Introducing Connecting You

We are very excited to be working with Hartlepool Borough Council on their Digital Community Platform - Connecting You -  a new innovative digital platform that will help the council communicate and engage with children and young people who are in, or are leaving, local authority care.

Connecting You will be providing a safe, secure and controlled online environment in which to build a community for Hartlepool’s vulnerable young people. They’ll be able to join groups, take part in discussion, contribute to articles and content and see local events and activities - all within a space overseen and moderated by the local authority team.

Further, Connecting You also includes a digital survey tool which allows polls, questionnaires and consultations to be published directly to young people, who can then complete them through their mobile phone or other device.

“It’s a brilliant project to be working on with our friends at Hartlepool” says Simon Newing, MD at focusgov. “With Connecting You, we are bringing together some of the tools from social media that have proved to be hugely successful in engaging young people and removing the typical risks involved around security, privacy and use of data. Since the very start of the project, the safety of young people has been considered at every step.
There’s nothing to stop the Connecting You approach being applied in other scenarios; essentially it can be used by any local authority wanting to stay in touch with any vulnerable group. We have already received interest around engagement with adults who have alcohol or drug dependency, and families with disabled children”.

Connecting You will be launched during Hartlepool Children’s Week in July 2019.