Help with problems
Help with all problems
This year, thanks to funding from the Coalfield
Regeneration Trust, the Citizens Advice Bureau has been able to
significantly extend its services.
It now takes its advice right out into the community
where it's most needed by operating outreach sessions in local
libraries, health facilities and social work venues.
The outreach worker, Sheila Smith, also provides a
home visiting service for the housebound. She helps to fill in social
security and other official forms, and offer benefit, consumer and money
advice in the home to clients who would otherwise miss out.
The CAB is unique in that the statistics it keeps on
the type of advice sought in the bureaux reflect the social evolution of
the area. Back in the sixties, the main problems were consumer ones,
whereas in the seventies and eighties the closure of local pits and
businesses made unemployment, and all the problems associated with it,
the main area where advice was sought. Throughout the nineties, and into
this century, the CAB has become busier and busier. Currently more than
one in four of the visits made to the CAB concern social security
benefits.
Consumer debt continues to be the fastest growing, and
most complex issue that CAB advisers deal with, and this is reflected in
the fact that the Dalkeith CAB now has a full-time specialist money
adviser to handle this ever increasing caseload. Jim Martin (tel no 454
0166) offers free, confidential advice to anyone in the area
experiencing money problems or finding it hard to manage their budget.
The summer period is the quietest time of the year in
the bureau, but by the end of next month the number of clients coming
through the doors will be steadily increasing again until it reaches its
height at the turn of the year. 90% of the CAB's workforce is volunteers
and at this time of year a number always leave.
The training opportunities and practical experience
provided by the CAB, and the confidence and skills acquired can help
advisers to find paid employment or encourage them back into education.
The Dalkeith bureau will be starting training sessions
for new advisers at the end of summer. If you are interested in helping
at the heart of the community, or if you need advice or information on
any of the issues raised in this article, contact your local bureau on
Dalkeith 663 3688 or 660 1636.
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