Policy & Practice | Winter 2024

Original Language

Revised Language (post CAC feedback)

Enter legal name on bank account.

Enter your legal name as it appears on your bank account (i.e., your name, not the name of your bank). AidKit takes privacy seriously. This bank information is only used to send payments on behalf of [Program Name]. The program is for workers who receive a W-2 or pay stubs that show taxes withheld. Please upload a selfie (picture that clearly displays your face) to help us verify your identity. Please ensure your face is clearly visible in the photo and that there is enough lighting and the photo is clear.

No language addressing privacy concerns

The program is for workers who receive a W-2.

Please upload a selfie to help us verify your identity. Please ensure your face is clearly visible in the photo and that there is enough lighting and the photo is clear.

Note: The selfie is solely used for identification purposes.

By formalizing this group, we’ve created a bridge between technology and the people it’s designed to serve. Their insights have already led to tangible improvements (including the two examples highlighted earlier), from simplifying application forms to adding accessibility features. For example, CAC participants identified several points in program applications where there was ambiguity in phrasing, sentence construction, and word choice that impeded their ability to quickly grasp what was being asked. With their help, we implemented revised language that was clearer and more intuitive for subsequent users. CAC participants also flagged icons that were not intuitive and suggested alternatives that they felt would be more easily understood. For instance, where program applicants could hear an audio voiceover of the written text, we initially used a triangle (typically interpreted as a “Play” symbol). However, feedback revealed that some participants found the graphic ambiguous or confusing, and that a speaker icon might be more straightforward to interpret. Based on their input, we updated the icon, and are monitoring preliminary data for results of the change. Lessons Learned and Best Practices Our journey with the CAC has taught us valuable lessons: 1. Engagement Is Ongoing: Building trust requires continuous interaction and meaningful involvement. 2. Incorporate Feedback Early: Lived experience should shape systems from the outset, not as an afterthought.

3. Compensate Community Voices: Recognizing the expertise of commu nity advisors by fairly compensating them for their time and opportunity cost of participating is essential. 4.Be Ready to Adapt: Balancing diverse perspectives and imple menting changes quickly can be challenging, but is necessary for progress. The insights provided by the CAC had such a profound impact on applicant experiences and product improve ments that our technical teams decided to formalize lived-experience user testing as a key part of our design process. This practice ensures that new AidKit programs incorporate feedback from people with lived experience before launch, so that each program is designed with dignity, equity, and the real-world needs of recipients at its core. Community-led solutions are not just a trend—they’re a necessity for creating human-centered systems that work. At AidKit, the CAC has been a transformative force, reminding us that the best solutions come from those who experience the challenges firsthand. I encourage my peers in human services and technology to institute processes that incorporate community voices. Together, we can build systems that uplift individuals and strengthen communities. Building Systems thatTruly Serve

n After we implemented feedback on Spanish-language outreach materials for a program serving immigrant workers, monthly new application volume increased by ~25 percent. These efforts not only improved operational metrics like efficiency and engagement, but also enhanced recipients’ experiences of dignity and respect. In a recent Recipient Experience Survey, program par ticipants rated their experience an average of 4.5 out of 5 (with 5 being the highest score) for feeling respected throughout the application process and for overall satisfaction with AidKit-administered programs. When recipients feel valued, it reinforces trust in systems and institutions, and strengthens the relationship between service providers and communities. To keep recipients’ voices at the fore front, we established the AidKit CAC in November 2023. This council is made up of individuals who are recipients of AidKit programs and represent key pop ulations we serve, including unhoused individuals, immigrant workers, and families with low income. Their mission? To guide us in two key areas: 1. Core Product Development: Providing feedback on features to make our tools more accessible and inclusive. 2.Program Design: Participating in activities like eligibility protocol reviews and user testing to ensure our programs meet real-world needs. AidKit’s Community Advisory Council: A Practical Approach

Katrina Van Gasse is the Chief Impact Officer and Co-founder of AidKit.

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Winter 2024 Policy & Practice