Community Housing has picked up the award for Best Digital Inclusion Scheme at the inaugural Housing Digital Innovation Awards.
The Wyre-Forest-based provider was recognised for the support programme it put in place for vulnerable customers during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Through the efforts of amica24, care and support teams, neighbourhood wardens, housing services teams, customer service centre and IT teams, they were able to help those in most need with regular visits and welfare calls.
Katie Schofield, head of Care and Supported Housing at Community Housing, said: “We could see that customers were struggling to cope, so we brought together Community Housing teams who had the skills and resources to give that extra support and reassurance.
“Just knowing that someone was there at the end of the phone who could get the right help and speak to the right people and organisations on the customer’s behalf, made such a difference”
The programme included providing video calling devices through amica24 for some customers without digital access, so they could keep in touch with family and friends and prevent social isolation.
amica24 customers will notice a new name and branding in April 2022, as the final part of Community Housing’s consolidation of brands under one name.
Matt Cooney, chief executive of Community Housing, said: “In October 2021, we launched a new Corporate Plan which aimed to simplify our business so that we could concentrate on our core services.
“We rebranded our teams under the Community Housing brand to symbolise our intent to work together as One team.
“amica24 customers will still get the same great service and 24 hour monitoring and support, but they will see a new name, Community Housing Technology Enabled Care Services together with a new logo and website.”
Community Housing is a registered housing provider based in the Wyre Forest District of Worcestershire.
Image: Teams from Community Housing collecting the award for Best Digital Inclusion Scheme
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