The LankellyChase Digital Empowerment Awards today opens for entries. The awards celebrate projects working to empower homeless and vulnerable people by uniting them with technology that could redress the power-balance between service providers and service users and embed excluded people within an enriching and supportive social network.
With the increasing availability of digital technologies such as mobile phones, smart phones, laptops and tablets, homeless and vulnerable people have new ways to communicate ‘as consumers’ with service providers redressing the power imbalances and providing feedback to inform and shape service development. Due to the increased popularity of social media such as facebook and Twitter and blog sites such as Wordpress, homeless and vulnerable people have new opportunities to express themselves and their experience ‘as citizens’ to reach a public audience and to challenge cultural stereotypes. Access to family and friends is facilitated through new technologies, and homeless and vulnerable people can use this to their advantage to make new connections and to revive weakening relationships. Service providers can utilise this technology to enhance and improve the lives of their service users. This might be done through providing live information feeds, ‘nudging’ take up, and reminding homeless and vulnerable people of appointments for housing, health, employment and welfare services. It is also increasingly important for service providers to offer workshops and other learning opportunities on digital literacy or other topics through the use of digital technology.
Entries will be welcomed from a wide range of UK organisations such as homeless agencies, supported housing agencies, charities, third sector organisations, housing organisations, local authorities, adult social care organisations and other public bodies.
The deadline for entries is Friday 31st January 2014. Entries will be considered by the expert judging panel and the shortlist will be announced at the end of February. Public voting will then take place and the winning entry will be announced in April. A total of £2,500 will be awarded to the winner and to runners up.
Click here for more information and to enter.
Bronze: For members who have completed their profile or posted to the forum
Silver: For members who have submitted an example or entered an awards programme
Gold: For members who have been a speaker at an event or have won or been shortlisted for an award.
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