Preventing Crisis Together aims to support people in immediate financial crisis with breathing space to support their households until the impact of financial wellbeing guidance and income maximisation support is available.
Description
Letham4All SCIO has been working with a variety of partners across Perth and Kinross at a very local community level, a dignified and holistic route to reduce the impact of poverty. As a result of this work, Letham4All has successfully piloted the use of the Pay Point Platform and extended to scope of Perth Cards, to provide small amounts of financial support, to help people in immediate financial crisis. Working with existing referral routes this project will provide an additional route for support for those who are not successful with a crisis grant or where a crisis grant is not an appropriate option. The Paypoint Platform enables the sending of utility voucher codes by text message to a mobile phone that can be redeemed in the usual place people top up their utility cards/keys and the Perth Cards across Perth and Kinross can be used in a variety of shops to purchase food and utilities.
This referral-based support has been accessed by a range of public agencies and 3rd sector organisations who have had no other means of supporting people with financial support to offer a breathing space while longer-term solutions are set up. This has been particularly effective out with traditional working hours and at weekends and support can be organised and delivered within an hour. We know from feedback from agencies that being able to offer this quick solution to those most in need is very beneficial to the household, encourages further discussion to longer-term solutions to prevent further crises, and reduces stress and worry. Partners have also told us that being able to use the Pay Point Platform as a means of offering support saves valuable staff time in handling and delivering cash payments for utility tops-ups and is a much faster way of getting support to their clients. To deliver this project Letham4All and its partners use the Citizen Advice Bureau’s information-sharing protocol, The Fast Online Referral Tracking System, FORT. This system enables all partners to see what referrals and support services have been received by a service user eliminating the risk of duplication, and giving support services a clear picture of services received and of any gaps emerging in meeting the needs of the person.Letham4All will reach out through its existing partners and networks in Coupar Angus, Meigle, and Alyth to ensure that information on how this support can be accessed through the referral process and The Fast Online Referral Tracking System is widely shared and understood.
Location: Coupar Angus, Meigle and Alyth
Proposed on behalf of: Letham4All is a local Perth charity, developed by local people with an aim to ensure life across our communities is better and healthier, where everyone can reach their potential from cradle to grave. Established in 2018 it has supported the development of the first Community Fridge in Perth and Kinross to prevent good food going to waste and helping people save money. They operate 3 Community Fridges across Perth City which are open to everyone to use and benefit from, distributing free good surplus food and very low-cost cupboard staples. Letham4All also own and run The Hub , a multi-purpose community building in Letham, from which they run a host of services groups and activities Again, The Hub is available for everyone to use and to access services that support employability , financial wellbeing , youth work and mental wellbeing with many activities be free or at extremely low cost. Letham4All is led by local people and is supported by over 120 volunteers, it is a real living wage employer and has created 24 local jobs. Letham4All works with a range of partners to help alleviate the impact of poverty on local people, especially on children, acting as a Community Anchor organisation to lever in additional resources to support Perth and Kinross communities.
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