Working at the frontline - Event Date: 18�Nov�2008

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Advice NI members dealt with over 200,000 enquiries over the past year – the majority of enquiries were social security related; with a significant increase in money advice / debt issues. 

Whilst the demand for advice is stretching many advice providers to the limit, advice centres say they are struggling to secure the funding to keep their doors open.

Please tell us about your work; how your advice service has changed people’s lives; and how you manage to keep your advice service going.

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KevinH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 12�Dec�2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 48	Quote Reply Calendar Event: Working at the frontline Posted: 18�Nov�2008 at 4:11pm
	Advice NI members dealt with over 200,000 enquiries over the past year – the majority of enquiries were social security related; with a significant increase in money advice / debt issues. Whilst the demand for advice is stretching many advice providers to the limit, advice centres say they are struggling to secure the funding to keep their doors open. Please tell us about your work; how your advice service has changed people’s lives; and how you manage to keep your advice service going.

MichaelR Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 20�Nov�2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Quote Reply Posted: 20�Nov�2008 at 4:23pm
	It is certainly a case of rising demand vs decreasing funding. Advice Centres have never been busier as we struggle to cope with the fallout of the current financial crisis and if thats not bad enough the government go and introduce ESA. The demand for advice in respect to debt issues, employment (redundancy), fuel poverty and benefits has never been greater yet we continiously seem to be fighting a losing battle with funders. It is so frustrating and soul destroying having to constantly go cap in hand to funders to try and prove your worth, particularly when it is quite clear that Advice Services are vital and represent great value for money.

Arfawn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group eModerator Joined: 30�Jun�2004 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 37	Quote Reply Posted: 24�Nov�2008 at 10:44am
	Thanks for your post MichaelR. Some very interesting and important points made, which I am sure that many if not all independent advisers can empathise with. MichaelR, you mentioned that the introduction of the new Employment Support Allowance will only add to your workload in an already challenging environment of rising demand vs decreasing funding. Could I ask forum members – what are the main current policy issues that are causing you and your advice centre most frustration? We have heard about delays in the processing of claims, poor communication between government departments, poor decision making particularly in relation to disability and incapacity benefits which are causing undue stress and hardships for many clients, etc … Also interested to continue to hear about your work, how your advice service has changed people’s lives and how you manage to keep your advice service running in this current environment.

Mary McManus Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 24�Nov�2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Quote Reply Posted: 24�Nov�2008 at 12:12pm
	We at EBIAC saw our staffing levels drop from 7 to 2 between 2006 and 2007. We now have 3 staff. We still have similar amounts of people presenting for advice. As MichaelR stated above the number of people needing advice is rising due to the recent changes to the social security system and current ecconomic climate. We also see quite a lot of work generated by poor decision making in relation to disability and incapacity benefits. This does cause much undue stress for clients. Staff are under continuous pressure in our centre as to provide our services each staff member has to juggle different roles. It is very stressful and a situation i thought would only be temporary has become long term. Our services depend greatly on the goodwill of paid staff and volunteers who are very committed to the people in the community in which we work. We, like other advice centres offer incredible value for money. We would like more funding in order to meet all the need being presented by our clients. Advice services are a very basic service to the community, they do not provide additionality, they meet people's basic needs. It is hard to accept that the government is committed to helping those most in need when we are so underfunded in one of the most deprived areas of Northern Ireland.

PeterMc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 01�Dec�2008 Location: Belfast Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Quote Reply Posted: 01�Dec�2008 at 11:24am
	I agree with MichaelR's point that demand for locally accessible quality frontline advice services has dramatically increased with significant additional debt related work which is time consuming and yet there are no additional resources to meet demand. There are reports all across N.I. from CABx and independent advice agencies about the increased demand and many offices are struggling to meet current demand or even remain open, with some having to restrict service delivery due to current case load management issues. 'Crunch times at the frontline' is real and it is also having a ripple effect across the advice sector and the ripples are fast becoming waves!! Never has there been a better time to consider if we can deliver our services better with the limited resources we have and for me that means strategic and collaborative partnership working. We now know about the number of Councils under RPA and 2011; we now know what is envisaged in Opening Doors; we will soon learn about hub locations; we now know about Age Concern & Help the Aged merging; we now know of the L'Derry and the North and West Belfast Advice partnerships between independent advice agencies and CABx and yes, i think we all now know of the need to think ahead on partnership working NOW - for the benefit of our clients and our own survival - it is as stark as that!! In fact if partnerships such as those mentioned above continue to evolve naturally, Opening Doors will theoretically happen itself without waiting on the DSD/VCU-now there's food for thought - lets see some leadership on this during these crunch times!
	Peter