Live|Work partnered with Haringey Council to develop new ideas for housing services and mentor council staff so they could then adopt a service design approach to their own work. The team included a wide range of people and specialists including housing staff, managers and policy officers. Workshops were facilitated with the team to give them a solid method and process for engaging residents and applying the insights they gained to create, test and define solutions to housing issues.
Twelve months on Haringey are on schedule in their task of reducing the number of people in temporary accommodation saving them significant costs. They also found the project brought about a cultural change within housing teams who are now much more prepared to listen to, consider and act on the issues faced by their residents.

In the UK service design has been used to create a new social enterprise called Southwark Circle which is delivering vastly improved aged care services for less money designed by elderly people for elderly people using local social networks to bring real improvements to people’s lives. Participle developed this service by using a service design methodology. They started off with two months of user research with older people and their families. They found that older people value a life based on participation and relationships that sustain their sense of dignity and control. Without this they are more likely to become depressed and unwell and ultimately in need of more care, perpetuating a vicious cycle of dependence.
Enter Southwark Circle, a membership organisation that helps people take care of household tasks, forge social connections and find new directions in life. It’s open to all, regardless of levels of need or income. Southwark Circle is made up of members (people over 50) and helpers. Members can get help from other members or helpers on things like DIY projects, gardening, cleaning jobs, and even things like getting a DVD to work or social activities like dinners together. Helpers have the opportunity to give something back to the community like teaching an older person how to use a computer, cleaning windows or picking up the shopping.

Reference: http://www.servicedesignhub.com.au/?p=117