Adele, a support worker from Kent County Council's Enablement Team, supports individuals and families facing homelessness, povrty, and instability. While her team works to improve their circumstances, accessing support on their behalf has often been a complex and time-consuming process.
Before discovering Lightning Reach
Before using Lightning Reach, Adele faced several challenges in securing support for her clients. With only a four-week window to work with each client, finding and applying for support needed to be quick and effective. However, the process was time-consuming and inefficient, requiring her to navigate a fragmented system with limited visibility of available support options.
Time-consuming searches: the team spent up to 2 hours per client calling organisations, searching the internet, and completing individual support applications.
Limited knowledge of available support: they relied on the same local charities and council schemes, which varied by location and were hard to track.
Higher rejection rates: many applications were rejected because they didn’t meet specific criteria, resulting in wasted time and frustration.
Beyond the logistical challenges, the process was also draining for both Adele and her clients. Each new application meant retelling the same, sometimes painful story. Adele comments:
“Asking for help is already hard enough. When clients had to tell their story over and over again, it chipped away at their well-being. You could see the toll it took.”
After discovering Lightning Reach
The introduction of Lightning Reach transformed the team's work by improving efficiency and reducing repetitive tasks. They have found the following benefits:
Time taken reduced by 85%: The portal reduced the time spent on support applications to 15 to 20 minutes per client, down from 1 to 2 hours. This significant time saving allows Adele to focus on supporting more clients within her limited working window.
Access to a wider range of support: Adele discovered niche grants and benevolent funds she had never heard of before.
Better outcomes for clients: Lightning Reach's filtering system saves Adele significant time by instantly identifying relevant support options for her clients.
One profile for multiple applications: A single profile is created to apply for multiple support schemes, saving time and reducing the stress on her clients.
Data security and GDPR compliance: The portal ensures client information is secure and GDPR-compliant.
Shared access: Able to share workload with her colleagues, allowing them to access her client’s applications when she’s away from work.
Adele comments:
“The portal filters out unsuitable options, so I’m not wasting time on applications that don’t match my client’s needs. It makes my work much more efficient. It cuts down on the repetitive process of filling out the same forms over and over again. It’s all in one place, and the security of knowing it is GDPR-compliant gives me peace of mind.”
Encouraging wider adoption and lasting impact
The efficiency gains Adele and her team have experienced go beyond just saving time. Lightning Reach has helped to transform how they operates, ensuring they can provide quicker, more practical support to those in need. By consolidating resources in one place and reducing repetitive tasks, the platform has enabled Adele’s team to focus on what matters most: helping vulnerable people get back on their feet.
For her clients, the benefits are clear - essential items like furniture and appliances, food vouchers, and financial grants are secured more quickly, helping them rebuild their lives faster.
“It’s a lifeline for people who have nowhere else to turn. Seeing the tension lift from someone’s shoulders because they know help is on the way - that’s what makes this work so rewarding.”
Adele hopes more organisations will adopt Lightning Reach, ensuring support workers can spend less time on paperwork and more time providing meaningful assistance to those who need it most.
Join us
If you are interested in discussing how the Lightning Reach portal could support your organisation in streamlining and accelerating the delivery of financial support to your service users, while reaching a wider range of potential clients to access support from your organisation quickly and easily, please get in touch with dave@lightningreach.org
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