|
www.cornard.info |
The Great Cornard Information Website |
|
|
CAB - Citizens Advice Bureau |
|
Page updated - 02 December 2007 |
|
Sudbury & District Citizens Advice Bureau |
|
Before I took up my appointment as manager for the Sudbury & District Citizens Advice Bureau, I have to admit I had visited Belle Vue Park with my three-year-old son, but hadn’t noticed the large round blue CAB sign that adorns the brickwork on the right hand side of Belle Vue House. Now the blue sign is a comforting sight first thing in the morning, knowing that I’m working somewhere that is so committed to helping our community, with no two days ever being the same. Our clients come from all over Sudbury and the surrounding areas, some because they live in the area, and others because it’s their place of work and easier to visit than going into their local town.
I hadn’t realised before I joined the bureau, each Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is an independent charity (Charity No. 260556), reliant on funding from places such as District and County Councils, donations from clients and other local organisations. The vast majority of our advisers are volunteers and before they can start advising clients they complete a rigorous training programme. This ensures they can give clients free, confidential and independent advice, and many hours are spent reading and taking in information in readiness for sitting and talking through clients’ issues. Once training is complete, there’s still plenty of information to keep on top of - benefit rules change, organisations changing addresses and new issues present themselves daily.
As well as helping clients with their enquiries, we also collect evidence of clients' problems and use this to campaign for changes in national and local policies and services. We have a key role in speaking up for clients, raising issues brought into bureaux, contributing to public debate and informing legislation. Our policy/campaign work covers a huge range of issues including consumer, debt, housing, benefits, immigration, employment, legal matters and health. We work with policymakers, regulators, MPs, Assembly Members and service providers.
Feedback from our recent client survey has been very positive – clients have benefited from our advice, would recommend us to others, and would use us again if they had a problem that they wanted help with. This feedback is important to the bureau as it gives us an indication that we are starting to meet the needs of the local community. I use the word ‘starting’ because I’m all too aware that we have to turn clients away on a daily basis, as we haven’t large enough premises to see all the clients that would like to receive our help, and we need more trained advisers to see more clients. Perhaps if you have a spare day a week you might like to learn more about volunteering for the bureau?
I can be contacted on (01787) 378204, or by e-mail to bureau@sudburycab.cabnet.org.uk and I will send you an information pack that will tell you more about volunteering for CAB where you’ll be playing an active part in improving the lives of millions of people and influencing the development of national and local policies and services.
On a very local level, if you need advice, our website is www.sudburycab.org.uk and our client help-line phone number is (01787) 374671.
Click this CAB Advice hyperlink to read advice previously published the Great Cornard newsletter Cornard News.
ANN FURLONGER – Bureau Manager Sudbury & District CAB
30 July 2007
|
|
|