JAM Card Partnership Reminds Us a Little Time Makes a Big Difference

We’re delighted to have renewed our JAM partnership beyond 2022. In doing so, we are ensuring that all our members, regardless of ability, feel welcome and supported both in branch and over the phone

Just a minute of your time. It’s a simple ask which lies at the heart of JAM Card, a discreet device developed by NOW Group which enables anyone with a hidden disability, vulnerability, or communication barrier to tell others they need a ‘just a minute’ in any given scenario.

Whether it’s using public transport or simply popping into a Progressive branch, the ‘Just a Minute’ (JAM) Card is a silent signal for anyone who requires a little more time when going about their business.

Available as a physical card or app, the number of registered JAM Card holders in Northern Ireland recently surpassed 122,000, highlighting both the success of Now’s device and just how crucial that extra window of time can be.

Which is why, at Progressive, we’re delighted to have renewed our JAM partnership beyond 2022. In doing so, we are ensuring that all our members, regardless of ability, feel welcome and supported both in branch and over the phone.

Thanks to the eLearning Awareness training, which is offered to all staff at Progressive, our team can quickly identify and deliver a little extra care and support to anyone who may need it.

We understand it can be quite stressful to communicate a hidden vulnerability. But as a JAM-friendly organisation, we remain committed to ensuring equal access to all Progressive’s services.

Though sixty seconds may feel like the blink of an eye, it’s a little window of time which makes a big difference for JAM Card holders.

At our recent partnership renewal, I had the opportunity to speak with a JAM service user, Ann-Marie McArthur. Hearing first-hand Ann-Marie’s own experience and how it brings reassurance and comfort in social situations was, for me, a timely reminder of just how impactful this initiative can be.

It’s ‘just a minute’, and so much more. Bringing access and inclusivity to over 122,000 people and helping those who may struggle with a communication barrier or hidden disability.

And for our branches, it’s another progressive step for the Society which nicely dovetails with our ongoing partnership with Disability Sport NI, which works to improve the health and wellbeing of disabled people and bring the joys of sport to people of all abilities.

Kerry MacDougall (Branch Manager)