Since 2020, The Parish Trust has been supporting individuals, households and families through services such as the CARE Project and Baby Bank. Over the years, demand for our help has grown significantly. We are thankful that so many people have been able to turn to The Parish Trust for support, but as our work has developed, our existing systems have increasingly struggled to keep up.
That is why we are introducing the Help Hub.
The Help Hub is a new online system designed to make it easier for service users to ask for help, easier for referral partners to make referrals, and easier for our team to process requests safely, accurately and efficiently.
Why are we introducing the Help Hub?
At the moment, service users often have to fill in a form every time they need support. This means repeating the same information again and again, even when their details have not changed. When someone is referred to us, they may also be given a referral number to remember, which can make things more confusing than they need to be.
Referral partners face similar challenges. They often have to complete a new form each time they refer someone, repeating organisational and service user information. For larger organisations, it can also be difficult to know who is already registered with The Parish Trust, who has access, and who is authorised to make referrals.
Behind the scenes, although some of our processes are already online, much of our work still relies on manual checks, manual updates and manual communication. As demand grows, this places pressure on our team and can slow down the support we are trying to provide.
The Help Hub changes this.
What this means for service users
The Help Hub will allow service users to register once and keep their details up to date. This will make future requests simpler, quicker and clearer.
Service users will also receive a unique H Number, helping us identify their household more easily and process requests more accurately. Instead of repeatedly filling in the same information, service users will be able to use their Help Hub account when accessing support in the future.
This should make the process of asking for help more dignified, less repetitive and easier to manage.
Service users can register here
What this means for referral partners
The Help Hub will also improve the way referral partners work with The Parish Trust.
Referral partners will be able to register their organisation, and once approved, make and manage referrals through a clearer online process. Larger organisations will also be able to manage approved team members, making it easier to know who is registered and who is authorised to refer.
This will reduce repeated information, improve accuracy, and help us process referrals more efficiently.
Referral partners can register here
What happens next?
The Help Hub is part of an important transition for The Parish Trust. We are now asking service users and referral partners to register so that accounts can be prepared ahead of the full rollout.
Registering does not immediately replace our current request or referral process. Until we tell you otherwise, service users and referral partners should continue using the existing process for requesting support or making referrals.
A better system for a growing need
The Parish Trust exists to bring practical help, hope and support to people in our communities. As the needs around us grow, we need systems that help us respond well.
The Help Hub will help us reduce duplication, improve communication, strengthen our records and make the experience better for everyone involved. Most importantly, it will help our team spend less time on repeated administration and more time supporting people.
This is a significant step forward for The Parish Trust, but our heart remains the same: to help people when they need it most, so that they may come to know life in all its fulness.
