Neighbourhood Concierge in Sint-Niklaas: referring help requests quick and efficient
The importance of quick and efficient referrals
Based on the “fire and forget” principle, neighborhood workers, field workers, and local care organizations in Sint-Niklaas can now easily – and with peace of mind – refer inquiries to the Neighborhood Concierge via a simple web form.
Common Scenarios:
- Neighborhood Outreach: A neighborhood worker engages in outreach and speaks with residents. Often, during these conversations, help requests arise that the worker cannot immediately address or record. These requests can now be easily referred to the Neighborhood Concierge.
- Wellbeing Organizations: An individual approaches a welfare organization with a help request. The organization might not be able to assist immediately due to a waiting list, a request for companionship, or a request outside the organization’s scope. These requests can now be easily referred to the Neighborhood Concierge.
The web form is designed for user-friendliness, requiring only basic information such as name, contact details, and the nature of the request. This minimizes administrative burden and maximizes the speed at which help requests are processed in the central registration system. With the web form, requests can be quickly and efficiently referred to the Neighborhood Concierge without the need to log into a dashboard or deal with other cumbersome procedures.
Improving collaboration and referral efficiency
By providing a central point where help requests can be collected and forwarded, collaboration is streamlined, and help seekers are assisted quickly and efficiently. This ensures better alignment and coordination within the local support and care network.
“In Sint-Niklaas, the launch of the neighborhood concierge is linked to strengthening the local care network. This way, we ensure that professional caregivers get to know each other better, allowing for quicker referrals.”
Seppe Van Bogaert, Coordinator Kroonmolen aan Zet, City of Sint-Niklaas
How Does It Work?
Filling Out the Web Form: Each Neighborhood Concierge has a unique web form that can be shared with neighborhood workers, social workers, local care actors, and even the public if desired. This form requests brief personal and contact details, along with the help request, which is then sent to the dashboard.
Follow-Up on Requests: The submitted help requests appear as open requests in the Neighborhood Concierge’s dashboard. The concierge is notified via email and in-dashboard notifications. If the help seeker is already registered in the dashboard, the request can easily be added to their profile. If the person is new, the dashboard assists in creating a new profile.
Contact with the Help Seeker: The Neighborhood Concierge contacts the help seeker to clarify the request and provide further assistance. After this contact, the concierge looks for a suitable helper within the verified network or neighborhood to effectively address the request.
Benefits of using the web form
- Streamlines the Referral Process: The web form simplifies the process of referring help requests.
- Saves Time and Effort: It saves time and work for all involved parties.
- Strengthens Collaboration: It enhances collaboration between various entities and individuals committed to community welfare.
The help request web form is a powerful tool that not only improves the efficiency of the referral process but also strengthens cooperation among all involved parties. By providing a central point for collecting and forwarding help requests, we can ensure that help seekers are quickly and effectively assisted, resulting in a resilient and supportive community.
“We also want to raise awareness that even very small daily tasks (such as walking the dog, taking out the trash) are valid help requests.”
Seppe Van Bogaert, Coordinator Kroonmolen aan Zet, City of Sint-Niklaas
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the criteria for referring help requests to the Neighborhood Concierge?
Help requests are generally referred to the neighborhood concierge if they fall outside the current organization’s scope, if there is a waiting list for assistance, or if the request requires someone to provide on-site support.
How does the Neighborhood Concierge ensure the confidentiality of help requests and personal information?
The Neighborhood Concierge adheres to strict privacy guidelines and procedures to ensure the confidentiality of help requests and personal data. All information is handled confidentially and shared only with relevant parties involved in providing support.
How quickly can help seekers expect their request to be handled after it is referred to the neighborhood concierge?
The Neighborhood Concierge aims to handle help requests as quickly as possible. After receiving the request, the concierge will contact the help seeker to clarify the request and find a suitable solution within the network of support services and local resources as soon as possible, usually within a few hours to a maximum of a few days.
