Thrive LDN and Resolve Poverty workshop

FAO: Representatives of London boroughs of Croydon, Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Newham, Camden, and Hounslow

The links between mental health and wellbeing and poverty are well established. There are a number of barriers preventing those on low incomes from seeking help including not knowing what advice and support is available and negative societal perceptions of poverty discouraging them for speaking about their circumstances.

This is why, at Thrive LDN, we are excited to be partnering with Resolve Poverty on expansion of its Money Advice Referral Tool to London.  With support and funding from the Greater London Authority, we have the opportunity to work with a number London boroughs to demonstrate the need for a tool facilitating conversations around money by professionals working with those experiencing financial hardship but for whom money guidance is not their focus, ensuring people are signposted and referred to services which can provide the best suited advice and support.

We’re inviting representatives from the London boroughs of Croydon, Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Newham, Camden, and Hounslow to participate in this work.

Resolve Poverty will be running a workshop on the morning of Thursday, 11 September from 9.30am – 12.30pm in central London for representatives from the above listed local authorities.

Venue: The Arc Centre, 98b St Paul Street, N1 4NU

Register and join us on 11 September

If you and/or colleagues would be interested in joining us on 11 September please RSVP to jennie@resolvepoverty.org.

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This work builds on successful development in Greater Manchester across seven councils. We’re keen to see how we may work together in London to explore feasibility and demonstrate the need for this type of referral tool.

We hope to attract a mix of expertise including those working on cost of living responses, financial inclusion and public health.  We’ll be exploring challenges residents face in accessing existing advice and support mechanisms and difficulties local authorities and services in their area encounter reaching those needing financial support.

About the Money Advice Referral Tool (MART)

Poverty always comes down to a lack of income. However, knowing how best to help people who are struggling financially can sometimes seem too complex an issue to address – especially if money guidance is not your organisation’s area of expertise.  Resolve Poverty’s MART is designed to help any agency that works with people on low incomes, including GP surgeries, schools, hospitals, and local community groups, as well as people seeking financial support for themselves.

The Money Advice Referral Tool for a specific area is developed through engagement with local stakeholders. The MART is available as an easy to navigate online tool providing results within a few clicks. It navigates users through simple, accessible and non-patronising questions to signpost support. Unlike a directory, it focused upon a small number of most relevant services which are presented in an easy to access format.

Data collected from the online tool can provide valuable insights into the issues affecting residents in your area and demand for different services.

You can learn more about the MART on Resolve Poverty’s website, as well as accessing the online MART for existing covered areas.

If you would like to understand more about Resolve Poverty’s MART or this project first, please contact Jennie who will facilitate a conversation: jennie@resolvepoverty.org.