New figures out this week show Citizens Advice Islington has handled over 5,000 calls and conducted well over 100 face-to-face interviews with residents since its launch in April.
The essential helpline - a lifeline for many - is part-funded by a £150,000 grant from Islington Council and provides free expert advice on housing, money worries, jobs and benefits as well as welfare and legal rights.
Presenting training certificates to 15 volunteers who staff the advice lines, Cllr Lucy Watt, Executive Member for Communities, Skills and Business, Islington Council said:
"Citizens Advice Islington have made a very welcome return to the borough. In the current climate, many residents will find their service indispensable which is why we've pumped £150,000 into the helpline this year.
"They've already helped well over 5,000 people. With both outreach workers and a telephone advice line, Citizens Advice Islington will be dealing with 15,000 phone enquiries and making 500 face-to-face appointments with residents this year.
"Together with our freephone credit crunch hotline, it's one of the many ways Islington Council is working with local employers, the voluntary and charity sectors to help recession-hit residents in a real and practical way."
Over 90 per cent of clients stated they would use the service again.
One caller helped was an umemployed benefit claimant with a new baby on the way. He said: "Islington CAB helped me successfully challenge my claim for Job Seekers Allowance which had been rejected. It has helped us receive extra money just when we needed it."
Among those receiving her certificate was volunteer Trudyann Whitelocke, 20, who handles dozens of queries from Islington residents each month. She said:
"I think the phone service is a great way to reach people in Islington and to help them resolve their problems. I'm here to make sure callers get the support and information they need on a range of issues from benefit rights to housing and employment. To be able to really help them with their problems is so rewarding."
Local residents and workers in need of advice or information can call: 0844 856 3537 between 10 am - 5 pm, 5 days a week (Monday - Friday) or visit the website: www.cabislington.org.uk
Islington Council's grant to the Citizens Adice Islington helpline, is part of a wider progamme of advice support for the third sector.
When Islington's Citizens Advice service shut in 2007 after going into liquidation, Islington Council continued to support advice services by funding Islington Law Centre and Islington Peoples' Rights. This finding continues today.
Islington Council has funded a consortium of the borough’s leading specialist advice agencies - Islington Law Centre, Islington People’s Rights and Islington CAB - to deliver a programme of free training for Islington’s community organisations to enable them to provide expert advice and help to their users from their own premises.
In total, Islington Council will spend £550,000 on advice services in 2009/10 - including this year's travelling Credit Crunch Roadshow.
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
Isligton's Credit Crunch Roadshows include appearances by:
* The Housing Aid Centre
* Islington Working
* Islington Council's Welfare Rights, Benefits and Energy Doctor teams
* Islington Credit Union
* Age Concern Islington
* Community Money
* Jobcentreplus
For more information, go to: www.islington.gov.uk or call 020 7527 2000.
Did you know?
The top four issues handled by Citizens Advice Islington are:
1) Housing
2) Benefits
3) Debt
4) Employment
Page Last Updated: 19 November 2009