Anglesey homelessness charity wins Welsh Government backing for ICT improvements

A charity which supports homeless people on Anglesey has received backing from Communities 2.0, the Welsh Governments digital inclusion programme. The support will help Digartref Ynys Môn to improve their use of ICT, moving to a system that will allow them to deliver their services more efficiently and effectively.

Digartref Ynys Môn is a registered charity which provides relief services to homeless people across Anglesey. The charity supports homeless people through the delivery of a range of projects and services that aim to enable individuals and families to achieve independent living. Initially the organisation was set up to assist young people aged 16 to 25, however over the past 16 years their remit has expanded as the need for homeless related support has grown. They now offer services to all age groups, concentrating on homelessness prevention. Digartref comprises of four centres across Anglesey. Its main office is based in Holyhead but it offers two supported housing projects in Llangefni and Holyhead as well as a seven day drop in service for homeless people at the Lighthouse Day Centre in Holyhead.

The Communities 2.0 support will help the charity set up a website and intranet and market their services to the community in Anglesey. It will allow the organisation to improve its data security and efficiency. Up to date training will also be provided to the charity’s 39 staff. The support has come from Communities 2.0, which is a Welsh Government programme, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Wendy Hughes is Chief Executive of Digartref Ynys Môn. She commented,

“We are delighted that our application has been successful. We have been really impressed at the depth of knowledge, expertise and professionalism of Communities 2.0 officers and we believe that the support offered to us through the programme will make a massive difference to our ability to deliver essential services to homeless people and people at risk of homelessness in Anglesey. The extremely thorough ICT review and helpful guidance we have received from the Communities 2.0 team will allow us to utilise the technology effectively to concentrate on servicing our client’s needs effectively”.

Communities 2.0 project director Cathryn Marcus commented:

“Communities 2.0 is delighted to be able to add its support to this timely investment in Digartref Ynys Môn. The charity offers an extremely important service in Anglesey and this investment will help the organisation to deliver its services more efficiently and effectively”.