I led the project to set up an innovation lab in Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council, finding innovative ways to support people experiencing the effects of Welfare Reform. The project lasted about 7 months in which time we carried out desk research, got to know the local area, understood what services were already being provided and where the users needs lay. We ran discovery workshops with staff from the council and local support services including food banks and the Citizen's Advice Bureaux.

From these insights we developed two products. Popcash an app to help people manage their bills, repayments and daily spends and I led on Scout a way finding directory helping people to find financial support in their area based on their specific needs. The tool is to be used by frontline staff and residents to help pick apart where their financial issues lie, what other support services might be suitable and presents the results in a user friendly, jargon free way, lowering the barriers to accessing help.

Throughout the project we worked to embed new ways of working in both Councils and with partner agencies. We also ran a citizen-engagement ideas day, where residents submitted their ideas to an online platform, and then developed them in groups during a facilitated hack day.