Tutorials to help with process of application
Hi Sunshine News readers! We hope you are all keeping safe and well. It’s been a hive of activity here at Sunshine HQ this week as we rolled out the next phase in our Outreach Program.
As a small charity, our main aim is to provide specialist equipment to children living with disabilities that can’t be funded by the NHS or Social Services.
However, Outreach is an additional support service that we offer to families, carers and medical professionals who are applying for, or who have previously received, specialist equipment on behalf of a child or young adult.
Being the parent of a child with often complex disabilities can be isolating and lonely, our Outreach offers a listening ear to existing or new families who we support and can be a real lifeline.
As well as guiding families through the application process for equipment, we are there to facilitate introductions and offer signposting advice so that our families are getting all the help they need.
Our Outreach support sessions usually comprise of one-to-one help from our families coordinator Rachel.
This used to be in a meeting at our office, a phone or video call or even a group session with one of our intermediary partners across the region.
However, due to the pandemic, we had to look for different ways to ensure we are supporting our families whilst also abiding by the Covid-19 guidelines on safety and social distancing.
We’ve been working hard on a series of short video tutorials offering stepby-step guidance to assist applicants.
We have also set up a dedicated applications phone line so parents can ask questions via text or leave a voicemail message out of hours.
Rachel, who leads on our Outreach Program, said: “Outreach at the Chronicle Sunshine Fund is changing. We’re listening to our families about how we can better support people to apply to the charity and now we’re really excited to announce that we’ve developed a whole package of online and one-to-one support which can be delivered virtually.
“We will soon be unveiling some shiny new video tutorials, created by Team Sunshine and our amazing friends at ITV Signpost. In the meantime, you can contact me directly on the new Outreach and Applications hotline on 0759 329 8541.
“You can arrange a one-to-one telephone or video call appointment or just have a quick query answered via text message”.
So, since Tuesday it has been all “Lights! Cameras! Action!”
We were kindly gifted the use of a conference room for a day of filming by our friends at Reviving The Heart of the West End, who have the perfect facilities and kept us going with lots of cups of tea.
You can find out more about how they are supporting business and providing training opportunities and the spaces available at the fantastic John Buddle Work Village, which really is a hidden gem in the West of Newcastle, by visiting their website www.rhwe.org
Now, the fantastic team at ITV Signpost will edit and subtitle each tutorial video for us, ensuring they are accessible to all.
We are so grateful to the team at ITV for helping us make these videos – we know the impact these will have.
Being “on set” with Rachel and digital fundraising manager Lauren was as close to being a Kardashian as I think any of us will ever get!
Siobhan x