Site search
  • Advice for All

Advice for All

The strength of the independent advice sector against the CLAC

What is the structure of the network?

Advice for All (A4A) is a network of 25 voluntary and statutory organisations, including Council services. The network has operated up till now without a separate legal entity but has a consititution ready to form the basis for this should it be considered appropriate as a next step in the network's development.
 
The members all deliver advice as their core or peripheral function, within Plymouth City boundaries. It has one core group meeting four times a year, and subgroups such as one on referrals, with plans for other subgroups on social policy and co-ordination of funding bids.
There are a number of other networks which report into the Advice for All group, including the Plymouth Welfare Rights Forum and a Mental Health networking group (for which Plymouth CAB also provides the secretariat) and a Consumer Support Network.

What is the network doing?

The network…

  • has raised the profile of advice in Plymouth, and helped the sector offer an alternative to the CLAC
  • has enabled members to know what each other is doing. Quarterly familiarisation visits between agencies ensure that members understand how each other operate, and make signposting more effective.
  • produced 9 factsheets on topics such as debt and welfare benefits, telling clients the best place to get advice on that particular subject;
     
  • provides training for members. In the first quarter of 2008, the network ran 8 courses and this number is rising. The courses are mostly run by network members and are open to anyone. The pricing structure varies by type of organisation;
     
  • has enabled members to share resources. For example, one worker from Mind was hosted at CAB;
     
  • is influencing the Council through the 3rd sector strategy group.

 

How well has it done so far?

One of the biggest achievements of the network is that members now see each other as partners rather than competitors.
For example, when Routeways, one of the network members put in a bid for some work around children and poverty, they asked for funding for five workers, including one based  at Routeways, one based at Mind and one based at CAB.

What happens next for Advice for All?

The network has started a simple referral pilot in September, and will review it in November.
 
The network is working on a web database of advice agencies in the city, for both network members and clients and on a website.
Starting in the middle of 2009, the network will start looking for new sources of funding.

Contact

Gill Tishler
Director
Plymouth Citizens Advice Bureau
2nd Floor
Cobourg House
32 Mayflower Street
Plymouth PL1 1QX
E-mail: director@plymouthcab.org.uk
 


A4A Training website


http://www.plymouthcab.org.uk/a4a_training.htm

Attached documents