A game-changing platform has been unveiled, which aims to improve the lives of young people in Guernsey and Alderney.
The platform is a partnership between First Central Insurance & Technology Group (First Central) and the Youth Commission and has been in development for more than 18 months. It is designed to securely store and manage information such as young people’s housing status, health statistics, child protection history and multi-agency support hub (MASH) referrals.
The platform also allows the Youth Commission to record and monitor a young person’s emotional health and wellbeing, meaning that risk factors can be monitored and acted upon more swiftly than the old recording system.
John Davison, chief information officer at First Central said: “Previously these details were held in different locations and sometimes there was no digital record. This platform brings all the information together in one place, speeding up the process.”
The platform is an adaption of First Central’s existing content management system, but has been tailored to meet the Youth Commission’s specific needs. Many of First Central’s Guernsey-grown software development team, including senior executives and the ‘Discover Digital’ interns, have been involved in the project.
Explaining the partnership, Mr Davison said: “An insurance company and a youth charity might seem like a strange partnership, but what ties this together is cutting-edge technology. Insurance is all about measuring and mitigating risk. If a young person is having a difficult time, usually a number of risk factors are flagged – but with the old system they would be recorded separately. This platform collates all the records together, meaning the risk factors can be flagged more quickly and young people can be offered the right type of help faster and more efficiently than before.
“This was a project close to my heart, as I came through the UK’s social care system myself. It’s incredible to see the benefits a platform like this can have in helping the Youth Commission deliver an even better service.”
The Youth Commission’s vision is to create a Bailiwick where all children and young people are ambitious to reach their full potential. Interim CEO Jane St Pier said: “This collaboration is testament to the power of partnerships based on shared values. The significance of the hugely generous, long term commitment by First Central to create, develop and maintain the platform cannot be overestimated. The legacy and impact of this system on our provision will actually make it even more valuable than the significant monetary contribution it represents.
“Having this information available on one platform not only reduces the Youth Commission’s administrative costs, it makes us more effective at supporting young people. By making our service more streamlined and efficient we are able to deliver help where and when it’s really needed.
“Not only can youth workers better assess the impact of individual interventions but in turn, the amalgamation of data will allow the community to understand the reality and needs of our young people in real time. It truly is a game changer.”
