Better Business Grant - EYECAN

For more than 140 years, EYECAN has been supporting Islanders living with sight loss, helping people maintain their independence, access vital services and live fulfilling lives. One of the charity's most impactful initiatives is its Children's Glasses Voucher Scheme, which helps ensure children can access essential prescription eyewear regardless of their family's financial circumstances

As demand for the scheme continued to grow, EYECAN identified an opportunity to improve how it was delivered. The voucher programme was managed through a largely manual process involving paper forms, spreadsheets and email correspondence with participating opticians. While effective, the approach required significant administration time and limited the charity's ability to capture data, monitor performance and engage directly with the families benefiting from the service.

The team knew that reducing time spent on administration would allow them to focus more of their efforts on supporting people with sight loss and developing services for the future.

With support from the Better Business Grant, EYECAN invested in a new digital platform to automate the administration of the Children's Glasses Voucher Scheme. The solution enables claims to be submitted and validated electronically, removing many of the repetitive manual tasks previously required to process applications and payments.

The project has transformed a process that once relied on manual checks, spreadsheets and paper vouchers into a streamlined digital system that is faster, more accurate and easier to manage. As a result, staff now spend significantly less time processing claims and more time engaging directly with the people and families who use EYECAN's services.

The productivity gains have been substantial. By automating key processes, EYECAN expects to reduce administration time by at least 75%, improving efficiency while creating a better experience for both participating opticians and families. The system also provides improved reporting and oversight, helping the charity make more informed decisions and measure the impact of the scheme more effectively.

Perhaps most importantly, the investment has enabled the team to redirect valuable time towards activities that create greater value for the community, strengthening the support available to Islanders living with sight loss.

The project has delivered benefits beyond the initial efficiency improvements. Developing the new platform has highlighted further opportunities for automation and data-driven decision-making across the organisation. EYECAN is already exploring additional digital solutions that will provide even greater visibility of service delivery and help the charity continue improving the way it supports Islanders in the future.

By embracing technology and investing in productivity, EYECAN has not only streamlined an important service but created a stronger foundation for future growth, ensuring more of its resources can be focused where they have the greatest impact.