CGI helps RAF build a digital support platform for dementia
CGI has launched a new digital platform developed pro-bono in collaboration with the Royal Air Forces Association. The Navigating Dementia programme provides support to members of the Association’s community who are caring for someone affected by dementia.
Like the majority of professional services firms, global IT consultancy CGI is committed to support the communities in which it works. This includes a long history of work with the Armed Forces. As CGI has been delivering secure IT systems to the UK Ministry of Defence for over 40 years, it has also been a continued supporter of the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) charity, as a vital service to its client’s personnel and families – as well as the many veterans and reservists who currently work at CGI.
The latest of the firm’s corporate social responsibility efforts have seen it collaborate with RAFA and the Alzheimer’s Society to create a new support platform. Navigating Dementia aims to help connect and support those living with dementia in the RAFA community, featuring a discussion forum, support and learn webinars, personal stories, Frequently Asked Questions, and links to further support and resources.
Neil Timms, Senior Vice-President Space, Defence and Intelligence at CGI in the UK said, “Sadly dementia affects many families, so we were delighted, as part of our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, to support RAFA in creating the Navigating Dementia platform. It is vital that we exploit digital channels to enable communities to access the information and support they need wherever they are. In these challenging times I am very proud of the joint RAFA and CGI team that have made this happen so rapidly.”
Independent research conducted by RAFA identified that caring for relatives with dementia was rated as one of the principal welfare challenges facing members across the entire RAF Family. To address this, a pro-bono CGI and RAFA development team, including CGI User Experience specialists, designed, developed and deployed the Navigating Dementia platform. Agile development techniques were used to create the platform so it could be launched to those in need as quickly as possible.
“We are very grateful to CGI for developing this important new resource with us,” said Rachel Huxford, Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Trading at the Association. “Their expertise will benefit dementia carers very directly, and is testament to CGI’s impressive commitment to supporting the UK’s military community.”
