Community Chest grant provides a phone lifeline for people experiencing homelessness
People experiencing homelessness across East Lindsey will be better able to access accommodation and essential support thanks to a grant.
New Life Community Church in Spilsby has received the funding through our Community Chest Fund to provide basic mobile phones to people who are sleeping rough, at risk of homelessness or facing other serious vulnerabilities.
As housing, health and welfare services increasingly communicate remotely, not having access to a phone can prevent someone from receiving an important call, responding to a message or providing documents needed to progress their case.
Missed communication can mean that people remain without accommodation for longer or lose contact with services working to support them.
The emergency phone fund will provide people with 4G compatible phones over a 12 month period. The devices will allow users to make and receive calls and texts messages, take photographs of documents and contact housing, physical health and mental health services.
Phones may also be provided to people escaping domestic abuse or exploitation, helping them communicate safely and regain their independence.
The phones will be purchased when an eligible individual is referred, with a small number kept at the New Life Community Centre for emergencies. Free SIM cards providing six months of calls, texts and data will also be available, reducing the cost of running the scheme.
Katie Blake, Community Connector for Rough Sleeping, Homelessness and Temporary Accommodation at New Life Community Church said: “For most of us, having a phone is an ordinary part of everyday life. For someone who is sleeping rough or experiencing a crisis, however, it can be the difference between receiving an offer of accommodation and missing it.
“People need to be reachable by housing teams, attend appointments, arrange healthcare and provide evidence to support applications. Without a phone, they can easily slip through the net despite being willing and able to engage.
“This funding will give people a practical lifeline at a particularly vulnerable point in their lives. It will also help outreach workers spend less time trying to locate individuals and more time supporting them towards safe accommodation and greater stability.
“We are extremely grateful to Platform Housing Group for recognising how something so simple can make such a significant difference.”
New Life Community Church provides an average of two phones each week to people experiencing homelessness. Previous purchases were made through outreach teams; expenses budgets, but reductions in those budgets have made it increasingly difficult to meet demand.
Recipients will be assessed according to need and their engagement with local homelessness services. The project will also work alongside our Digital Empowerment team, which can provide further support as people progress through their housing journey.
Ben Mills, our Digital Empowerment Officer said: “Digital exclusion can create a very real barrier for people trying to move away from homelessness. If someone cannot receive a call, respond to a message or send a photograph of an important document, opportunities for housing and support can quickly be lost.
“This is a thoughtful and practical project that responds directly to a need identified by frontline services. The phones will help people stay connected, feel safer and take important steps towards accommodation, healthcare and greater independence.
“We are proud to support New Life Community Church through our Community Chest Fund and to continue working in partnership across East Lindsey Wellbeing Hubs.”
The scheme will begin immediately, with the funding used until all eligible phones have been distributed.
Our Community Chest Fund supports projects that make a positive difference to our customers and the communities in which they live.
Photo caption : Ben Mills, a member of Platform's Digital Empowerment Team, provides digital help across communities