Swansea social action charity offers hope and help at the touch of a button

A Swansea-based homelessness and food poverty social action project has launched a new smartphone app connecting people in need of help with the organisations in Swansea which provide it.

Matthew’s House (of The Hill Church Charity) say the app called “Hope in Swansea”, is the first of its kind in the UK and will signpost vulnerable people to the support available for housing, mental health, food poverty, isolation, abuse, seeking asylum, discrimination, or even a warm shower.

With funding support from Swansea Council, the Children’s society and the friends of Matthew’s House scheme, the app is a directory of support services which will provide location-specific, cross-organisation information with one simple click of a button: “Hope is just a click away

Matthew’s House has networked with organisations across Swansea to ensure that all areas are represented in the app, with more than 60 support providers registered.

Via the free and easy to download app, quick and accurate updates will be shared by all participating support providers to show their opening hours, access criteria, availability, and service provisions.

Matthew’s House is a High Street based charity responsible for other successful community support projects such as Matt’s Cafe, Matt’s Showers and The Homeless Period.

The team recently won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and plans to develop the app even further in reach and accessibility for people who could benefit from it.

Crisis support

Project Manager Thom Lynch said: “We are really proud to launch such an incredible app which will transform how support is offered and found for people struggling every day. Our key objective as an organisation has always been to provide hospitality and hope to those who need it, and we are confident this app will do just that.

“The app was born out of conversations with hundreds of people needing crisis support, and those who work in the support sector. We found that the process of answering an individual’s questions on where they could find the various support they needed was often incredibly time consuming; searching through different folders or emails to find simple contacts and information, which were often outdated.

“This app will instead allow organisations to register and regularly update vital information which will enable fast action and tangible results for Swansea’s most vulnerable citizens. It is a balance of being professional but personal welcoming every type of user to benefit for no cost at all.

The long-term goal is that the general public will utilise Hope in Swansea as well as professionals and volunteers when they come across someone in need of any type of support – be it a neighbour, friend, family member, or perhaps a stranger on the street. This app could make all the difference.”

For further information or visit hopeinswansea.org.uk