LOTS OF IDEAZ SRL – LotzArt Community Connect: Simplifying access to Manchester’s inclusive activities

Challenge: Manchester: How to address poverty via a single source of information?
Target Group: families

LotzArt Community Connect is an innovative, user-friendly digital service designed to help Manchester residents easily find support services without needing to download any app. Built to work entirely via WhatsApp, the most widely used messaging tool, the service allows individuals to quickly access accurate, up-to-date, and location-specific information on essential resources like food banks, employment support, debt services, and more.

Developed in close collaboration with Manchester City Council, particularly the Anti-Poverty and Digital Strategy teams, the pilot addresses a pressing challenge: how to simplify access to poverty alleviation services for marginalised and low-income communities.

By delivering locally verified, community-driven information through a tool (WhatsApp) residents already use daily, LotzArt Community Connect reduces barriers to access, be they digital, linguistic, or informational. Local community organisations can easily upload and manage their services via a simple online platform, ensuring accuracy and relevance. QR codes placed in key public spaces would enable residents to access support that is both location-specific and immediate.

This 5-month pilot – focused initially on the Longsight area – has been co-created with grassroots organisations, service providers, and Manchester City Council. Approximately 30-40 participants were involved in three core sessions and related follow-ups; of these, 25 were representative of marginalised communities. This collaborative approach ensures the platform is shaped by, and responsive to, the real needs of the community it serves.