The Daydreamer Project
Donation protected
About
THE IDEA:
The Daydreamer Project was an idea that stemmed from a fundamental desire to aspire for more in life, to have a dream and search for fulfillment. As a social recruitment initiative designed to tailor a customer journey, based on marketing principles to apply to a recruitment cycle. The Daydreamer Project will be designed as a piece of bespoke software, in the form of an online web-based solution and in no way out of the ordinary or massively innovative, it merely looked to address an idea that didn’t previously exist:
> Creating a global homeless register
> Creating a lean customer journey for homeless users to access work
While we CrowdFund for our online initiative, we have a homeless referral form that we would like for you to complete should you see any homeless person(s) in need of support, anywhere in the world...
<< Homeless Referral Form >>
THE REWARD CONCEPT:
The point at which we place a referred homeless user into sustainable employment, we would like to reward our personal referrers directly with £25 as a personal thank you.
We hope this will help to create a little positive selfishness, we facilitate a users transition into a better way of life and reward individuals for assisting us access homeless users.
Recruitment as an industry and field has existed for an exponential period of time, and for as long as there has been work, there has been a consultant referral process. Through our passions for database systems, intelligent working, and a smarter future, we envisaged a recruitment platform designed predominantly to facilitate homeless candidates, back into employment with the added benefit of enrolling onto training programmes. From a "cost to state" perspective, a homeless individual also has a cost of state services associated with them, whether they be healthcare or other services.
On average in 2015 there was a cost to the UK Taxpayer of around £20,128* respectively, therefore individuals who are destitute are not constructive financial output. However, through interviews and interactions, we found that homeless users wished to work, yet there were barriers to entry into employment. The above figures are merely an approximate guide, the More on that later…
*Crisis (2015): At What Cost (2015)
In order to contribute, however, from a taxation perspective, an individual has to earn in excess of £11,500 in order to surpass the UK tax threshold; resulting in a £2,300.20 increase in contributions.
So it stands to reason that a contributing member of society has an active contribution towards that which is the "welfare system".
THE PROCESS:
We aim to build the online platform to facilitate a 4 step process, as per our diagram below.
THE PLATFORM: Most of what we are developing consists of tailoring existing technologies, importing themes and customising widgets to give us the level of functionality required to execute such a project.
Having most of what is required equates to:
> A recruitment theme (imported and tweaked)
> A single database
> Widgets (form builders, etc)
> Blogging functionality
> Case management software
> Mail client
The technologies are a predominantly open source, however, development and tailoring equate to a cost, the question we have always asked is WHY? and why has this not previously already been done?
As a project, we propose to test the positive impact that a unified single homeless database and recruitment system, tailored it to a market most in need of employment services, can have on the end user and society at large.
The Daydreamer Project aims to create software that our partner organisations can use, either alongside their existing case management software or as a stand-alone service, to achieve better overall outcomes for our collective service user groups.
THE DATABASE: By tailoring our own custom database system, we can utilise key functionality that is required by governmental departments and services for accessing benefits or support services, as well as extracting relevant information required for a case management system, either singularly or jointly.
Imagine if you will a single unified database on homeless users, across a single city with a single dataset detailing all which we needed to know, to be able to access relevant services; for a single homeless candidate to get back into work. The platform is designed to extract relevant requested user information, from relevant sources relating to circumstances associated with causes of homelessness, as well as providing a report-format output to relevant agencies and partners:
> Health Organisations
> Charities
> Offender Management Services
> Training Organisations
> NGO's
The above list is not exhaustive, but merely an indication of the level of information available to assess user’s needs and requirements. This information can be used with partner companies and support organizations, to tailor a long-term service for end-users, whom either can potentially access temporary housing or can be transitioned into work while homeless. Information within a single database system can be output in a variety of different user groups within a singular piece of software.
THE ADMIN PANEL: The management panel to view all interactions within the online system, where all management functionality is stored centrally with internal access, permission rights for data-protection and reporting functionality to highlight successes/failures.
A single admin panel with functional dashboard allows for information to be seamlessly programmed for appropriate output and reporting. The end goal of the admin panel is to be able to monitor the process flow and transitions into employment as well as reporting and analytics on what works best. Functionality for the case management system incorporates notes and events and all other elements pertaining to a user’s transition into employment. The customer journey would theoretically be visible as a single timeline flow from point of referral or point of sign-up and then all activities involved to be able to access employment.
THE CANDIDATE PANEL: Whereas the front end of the web-presence is meant to emulate a recruitment site, all of the information gathered will be more extensive than that of a traditional recruitment site. This is due to the varying and higher needs of our service users. Designed with an independent dashboard with functionality for information capture, storage and processing. The web-solution will allow for end-users to apply for roles in a way very similar to any traditional recruitment platform.
The candidate panel is theoretically in no way more superior than any custom-built client panel or even an out-of-the-box solution. The functionality of the Candidate Panel has been tailored based on our service offering of homeless-recruitment, however otherwise the steps and processes involved would look very similar to software users are currently already familiar with.
The difference with our database and candidate panel is that we harvest a greater level of information from users from disadvantaged backgrounds, as we are aware they have higher needs to address. Through segmentation of information, profiles will be stored and categorised as mass-market, long-term unemployed, ex-offenders and homeless; to be able to tailor customer journey’s for each user group.
THE CLIENT PANEL: Building the client panel with the correct level of output incorporating all types of potential organisation types, ranging from commercial businesses, government services, non-governmental organisations, and charities will be somewhat complex based on data-protection and permission rights, to ensure only relevant information is output to relevant agencies.
THE RECRUITER PANEL: The bread and butter. With the increase and rise of self-employment and the entrepreneurial revolution, we intend to build-in a recruiter panel for individuals to be able to log in and actively broker the Daydreamer Project solution. We envisage using this platform to empower homeless users to gain experience in sales as well as facilitate their own social circles back into constructive work.
The empowering nature of the self-employed recruitment panel is designed to take individuals, whom lack opportunity but possess entrepreneurial flair, the chance to showcase their skills with as little as a laptop and mobile. We will have an application process for joining in-line with our capacity for growth. We cannot be everywhere all at once, but as we wish for this initiative to later to be trialled in other areas, the recruiter panel will give empowered individuals, the capacity to operate a local hub with central management support. We do ideally want to trial our platform with actual homeless person's to assess their capacity for work within a customer service/sales environment.
THE TEAM: We have a small team who are working tirelessly to bring this vision to reality. We came together as Daydreamers with a single passion and goal, to implement software to fulfil a societal need for which a process is yet to be found.
Richard - Director/Founder:
Had the idea of the Daydreamer Project to get the homeless into work, back in 2012. Having volunteered with homeless organisations and support groups, Richard is now at a stage to make Daydreamer Project a reality.
Attitude: "Any dream worth having, is a dream worth fighting for".
Biggest dream: Skydive to overcome his fear of heights.
Biggest fear: Fear of heights.
Neha - HR/Marketing Intern/Global Citizen:
Joined the Daydreamer Project in late Summer 2017, as part of an internship via De Montfort University, Leicester. It was Neha that initially proposed a CrowdFunding campaign.
Attitude: "Every dream can be achieved, if you have the passion, drive and focus to accomplish it".
Biggest dream: To travel the world and make a difference in people's lives.
Biggest fear: Over-commitments.
Mo - Senior Web Developer:
Joined the project to assist in building the web-based recruitment solution, with integrated complex database, functionality and case management process. As an experienced Web Developer, Mo was a clear choice for the project.
Attitude: "Nothing is impossible!"
Biggest dream: To bring "quality marketing training" to the masses.
Biggest fear: None currently, live life fearlessly!
Jigs - Freelance Graphic Web Designer/Marketing Support:
Joined the Daydreamer Project as a friend and contractor, to ensure it's success via a creative marketing strategy, whilst having key input on the Daydreamer Project brand, website build, and marketing activities.
Attitude: "Live life with a purpose, have no regrets".
Biggest dream: To build the stuff that dreams are made of.
Biggest fear: Limiting one's self to other peoples opinions.
THE COST: £10,000
In order to implement the required modules, widgets, pay for hosting and all the other miscellaneous project development costs, we require the sum of £10,000 to bring Daydreamer Project to life.
We appreciate that not everyone can give as much as others, but whether you pledge £1 or more, we appreciate all you can give to furthering our passion for creativity, technology, development and social change.
Just think, what can £10k buy you these days? A used car, a deposit on a house, one year of food for a family of four, one year's rent, two vacations for a family of four, a Rolex Datejust II watch with a Champagne Dial...the list could go on.
Now think what £10k would do for a well developed, well designed, user-friendly service and data-management system, that will serve as the go-to platform to help facilitate the process, of ending homelessness on our streets whilst paying back into the welfare state? The impact of your £10k would be huge!
The best part of it is, we are giving this campaign and end project all we have, to test our concept and principle. Should we succeed, Daydreamer Project will literally change lives. However, should we fail to meet our funding requirement, as bittersweet as it may be, the Daydreamer team can return to their own lives knowing we worked on a worthy project.
We are super excited and eager to see our dream come true, which inevitably will help other peoples dreams come true. Please pledge what you can and remember...
#ItStartsWithADream.
We are Daydreamer Project, thank you in advance for your support.
The Daydreamer Project Team.
RISKS AND CHALLENGES:
The Initial Idea Challenge (From: Richard Narayan)
I've volunteered and worked with a number of community groups and charities including Action Homeless, The Princes Trust, Down Not Out (Homeless News Agency), working alongside Citizens Eye, Afro Innovation Group and other many other worthwhile social enterprises in Leicester.
I was already aware of the existence of the homeless issue. I had found while engaging with homeless users during the day and night that the faces remained the same. During inebriated conversations during the early hours of morn, while all others slept peacefully in their warm beds, the doors of the bars/clubs of Leicester would be closing. At this point, a wholly different demographic of individuals take to the streets.
I found inspiration from a compulsion to speak to and befriend individuals while volunteering as part of the “No Second Night Out” project and came to understand that homelessness existed outside of conventional hours and often out of view of mainstream society.
Most homeless people said the same thing(s):
> I don’t want to be homeless
> I would rather be in a job
> If I could work, I could pay rent
> If only I could prove myself
> I had a dream
It was this term “I Had A Dream” that stuck with me in a way that cannot be described, I think the more often I heard about the dreams and aspirations of individuals, something inside me died a little every time.
From this point onward's, the idea of the Daydreamer Project was born with the view to NOT SETTLE; and to have the opportunity to work within a sector of your choice rather than being allocated a role based on circumstance that would later be demotivating and of little interest.
The Dream:
To do what you want to do! The idea that we can be what we dream to be, to achieve that which we strive for, by way of good old fashioned hard-work and gumption, that you would turn your own life around.
What if you could work in a profession of your choice and not as a result of dictated life circumstances?
What if you had an ongoing personal development plan to set milestones and achieve in line with your life goals?
What if being homeless wasn’t the end?
What if homelessness was a choice?
The idea stemmed from a simple concept of being ready and able to work, but not having been given the opportunity to prove oneself.
Initial Idea Design Challenge:
After learning the basics of Dreamweaver, PHP, SQL and some other web-design skills, we set-out to implement that which was envisaged as the Daydreamer Project. Applications were open to all from within the Leicester area, focusing and targeting specifically individuals from homeless, long-term unemployed and ex-offender backgrounds.
Target Market Challenge:
The immediate issue we faced was that online advertising generated a great deal of traffic, however our predominant target market was not online. Applications came pouring in from individuals whom had been unemployed for an extended period of time and were actively seeking work, however not necessarily homeless. The percentage of user responses from a homeless background was less than 2% of around 1000 applications.
The idea gained traction with applicants and also gained a little publicity within the local media, however this was a turning point for the idea, as it gave us an indication of a potential market, but not actively tapping into our core target markets.
The local press coverage was very humbling, but also sealed our fate and showed me that my level of web-design knowledge and ability was limited, however to create a more sustainable model, we had to move away from archaic applications methods such as sending in CV’s/Resumes via email which made monitoring difficult and information was in an inconsistent format/order.
From this point on we had a greater interest in the form of volunteers and interns who wished to join the project to help bring it to reality.
We have had the great privilege of working with numerous persons along the way, including Emma, Michelle, Kiran and Mo. They worked within a business model where the focus was on a dream and idea, predominantly as the leader had merely a dream and idea, but not the entrepreneurial experience to be able to bring it to life.
Data Management Challenge
We came to the conclusion that external development was required in order to have a better digitised process in place in-line with industry standards, user familiarity, ease of use for novice users or users with limited experience of computing and also encapsulated all of the required information required to be able to transition users from a state of homelessness, long-term unemployed and also subsequently long-term unemployment as a result of criminality.
In order to better facilitate users transitions from an inactive stage, information being gathered and collected by agencies was not actively being shared centrally to create a more cohesive solution.
It was a line from the movie Layer Cake (2004) which stuck with me for a while, having not been massively entrepreneurial or experienced, it was, “The art of good business is being a good middleman”, which I took to understand literally to be a better middle-man and create a better process.
Redevelopment Risks:
We previously contracted an external off-shore agency to assist with development of that which was the idea of homeless recruitment. The agency were looking to build a customer, PHP-based online platform, incorporating blogging and checkout functionality, however unfortunately were unable to complete the project with the required level of detail/functionality.
Following 10 months of dialogue with the external agency, we had to to terminate the project. This was also partly due to not both parties not having understood the entire scope of that which was required from the outset. We learned that working with offshore developers was more difficult than initially envisaged due to time differences and personal priorities. We had to make the calculated decision to cease the project development, in order to seek local assistance, and build a sustainable web solution in the UK. With our beneficiaries in mind, It was hard to walk away, however we knew we had made some lifelong friends in the process, but the work must go on,
Whereas we were previously dependent on offshore development (Pune, India), we are now working as a team of 4 actively building the platform locally (Leicester, UK). Though only having formed the team in the past month, we are working at a surprisingly fast rate and should potentially have most elements of the website complete, prior to our GoFundMe campaign completion.
Campaign Risks
During the Crowd Funding stage, we will be actively seeking pledges to help develop the website (ongoing), and give a more detailed overview of our proposed work. Due to the financial implications of a web-development project, our core costs consist of current and ongoing development costs and some marketing expenditure.
This is an idea and concept we are testing…
…should we not raise £10,000 to implement a solution designed to get the homeless back into work from the collective that is the global community, we will have our answer of whether there is a need for such a service. We will all go back to the drawing board of our dreams and potentially go back to conventional employment and continue the rest of our days as we were.
An idea is a dangerous thing!
Were it not such a simple idea, it potentially would have been easier to let go of earlier, however collectively, we have nothing left to invest financially to bring this idea to life.
Post Funding Risks
We are Daydreamers and as such we came together with a collective idea, to give homeless people a second chance in life. We are a mix of academics, start-up entrepreneurs and creatives, who have formed to give this project our all, over the next 30 days. We would appreciate any and all support from organisations and agencies, who would wish to get involved or share best practice in the homeless sector.
Within the nature of what the Daydreamer Project looks to achieve, our own internal KPI’s focus on service delivery and transition. With the sum of £1,426 (Crisis, At What Cost, 2015) being the cost of prevention to stop someone entering a homelessness cycle, we figured out, if we can facilitate the transition of just 10 homeless people into work, then we consider ourselves lucky.
What we are hoping predominantly from the project, is to amass a data set of information in a central database, which can then be implemented into a better service delivery process, and shared with partner organisations.
As this project is completely new territory for the Daydreamer Project team, there is no singular template for us to follow, no service model as such to share, however all we can do from our attempt, may set a president as one of the only online recruitment platforms for the Homeless; if not the first of its's kind. We welcome all support, financial or otherwise from anyone wishing to contribute. We also welcome your feedback on our exciting project.
If/when we reach our target:
We are Daydreamers by name and Daydreamers by nature and welcome any conversations with any and all prospective parties who wish to join that which we have made our own little crusade.
Every user of the Daydreamer Project website will have access to a Homeless Referral Form from their user panel or the guest area.
Should any homeless referrals gain employment via the Daydreamer Project, then the referrer will receive a personal thank you from the team, information specific to the story/progress of their referral from being homeless to employment (in-line with data protection and consent from the individual). We are currently looking at a points system for referrals to be rewarded with training and development points or other potential incentives.
We would like to reward our personal backers and commercial friends for their support by offering them a little something by way of thanks...
£5 PLEDGE – SOME DREAMS START SMALL
> We appreciate your help, no matter how big or small.
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
£10 PLEDGE – DOUBLE FIGURES
> We appreciate your help, no matter how big or small.
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
£15 PLEDGE – BIGGER DREAMS
> We appreciate your help, no matter how big or small.
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
£20 PLEDGE – CATCH 20
> We appreciate your help, no matter how big or small.
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
£25 PLEDGE– A GOOD OLE QUARTER
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team/mention on our blog page.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
£50 PLEDGE – HALFWAY TO £100
> Name on Sponsors/partners page,
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
£100 PLEDGE – TRIPLE FIGURES
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
> Story of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page,
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Daydreamer Merchandise
£150 PLEDGE– CORPORATE BRONZE SPONSOR
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
> Story of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page,
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Daydreamer Merchandise
> Certificate of pledge
£250 PLEDGE – CORPORATE SILVER PLEDGE
> Up to 1-months free-trial access/use of recruitment service as a Recruiter; valued at over £1000.
> Corporate visit from the Daydreamer Team (UK/Skype)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Blog mention
> Certificate of pledge
> Music Album (by Musicians Against Homelessness)
> Storybook of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Riding on Solomon’s Carpet: a collection of poems, stories and piece of writing all created by refugees and asylum seekers across the three cities of sanctuary in the East Midlands.
> A range of newly designed Daydreamer Project Merchandise (including: T-Shirt, Daydreamer Teddy Bear, Daydreamer USB stick)
£500 PLEDGE – CORPORATE GOLD SPONSOR
> Up to 1-months free-trial access/use of recruitment service as a Recruiter; valued at over £1500.
> Corporate visit from the Daydreamer Team (UK/Skype)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Blog mention
> Certificate of pledge
> Music Album (by Musicians Against Homelessness)
> Storybook of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Riding on Solomon’s Carpet: a collection of poems, stories and piece of writing all created by refugees and asylum seekers across the three cities of sanctuary in the East Midlands.
> A range of newly designed Daydreamer Project Merchandise (including: T-Shirt, Daydreamer Teddy Bear, Daydreamer USB stick)
> Our Director will work within your business for up to 2 days to be able to better understand your business and how we can facilitate and assist your long-term goals in-line with our mission and to promote your organisation via social media (FB, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc)
£750 PLEDGE– CORPORATE PLATINUM SPONSOR
> Up to 2-months free-trial access/use of recruitment service as a Recruiter; valued at over £2000.
> Corporate visit from the Daydreamer Team (UK/Skype)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Blog mention
> Certificate of pledge
> Music Album (by Musicians Against Homelessness)
> Storybook of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Riding on Solomon’s Carpet: a collection of poems, stories and piece of writing all created by refugees and asylum seekers across the three cities of sanctuary in the East Midlands.
> A range of newly designed Daydreamer Project Merchandise (including: T-Shirt, Daydreamer Teddy Bear, Daydreamer USB stick)
> Our Director will work within your business for up to 2 days to be able to better understand your business and how we can facilitate and assist your long-term goals in-line with our mission and to promote your organisation via social media (FB, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc)
£1000 PLEDGE– CORPORATE DIAMOND PLEDGE
> Up to 3-months free-trial access/use of recruitment service as a Recruiter; valued at over £2500.
> Corporate visit from the Daydreamer Team (UK/Skype)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Blog mention
> Certificate of pledge
> Music Album (by Musicians Against Homelessness)
> Storybook of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Riding on Solomon’s Carpet: a collection of poems, stories and piece of writing all created by refugees and asylum seekers across the three cities of sanctuary in the East Midlands.
> A range of newly designed Daydreamer Project Merchandise (including: T-Shirt, Daydreamer Teddy Bear, Daydreamer USB stick)
> Our Director will work within your business for up to 2 days to be able to better understand your business and how we can facilitate and assist your long-term goals in-line with our mission and to promote your organisation via social media (FB, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc)
*2 days work limited to mainland UK, mainly due to cost/logistics
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting our GoFundMe page and considering us as a cause worth funding.
Should you have any further queries, then please do not hesitate to GET IN TOUCH and we will endeavour to answer any questions or queries you may have.
We would also like to wish you all the best in all that you do...
THE IDEA:
The Daydreamer Project was an idea that stemmed from a fundamental desire to aspire for more in life, to have a dream and search for fulfillment. As a social recruitment initiative designed to tailor a customer journey, based on marketing principles to apply to a recruitment cycle. The Daydreamer Project will be designed as a piece of bespoke software, in the form of an online web-based solution and in no way out of the ordinary or massively innovative, it merely looked to address an idea that didn’t previously exist:
> Creating a global homeless register
> Creating a lean customer journey for homeless users to access work
While we CrowdFund for our online initiative, we have a homeless referral form that we would like for you to complete should you see any homeless person(s) in need of support, anywhere in the world...
<< Homeless Referral Form >>
THE REWARD CONCEPT:
The point at which we place a referred homeless user into sustainable employment, we would like to reward our personal referrers directly with £25 as a personal thank you.
We hope this will help to create a little positive selfishness, we facilitate a users transition into a better way of life and reward individuals for assisting us access homeless users.
Recruitment as an industry and field has existed for an exponential period of time, and for as long as there has been work, there has been a consultant referral process. Through our passions for database systems, intelligent working, and a smarter future, we envisaged a recruitment platform designed predominantly to facilitate homeless candidates, back into employment with the added benefit of enrolling onto training programmes. From a "cost to state" perspective, a homeless individual also has a cost of state services associated with them, whether they be healthcare or other services.
On average in 2015 there was a cost to the UK Taxpayer of around £20,128* respectively, therefore individuals who are destitute are not constructive financial output. However, through interviews and interactions, we found that homeless users wished to work, yet there were barriers to entry into employment. The above figures are merely an approximate guide, the More on that later…
*Crisis (2015): At What Cost (2015)
In order to contribute, however, from a taxation perspective, an individual has to earn in excess of £11,500 in order to surpass the UK tax threshold; resulting in a £2,300.20 increase in contributions.
So it stands to reason that a contributing member of society has an active contribution towards that which is the "welfare system".
THE PROCESS:
We aim to build the online platform to facilitate a 4 step process, as per our diagram below.
THE PLATFORM: Most of what we are developing consists of tailoring existing technologies, importing themes and customising widgets to give us the level of functionality required to execute such a project.
Having most of what is required equates to:
> A recruitment theme (imported and tweaked)
> A single database
> Widgets (form builders, etc)
> Blogging functionality
> Case management software
> Mail client
The technologies are a predominantly open source, however, development and tailoring equate to a cost, the question we have always asked is WHY? and why has this not previously already been done?
As a project, we propose to test the positive impact that a unified single homeless database and recruitment system, tailored it to a market most in need of employment services, can have on the end user and society at large.
The Daydreamer Project aims to create software that our partner organisations can use, either alongside their existing case management software or as a stand-alone service, to achieve better overall outcomes for our collective service user groups.
THE DATABASE: By tailoring our own custom database system, we can utilise key functionality that is required by governmental departments and services for accessing benefits or support services, as well as extracting relevant information required for a case management system, either singularly or jointly.
Imagine if you will a single unified database on homeless users, across a single city with a single dataset detailing all which we needed to know, to be able to access relevant services; for a single homeless candidate to get back into work. The platform is designed to extract relevant requested user information, from relevant sources relating to circumstances associated with causes of homelessness, as well as providing a report-format output to relevant agencies and partners:
> Health Organisations
> Charities
> Offender Management Services
> Training Organisations
> NGO's
The above list is not exhaustive, but merely an indication of the level of information available to assess user’s needs and requirements. This information can be used with partner companies and support organizations, to tailor a long-term service for end-users, whom either can potentially access temporary housing or can be transitioned into work while homeless. Information within a single database system can be output in a variety of different user groups within a singular piece of software.
THE ADMIN PANEL: The management panel to view all interactions within the online system, where all management functionality is stored centrally with internal access, permission rights for data-protection and reporting functionality to highlight successes/failures.
A single admin panel with functional dashboard allows for information to be seamlessly programmed for appropriate output and reporting. The end goal of the admin panel is to be able to monitor the process flow and transitions into employment as well as reporting and analytics on what works best. Functionality for the case management system incorporates notes and events and all other elements pertaining to a user’s transition into employment. The customer journey would theoretically be visible as a single timeline flow from point of referral or point of sign-up and then all activities involved to be able to access employment.
THE CANDIDATE PANEL: Whereas the front end of the web-presence is meant to emulate a recruitment site, all of the information gathered will be more extensive than that of a traditional recruitment site. This is due to the varying and higher needs of our service users. Designed with an independent dashboard with functionality for information capture, storage and processing. The web-solution will allow for end-users to apply for roles in a way very similar to any traditional recruitment platform.
The candidate panel is theoretically in no way more superior than any custom-built client panel or even an out-of-the-box solution. The functionality of the Candidate Panel has been tailored based on our service offering of homeless-recruitment, however otherwise the steps and processes involved would look very similar to software users are currently already familiar with.
The difference with our database and candidate panel is that we harvest a greater level of information from users from disadvantaged backgrounds, as we are aware they have higher needs to address. Through segmentation of information, profiles will be stored and categorised as mass-market, long-term unemployed, ex-offenders and homeless; to be able to tailor customer journey’s for each user group.
THE CLIENT PANEL: Building the client panel with the correct level of output incorporating all types of potential organisation types, ranging from commercial businesses, government services, non-governmental organisations, and charities will be somewhat complex based on data-protection and permission rights, to ensure only relevant information is output to relevant agencies.
THE RECRUITER PANEL: The bread and butter. With the increase and rise of self-employment and the entrepreneurial revolution, we intend to build-in a recruiter panel for individuals to be able to log in and actively broker the Daydreamer Project solution. We envisage using this platform to empower homeless users to gain experience in sales as well as facilitate their own social circles back into constructive work.
The empowering nature of the self-employed recruitment panel is designed to take individuals, whom lack opportunity but possess entrepreneurial flair, the chance to showcase their skills with as little as a laptop and mobile. We will have an application process for joining in-line with our capacity for growth. We cannot be everywhere all at once, but as we wish for this initiative to later to be trialled in other areas, the recruiter panel will give empowered individuals, the capacity to operate a local hub with central management support. We do ideally want to trial our platform with actual homeless person's to assess their capacity for work within a customer service/sales environment.
THE TEAM: We have a small team who are working tirelessly to bring this vision to reality. We came together as Daydreamers with a single passion and goal, to implement software to fulfil a societal need for which a process is yet to be found.
Richard - Director/Founder:
Had the idea of the Daydreamer Project to get the homeless into work, back in 2012. Having volunteered with homeless organisations and support groups, Richard is now at a stage to make Daydreamer Project a reality.
Attitude: "Any dream worth having, is a dream worth fighting for".
Biggest dream: Skydive to overcome his fear of heights.
Biggest fear: Fear of heights.
Neha - HR/Marketing Intern/Global Citizen:
Joined the Daydreamer Project in late Summer 2017, as part of an internship via De Montfort University, Leicester. It was Neha that initially proposed a CrowdFunding campaign.
Attitude: "Every dream can be achieved, if you have the passion, drive and focus to accomplish it".
Biggest dream: To travel the world and make a difference in people's lives.
Biggest fear: Over-commitments.
Mo - Senior Web Developer:
Joined the project to assist in building the web-based recruitment solution, with integrated complex database, functionality and case management process. As an experienced Web Developer, Mo was a clear choice for the project.
Attitude: "Nothing is impossible!"
Biggest dream: To bring "quality marketing training" to the masses.
Biggest fear: None currently, live life fearlessly!
Jigs - Freelance Graphic Web Designer/Marketing Support:
Joined the Daydreamer Project as a friend and contractor, to ensure it's success via a creative marketing strategy, whilst having key input on the Daydreamer Project brand, website build, and marketing activities.
Attitude: "Live life with a purpose, have no regrets".
Biggest dream: To build the stuff that dreams are made of.
Biggest fear: Limiting one's self to other peoples opinions.
THE COST: £10,000
In order to implement the required modules, widgets, pay for hosting and all the other miscellaneous project development costs, we require the sum of £10,000 to bring Daydreamer Project to life.
We appreciate that not everyone can give as much as others, but whether you pledge £1 or more, we appreciate all you can give to furthering our passion for creativity, technology, development and social change.
Just think, what can £10k buy you these days? A used car, a deposit on a house, one year of food for a family of four, one year's rent, two vacations for a family of four, a Rolex Datejust II watch with a Champagne Dial...the list could go on.
Now think what £10k would do for a well developed, well designed, user-friendly service and data-management system, that will serve as the go-to platform to help facilitate the process, of ending homelessness on our streets whilst paying back into the welfare state? The impact of your £10k would be huge!
The best part of it is, we are giving this campaign and end project all we have, to test our concept and principle. Should we succeed, Daydreamer Project will literally change lives. However, should we fail to meet our funding requirement, as bittersweet as it may be, the Daydreamer team can return to their own lives knowing we worked on a worthy project.
We are super excited and eager to see our dream come true, which inevitably will help other peoples dreams come true. Please pledge what you can and remember...
#ItStartsWithADream.
We are Daydreamer Project, thank you in advance for your support.
The Daydreamer Project Team.
RISKS AND CHALLENGES:
The Initial Idea Challenge (From: Richard Narayan)
I've volunteered and worked with a number of community groups and charities including Action Homeless, The Princes Trust, Down Not Out (Homeless News Agency), working alongside Citizens Eye, Afro Innovation Group and other many other worthwhile social enterprises in Leicester.
I was already aware of the existence of the homeless issue. I had found while engaging with homeless users during the day and night that the faces remained the same. During inebriated conversations during the early hours of morn, while all others slept peacefully in their warm beds, the doors of the bars/clubs of Leicester would be closing. At this point, a wholly different demographic of individuals take to the streets.
I found inspiration from a compulsion to speak to and befriend individuals while volunteering as part of the “No Second Night Out” project and came to understand that homelessness existed outside of conventional hours and often out of view of mainstream society.
Most homeless people said the same thing(s):
> I don’t want to be homeless
> I would rather be in a job
> If I could work, I could pay rent
> If only I could prove myself
> I had a dream
It was this term “I Had A Dream” that stuck with me in a way that cannot be described, I think the more often I heard about the dreams and aspirations of individuals, something inside me died a little every time.
From this point onward's, the idea of the Daydreamer Project was born with the view to NOT SETTLE; and to have the opportunity to work within a sector of your choice rather than being allocated a role based on circumstance that would later be demotivating and of little interest.
The Dream:
To do what you want to do! The idea that we can be what we dream to be, to achieve that which we strive for, by way of good old fashioned hard-work and gumption, that you would turn your own life around.
What if you could work in a profession of your choice and not as a result of dictated life circumstances?
What if you had an ongoing personal development plan to set milestones and achieve in line with your life goals?
What if being homeless wasn’t the end?
What if homelessness was a choice?
The idea stemmed from a simple concept of being ready and able to work, but not having been given the opportunity to prove oneself.
Initial Idea Design Challenge:
After learning the basics of Dreamweaver, PHP, SQL and some other web-design skills, we set-out to implement that which was envisaged as the Daydreamer Project. Applications were open to all from within the Leicester area, focusing and targeting specifically individuals from homeless, long-term unemployed and ex-offender backgrounds.
Target Market Challenge:
The immediate issue we faced was that online advertising generated a great deal of traffic, however our predominant target market was not online. Applications came pouring in from individuals whom had been unemployed for an extended period of time and were actively seeking work, however not necessarily homeless. The percentage of user responses from a homeless background was less than 2% of around 1000 applications.
The idea gained traction with applicants and also gained a little publicity within the local media, however this was a turning point for the idea, as it gave us an indication of a potential market, but not actively tapping into our core target markets.
The local press coverage was very humbling, but also sealed our fate and showed me that my level of web-design knowledge and ability was limited, however to create a more sustainable model, we had to move away from archaic applications methods such as sending in CV’s/Resumes via email which made monitoring difficult and information was in an inconsistent format/order.
From this point on we had a greater interest in the form of volunteers and interns who wished to join the project to help bring it to reality.
We have had the great privilege of working with numerous persons along the way, including Emma, Michelle, Kiran and Mo. They worked within a business model where the focus was on a dream and idea, predominantly as the leader had merely a dream and idea, but not the entrepreneurial experience to be able to bring it to life.
Data Management Challenge
We came to the conclusion that external development was required in order to have a better digitised process in place in-line with industry standards, user familiarity, ease of use for novice users or users with limited experience of computing and also encapsulated all of the required information required to be able to transition users from a state of homelessness, long-term unemployed and also subsequently long-term unemployment as a result of criminality.
In order to better facilitate users transitions from an inactive stage, information being gathered and collected by agencies was not actively being shared centrally to create a more cohesive solution.
It was a line from the movie Layer Cake (2004) which stuck with me for a while, having not been massively entrepreneurial or experienced, it was, “The art of good business is being a good middleman”, which I took to understand literally to be a better middle-man and create a better process.
Redevelopment Risks:
We previously contracted an external off-shore agency to assist with development of that which was the idea of homeless recruitment. The agency were looking to build a customer, PHP-based online platform, incorporating blogging and checkout functionality, however unfortunately were unable to complete the project with the required level of detail/functionality.
Following 10 months of dialogue with the external agency, we had to to terminate the project. This was also partly due to not both parties not having understood the entire scope of that which was required from the outset. We learned that working with offshore developers was more difficult than initially envisaged due to time differences and personal priorities. We had to make the calculated decision to cease the project development, in order to seek local assistance, and build a sustainable web solution in the UK. With our beneficiaries in mind, It was hard to walk away, however we knew we had made some lifelong friends in the process, but the work must go on,
Whereas we were previously dependent on offshore development (Pune, India), we are now working as a team of 4 actively building the platform locally (Leicester, UK). Though only having formed the team in the past month, we are working at a surprisingly fast rate and should potentially have most elements of the website complete, prior to our GoFundMe campaign completion.
Campaign Risks
During the Crowd Funding stage, we will be actively seeking pledges to help develop the website (ongoing), and give a more detailed overview of our proposed work. Due to the financial implications of a web-development project, our core costs consist of current and ongoing development costs and some marketing expenditure.
This is an idea and concept we are testing…
…should we not raise £10,000 to implement a solution designed to get the homeless back into work from the collective that is the global community, we will have our answer of whether there is a need for such a service. We will all go back to the drawing board of our dreams and potentially go back to conventional employment and continue the rest of our days as we were.
An idea is a dangerous thing!
Were it not such a simple idea, it potentially would have been easier to let go of earlier, however collectively, we have nothing left to invest financially to bring this idea to life.
Post Funding Risks
We are Daydreamers and as such we came together with a collective idea, to give homeless people a second chance in life. We are a mix of academics, start-up entrepreneurs and creatives, who have formed to give this project our all, over the next 30 days. We would appreciate any and all support from organisations and agencies, who would wish to get involved or share best practice in the homeless sector.
Within the nature of what the Daydreamer Project looks to achieve, our own internal KPI’s focus on service delivery and transition. With the sum of £1,426 (Crisis, At What Cost, 2015) being the cost of prevention to stop someone entering a homelessness cycle, we figured out, if we can facilitate the transition of just 10 homeless people into work, then we consider ourselves lucky.
What we are hoping predominantly from the project, is to amass a data set of information in a central database, which can then be implemented into a better service delivery process, and shared with partner organisations.
As this project is completely new territory for the Daydreamer Project team, there is no singular template for us to follow, no service model as such to share, however all we can do from our attempt, may set a president as one of the only online recruitment platforms for the Homeless; if not the first of its's kind. We welcome all support, financial or otherwise from anyone wishing to contribute. We also welcome your feedback on our exciting project.
If/when we reach our target:
We are Daydreamers by name and Daydreamers by nature and welcome any conversations with any and all prospective parties who wish to join that which we have made our own little crusade.
Every user of the Daydreamer Project website will have access to a Homeless Referral Form from their user panel or the guest area.
Should any homeless referrals gain employment via the Daydreamer Project, then the referrer will receive a personal thank you from the team, information specific to the story/progress of their referral from being homeless to employment (in-line with data protection and consent from the individual). We are currently looking at a points system for referrals to be rewarded with training and development points or other potential incentives.
We would like to reward our personal backers and commercial friends for their support by offering them a little something by way of thanks...
£5 PLEDGE – SOME DREAMS START SMALL> We appreciate your help, no matter how big or small.
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
£10 PLEDGE – DOUBLE FIGURES> We appreciate your help, no matter how big or small.
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
£15 PLEDGE – BIGGER DREAMS> We appreciate your help, no matter how big or small.
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
£20 PLEDGE – CATCH 20> We appreciate your help, no matter how big or small.
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
£25 PLEDGE– A GOOD OLE QUARTER> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team/mention on our blog page.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
£50 PLEDGE – HALFWAY TO £100> Name on Sponsors/partners page,
> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
£100 PLEDGE – TRIPLE FIGURES> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
> Story of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page,
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Daydreamer Merchandise
£150 PLEDGE– CORPORATE BRONZE SPONSOR> Thank you email from Daydreamer Team.
> Mentions on our BLOG and also on our GoFundMe Project Pages within the site (post-development)
> Story of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page,
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Optionally added to mailing list with sign-up email
> Daydreamer Merchandise
> Certificate of pledge
£250 PLEDGE – CORPORATE SILVER PLEDGE> Up to 1-months free-trial access/use of recruitment service as a Recruiter; valued at over £1000.
> Corporate visit from the Daydreamer Team (UK/Skype)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Blog mention
> Certificate of pledge
> Music Album (by Musicians Against Homelessness)
> Storybook of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Riding on Solomon’s Carpet: a collection of poems, stories and piece of writing all created by refugees and asylum seekers across the three cities of sanctuary in the East Midlands.
> A range of newly designed Daydreamer Project Merchandise (including: T-Shirt, Daydreamer Teddy Bear, Daydreamer USB stick)
£500 PLEDGE – CORPORATE GOLD SPONSOR> Up to 1-months free-trial access/use of recruitment service as a Recruiter; valued at over £1500.
> Corporate visit from the Daydreamer Team (UK/Skype)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Blog mention
> Certificate of pledge
> Music Album (by Musicians Against Homelessness)
> Storybook of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Riding on Solomon’s Carpet: a collection of poems, stories and piece of writing all created by refugees and asylum seekers across the three cities of sanctuary in the East Midlands.
> A range of newly designed Daydreamer Project Merchandise (including: T-Shirt, Daydreamer Teddy Bear, Daydreamer USB stick)
> Our Director will work within your business for up to 2 days to be able to better understand your business and how we can facilitate and assist your long-term goals in-line with our mission and to promote your organisation via social media (FB, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc)
£750 PLEDGE– CORPORATE PLATINUM SPONSOR> Up to 2-months free-trial access/use of recruitment service as a Recruiter; valued at over £2000.
> Corporate visit from the Daydreamer Team (UK/Skype)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Blog mention
> Certificate of pledge
> Music Album (by Musicians Against Homelessness)
> Storybook of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Riding on Solomon’s Carpet: a collection of poems, stories and piece of writing all created by refugees and asylum seekers across the three cities of sanctuary in the East Midlands.
> A range of newly designed Daydreamer Project Merchandise (including: T-Shirt, Daydreamer Teddy Bear, Daydreamer USB stick)
> Our Director will work within your business for up to 2 days to be able to better understand your business and how we can facilitate and assist your long-term goals in-line with our mission and to promote your organisation via social media (FB, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc)
£1000 PLEDGE– CORPORATE DIAMOND PLEDGE> Up to 3-months free-trial access/use of recruitment service as a Recruiter; valued at over £2500.
> Corporate visit from the Daydreamer Team (UK/Skype)
> Name on Sponsors/partners page
> Personal Online Thank You Message (YouTube video on our channel)
> Blog mention
> Certificate of pledge
> Music Album (by Musicians Against Homelessness)
> Storybook of our 30-day crowdfunding campaign (Did The Campaign Work?)
> Riding on Solomon’s Carpet: a collection of poems, stories and piece of writing all created by refugees and asylum seekers across the three cities of sanctuary in the East Midlands.
> A range of newly designed Daydreamer Project Merchandise (including: T-Shirt, Daydreamer Teddy Bear, Daydreamer USB stick)
> Our Director will work within your business for up to 2 days to be able to better understand your business and how we can facilitate and assist your long-term goals in-line with our mission and to promote your organisation via social media (FB, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc)
*2 days work limited to mainland UK, mainly due to cost/logistics
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting our GoFundMe page and considering us as a cause worth funding.
Should you have any further queries, then please do not hesitate to GET IN TOUCH and we will endeavour to answer any questions or queries you may have.
We would also like to wish you all the best in all that you do...
Organizer
Richard Narayan
Organizer