Even in the harshest of circumstances (the cost of living crisis, a funding squeeze, an increasingly more-for-less contract culture, to name but three) our partners continue to use SIGNAL because it is able to tell their story: that the key to sustainability is that they are Person-Centred and therefore provide their services in response to what people say they need today and tomorrow.
Julie Fernyhough, CEO says: “it’s extremely difficult to plan ahead at the moment. There’s so much uncertainty about funding and we’re constrained by commissioners dramatically changing the funding model of contracts resulting in reducing the time we can spend with clients. But we are determined to continue supporting those most in need in our community by understanding the underlying cause of the problems people face in their lives. We believe this is the path to long-term sustainability and we need SIGNAL to help us shout about it!”
This commitment is reflected in JET dipping into their reserves to support a small, dedicated team of staff to offer longer-term support to clients who need it more than ever. Support worker, Mojtaba explains: “people are feeling down, much more so than in my previous experience – we get many referrals from the Job Centre but often we find that people are not seeking jobs, but rather they need pastoral care and longer term support”. Mojtaba cites one poignant example: “the Job Centre referred a woman who was 8 months pregnant who was in no position to get a job. Using SIGNAL really helped the situation as it emerged she had housing issues which we helped her sort out. SIGNAL really helps us to create action plans in seemingly hopeless situations”.
Watch this space for more inspirational stories and please get in touch at contact@clearsignal.org if you would like to share yours!