Screenshot of the New Zealand Red Cross website on the Foreign Nationals Support Application

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Foreign National Resource and their vital solution

New Zealand Red Cross, Department of Internal Affairs and Catalyst quickly collaborate to build a vital resource.

Background

New Zealand Red Cross(external link) helps people every day. Whether that’s providing a hot meal, supporting former refugees as they settle in a new city or assisting Kiwi communities before, during and after disasters. The Department of Internal Affairs(external link) works to build a safe, prosperous and respected nation. These two organisations came together to support foreign nationals who were experiencing hardship as a result of COVID-19.

Opportunity

New Zealand Red Cross and the Department of Internal Affairs needed a platform where foreign nationals could easily apply for financial support and upload validating documents such as bills.

Solution

New Zealand Red Cross, Department of Internal Affairs, and Catalyst designed and built an easy-to-use website in just 10 days. Visitors to the website could complete a short form to apply for assistance to meet basic needs, such as food and accommodation.

Users can also upload supporting documents such as bills, making it easy for admins to verify, validate and provide the necessary support.

Because DIA and Catalyst already have a strong and trusting relationship, the teams worked together quickly and efficiently, leveraging off the already very successful Life Event builds, such as SmartStart(external link).

“It is always an absolute pleasure working with Catalyst. Collectively, we have designed, built, tested, and deployed an application front-end with a back-end office admin function to support Foreign Nationals – all in 10 days! We have a very trusting working relationship, and Catalyst has always delivered on time." 

 

- Becky Cassam, Life Events Services Manager, DIA.

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