Joshua Kaiser, son of CLA’s President Alexandra Emmott, has created a free online service to connect vulnerable people with volunteers alongside his partner, Clare Stead, and CLA’s Head of Technology, Jake Gladden.
The tool, called C19 Assist, connects people in the UK who are unable to leave their homes with volunteers who are happy to help with tasks such as walking pets or grocery shopping. With everyone now separated physically, it has become easier than ever for people who lack strong support networks to get left behind – so digital tools like C19 Assist are now crucial to keep everyone connected and supported.
“With the new lockdowns in place and some spare time on our hands we wanted to use our skills for the good of the community” said Josh.
C19 Assist uses postcodes to match people who need help with nearby volunteers. Volunteers are unable to view any sensitive information about the requester until their offer of help is accepted- at which point they are connected and can communicate via email.
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a support network they can rely on when times are tough. C19 Assist helps you reach out to your local community and ask for help. The key to using C19 Assist is engaging enough people in a community to ensure there are enough volunteers to get the help to those who need it.
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