At Colt, we know people matter, therefore inclusion and diversity is a core pillar of our culture and DNA. We focus on how we can support our employees as well as local communities and charities. In some instances, that support can be fundraising or volunteering, and sometimes that support compliments how we operate as a telco. We’re providing a freephone number and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) free of charge to the UK lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) migrant organisation, Micro Rainbow, to support them and help with routing calls.
Who are Micro Rainbow?
Micro Rainbow is a UK not for profit that provides support for arriving LGBTQI refugees from over 70 countries in the world, including Afghanistan, through housing support, facilitating access to employment, training and education. It also provides social inclusion activities and gives advice on healthcare, finances and public services. Its vision is to create a world where LGBTQI people are free from discrimination, persecution and have equal opportunities in life.
How will this help?
The setup that Micro Rainbow had previously meant that people utilising the organisation’s service would phone the line and the call would bounce to case workers’ mobile phones. With the provision of the freephone number, case workers don’t need to give out their mobile numbers; reducing potential issues with safety, boundaries and wellbeing. Having IVR means that calls coming through get routed to the right person, streamlining back-end operations.
The way we’re supporting Micro Rainbow also benefits people using the service as it is a freephone number. Digital poverty is a widespread issue amongst LGBTQI asylum seekers who live with only £39 a week and can’t afford phone plans with unlimited data/minutes. Previously, calling case workers’ mobiles would cost money, and now individuals can access Micro Rainbow’s services telephone line free of charge.
This is a long-term initiative we’re running with Micro Rainbow, supporting their workers and those accessing its services. And it’s not all we’re doing, in February, our Colties held an employability session with people that use the organisation to share information about getting into the telco/tech industry and to talk about their careers.
Helping people access the services they need, when they need them, means a lot to us at Colt. We are building extraordinary connections with organisations like Micro Rainbow so that we can play our part in changing the world and making it a safer and more equitable place for everyone.
To find out more about Micro Rainbow, visit microrainbow.org.
Rachel Collins, Head of Inclusion and Diversity, Colt Technology Services
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