the pairing exists.
Credibility and judgement
The over-50 brings credentials, institutional trust, sector knowledge and the experience to hold credible conversations with SME leadership.
Fluency and reach
The 18-30 brings digital fluency, platform operation, customer onboarding and the pace to build and deliver online services.
Together, they identify an unmet service need, win customers and operate a venture neither could build or reach alone.
A practical pilot for enterprise and employment
A disciplined test with measurable outcomes.
InterGen is preparing a 12-month council pilot for early 2027. Around 20 pairs will build locally connected online service ventures, with economic development and employment outcomes assessed together.
Success means work created, not vacancies filled. Company formation alone does not count.
Could your borough host the pilot?Start a conversation
Could InterGen matter to your Council?
If you lead economic development, employment, skills or public health work, we would welcome a conversation about the model and the early 2027 pilot.