Background information on WCABx and the CAB Service

Transcription

1 Background information on WCABx and the CAB Service For further information please contact: Office Manager / PA to Chief Executive Wandsworth CABx 2 nd Floor Katherine Low Settlement 108 Battersea High Street London SW11 3HP Tel: officemanager.pa@wandsworthcabx.org.uk

2 MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE Wandsworth CABx is a registered Charity, and Limited Company. The organisation is overseen by a voluntary Trustee Board. Day to day responsibility for managing the organisation is delegated to the Chief Executive. The Trustee Board meets 5 times per year, with an AGM in September. held on Wednesday evenings in the Katherine Low Settlement. Meetings are The Trustee Board has several sub-committees who have delegated responsibility for different aspects of the service: - Human Resources - Finance - Service Development - Select / Strategy - Joint Information & Consultation The sub committees generally meet on a quarterly basis. We currently have 10 Trustee Board members, drawn from the local community, The Chief Executive and other members of staff also attend meetings. Funding & Staffing 50% of our current funding comes from the Local Authority. Other funders are Big Lottery Fund, and Macmillan Cancer Support. We have 20 paid staff, many of whom are part time and approximately 52 volunteers (including Trustees). The recruitment process for new intake of volunteers takes place on a quarterly rolling programme. Additional volunteers are recruited in different roles and follow an established programme of self-study, group sessions and work related training. OUTLINE OF CURRENT MAIN SERVICES WANDSWORTH ADVICE SERVICE (WAS) The Wandsworth Advice Service is provided by trained advisers who have completed the Citizens Advice programme in Generalist Advice work. Wandsworth Citizens Advice Bureaux Service (WCABx) is contracted by Wandsworth Borough Council to provide initial advice for personal and telephone callers who live in the borough of Wandsworth at 2 advice centres (additionally, locations are identified within other community organisations/projects who are willing to host regular outreach advice sessions within the area of Tooting and Balham) as follows: Page 2 of 6

3 MISSION HOUSE 14 York Road London SW11 3QA COMMUNITY OUTREACH ROEHAMPTON BUREAU 166 Roehampton Lane Roehampton London SW15 4HR TELEPHONE ADVICE MONDAY 10:00 1:00 Tooting Library 10:30 12:30 Appt only :00 1:00 2:00 3:30 TUESDAY 1:00 4:00 1:00 3:00 10:00 12 noon WEDNESDAY 10:00 12 noon 10:00 1:00 CLOSED THURSDAY 1:00 3:00 Tooting Library 10:30 12:30 Appt only :00 1:00 10:30 12 noon FRIDAY 10:00 12:00 CLOSED 1:30 3:00 WAS involves an initial assessment of the client s enquiry and one of the following offered: Information and Self help materials An appointment on the day An appointment on another day Referral to another organisation, agency or CAB service. Clients with complex issues are sign posted or referred to an appropriate provider including other WCABx services OTHER SERVICE PROVISION Additional service provision is subject to Wandsworth CABx securing funding from other sources and will change from time to time. Referrals for all services will be accepted from the GAS and other agencies. Other services currently provided include the following: Macmillan Project This project operates from our office at Katherine Low Settlement. The project provides outreach advice and in depth casework on welfare and debt and information, by appointments only, for cancer sufferers and their families at the following locations: St George s Hospital Health Information Centre (Thursday by appointment) and Kingston Hospital (Wednesday by appointment). Pound Advice This project is funded by London & Quadrant Housing Association and employs a dedicated Adviser for 2.5 days each week to provide money, debt and financial capability/awareness advice to residents of L&Q Housing within the borough of Wandsworth (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning). GP Surgeries Outreach Advice Project We run a 2.5 hours initial advice session every fortnight for patients at St. Paul s Cottage Practice. (Tuesdays 10:00am 12.30pm) We run a 2.5 hours initial advice session every week for patients at Brocklebank Health Centre. (Wednesdays 10:00am 12.30pm) Southfields Academy We run a 2-hour advice session once a month at Aspire@Southfields. (Thursdays 5:00 7:00pm term time only) Page 3 of 6

4 Brighter Futures A multi-agency project funded for three years (from July 2013) by the Big Lottery which aims to reduce the known impact of domestic abuse on children and their families. WCABx provides up to 7 hours per week of advice and case work at the Mission House bureau and outreach locations for families working with the Brighter Futures project. Transforming Wandsworth Advice (TWA) Project This WCABx led initiative involves six local agencies working together to improve coordination of and public access to advice, and lead to better outcomes, preventative work and new business models. It will deliver public information, develop a new advice website for residents, new outreach advice services, an advice forum and gain a better understanding of local need. The project runs from October 2013 September 2015 and is funded by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund. Ingeus Project A partnership contract with Barnet CAB to assist in provision of specialist services to assist clients with their transition to work:- generalist telephone advice, face-to-face advice, money management training. This is by appointment only for 7 hours each fortnight. PREMISES The CABx services are delivered from 2 centres within the Wandsworth Borough. Roehampton Bureau 166 Roehampton Lane, Roehampton SW15 4HR The bureau is in self-contained ground floor premises which can be accessed by residents. The office is based in South Thames College near a large council housing estate, which has high levels of deprivation. The area has the highest level of Council Court Judgements in the borough. It is opposite the local hospital and near Roehampton University. It is accessible to residents and well served by public transport. Mission House 14 York Road, SW11 3QA The bureau is based in a ground floor and basement premises immediately adjacent to, and leased from, the Battersea Central Methodist Mission where there are other community and voluntary organisations enabling effective cross-referral for residents. The bureau is accessible to residents of the surrounding estates, and is also well served by public transport. It is situated about 20 minutes walk from Clapham Junction overground station, with a number of bus routes nearby. Katherine Low Settlement 108 Battersea High Street, SW11 3HP The Central Management and Registered Office is situated on the 2 nd Floor, with Macmillan project and back office functions (Training & Development including Volunteer Recruitment, Social Policy, IT Helpdesk) being located on the Ground Floor. Accommodation comprises fully-serviced offices within this local community centre providing room hire and activities to local residents, including a children s crèche. This centre is located a short walk from Mission House bureau. Advice by is not currently available. Page 4 of 6

5 Home visits: These only take place under the Macmillan Project. Casework / specialist services: provided by bureaux where there is an identified need and resources allow. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Clients are advised using an Electronic Information System (EIS) which is updated monthly. Since April 2004 we have been using an electronic case recording system (CASE). This IT-led initiative has enabled us to use new technologies to provide an even better service for clients, and a more efficient working environment for staff and volunteers. The CASE system was replaced in October 2013 by PETRA. Website: The website gives a range of information about our service to Wandsworth residents and how they can access advice. In a total of 16,246 people accessed the site, 11,307 of those being unique hits. BACKGROUND NOTES ON THE CAB SERVICE The CAB Service is an independent charitable service founded in 1939 working to fulfil twin aims: and equally to ensure that individuals do not suffer through lack of knowledge of their rights and responsibilities or of the services available to them, or through an inability to express their needs effectively to exercise a responsible influence on the development of social policies and services, both locally and nationally. The CAB Service works to: Inform Advise Support Assist Influence people about the law and how it affects them; about their rights and responsibilities; and about how they may be able to satisfy their needs people on the options available to them and on the potential consequences of different courses of action people as they consider and decide what to do, listening to their concerns and helping them more forward people in pursuing their chose course of action by negotiation, representation and referral to other sources of help needed those responsible for policies and services by bringing to their notice the problems people experience and recommending changes Citizens Advice Bureaux had contact with 5.5 million people in , and dealt with 6.6 million enquiries, giving detailed information, advice and support on these problems. The Page 5 of 6

6 majority of problems concern social security benefits, debt, employment, housing and the law. WANDSWORTH POLICIES & PROCEDURES The CAB Service is committed to equal opportunities for all. Everyone involved in the Service must commit themselves to the CAB s Equalities & Dignity at Work Policy, which aims to ensure that those facing discrimination feel welcome within the CAB Service and feel able to use and contribute to its services. The implementation of all CAB policies is the responsibility of all those within the CAB Service, including volunteer and paid bureau staff and Bureau Trustee Boards. It is recognised however, that those working at a management level have a specific duty to set the standard and to be an example. The Service is working to integrate the policies into all contracts and conditions of service and into all aspects of its advice service. However, the Service recognises that it is part of a society that discriminates unfairly and unjustly against some individuals and groups. Discrimination results in disadvantages and lack of opportunities. Discrimination can be either institutional (where discriminatory policies and practices have become incorporated and integrated into the organisation or institution), or individual, or both. The CAB Service is resolutely opposed to discrimination and its effects. It works to eradicate discriminatory policies and practices from its service. It aims for the Service to act equitably and justly. The Service committed to developing policies and practices designed to remove barriers to services and employment faced by all persons. The sensitive and sensible adoption and application of these policies and practices benefit all CAB staff and clients. The CAB Service is mindful, when implementing its policies, that people who experience discrimination do not all share the same needs and interests. For example, amongst disabled people there are black people, lesbians and gay men. There are also differences within groups who experience discrimination, and overlaps between them. Organisational Chart TRUSTEE BOARD SUBCOMMITTEES: Finance HR Service Development Select Joint Information & Consultation CHIEF EXECUTIVE Office Manager/ PA to Chief Executive Finance Manager ICT Officer Head of Service & Development TWA Project Coordinator 2 X Bureau Managers Training & Development Officer Page 6 of 6