December Member of the month: Speakeasy Advice Centre

Agency CV

What geographical area do you serve?  Cardiff, Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, Porth
When was your organisation founded? 1992
How many staff/volunteers do you have? 12 staff + 2 volunteers
Who are you funded by? Legal Services Commission, Local Authority, Charitable grants, donations
What’s the average number of clients you help each year? 1500

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Can you tell us about an accomplishment your organisation has achieved in the past?

We won an important case before the Social Security Commissioner (now the Upper Tribunal) that makes it easier to get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children with dyslexia and learning difficulties (CDLA/3204/2006).  We had to challenge an earlier Commissioner’s decision that raised barriers to DLA in such cases and to argue that other caselaw regarding adults with dyslexia should be extended.  Thankfully, the Commissioner accepted our arguments and set out a clear decision in our client’s favour, who then received DLA at the middle rate for care needs.

Are there any specialist projects currently under way you would like people to know about?

We are looking to work with a local Marie Curie Hospice to provide free advice to its patients.

Why is your organisation a member of AdviceUK, and why is being a member important for your centre?

We are covered by the group debt licence and indemnity insurance through AdviceUK.  In dealing with the Legal Services Commission, regarding the 2010 contracts and a proposed CLAN in our area, AdviceUK has been excellent in providing information and representing our interests.

What do you think the future will bring in general for advice work?

Legal Aid is an important source of funding as it allows us to help a lot of people, but we probably need to become more and more imaginative and resourceful to be able to increase our capacity and to help those that currently struggle to get advice.  The not-for-profit sector should probably also do more to demonstrate that its service is often of a higher quality and more holistic than commercial providers.

Are there any factors or characteristics of your clients that you tackle and that you think are unique?

Not unique, but we try to work in the more socially deprived communities where the incidence of mental illness, illiteracy and other social problems is high.

What are your experiences with funding over time, and has anything changed in that regard lately?

Grant funding is harder to get; Legal Aid is more tortuous.

What would be your top tip for other advice agencies looking to improve their service or sustainability?

I think that a good aim for the not-for-profit sector is to be always looking to improve the quality of advice while also opening our doors to more clients.  Far from easy to do, but we are in a unique position to provide a more holistic service than other providers.  We should both protect it and make the most of it.

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Member of the month

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