Agenda item

Presentation

The Committee received a presentation from the First Love Foundation.  During questions, the following points were noted:

1.       First Love agreed to follow up on a Member’s feedback about attempts to provide fresh goods to the food bank.

2.       First Love has observed that some residents are more comfortable dealing with non-statutory organisations.  In response First Love will be developing their community based outreach work and one-to-one meetings with clients, in order to carry out  needs assessments and signposting to other service providers.

3.       In Tower Hamlets, First Love has been successful in securing discretionary housing payment support for those in need and is keen to replicate that approach in the City. 

4.       Areas of successful work in the City include ensuring that residents are in receipt of their full benefit entitlements and reclaiming unpaid monies.  Assistance with employability is also provided, and First Love work with a wide network of corporate supporters; providing paid internships and apprenticeships, and workshops which offer help with CVs, interview skills and mentoring.

5.       First Love often discover increasing levels of complexities in families that can lead to appealing benefits decisions.  The  DWP process for appeals can take up to 20 weeks, which has a severe impact on families with low incomes.  Whilst this delay is outside of their control, First Love continue to work with families by providing access to food and other support via signposting and referral, until the case is resolved.

6.       Members asked if First Love could deliver across all the authorities in which the City has housing stock. The Director reminded Members of the work ongoing with adjacent Boroughs, where the City has housing stock, to put people in touch with local services that are networked with council services in that area.

7.       In response to comments about the communication of support and service offers by the Corporation, it was noted that the Director of Communications had agreed to attend a meeting of this Committee to hear Members’ views about communications and messaging.