Great start for Webchat

Great start for webchat

We had our general advice webchat launch on 4th June and since then, a little over 3 weeks, we have managed a whopping 123 chats, double the expectation. the General advice webchat is a service we are providing as part of a consortium bid alongside Caerphilly, Merthyr and Cardiff & Vale CABx and its got off to a great start.

Our team of webchatters are: Jill Martin, Naomi White, Sue Roberts, David Taylor-Williams and Tony Pursell. Advisers who would like to become webchatters should speak to Dave Roberts.

New Energy Efficiency Project begins 1st July.

A nine month project, Energy Efficiency Wales, designed to help clients with fuel poverty issues relating to fuel efficiency, including grants for insulation, new boilers, draft proofing etc starts soon. Citizens Advice Torfaen was one of 5 bureau across Wales to successfully bid for this project. The others are Caerphilly, Merthyr, Powys & Denbighshire.

Natalie Hopkins will be seconded to the project until March 2016.

Refurbishent nears completion at Pontypool

The refurbishment of Pontypool Bureau is now substantially complete. We have created a new advice room, a new kitchen and loo. The new telephone system was installed a few weeks ago and some modifications to the internet connection should have speeded that up a bit. The new carpets are in and we are just waiting for the decorators, some works to the electrics and of course an updated sign.

Nathan joins the advice team

Nathan Adams has joined the advice team today having completed his supervised interviews. Well done Nathan.

Fantastic result Lisa

Lisa's client had completed a benefit renewal form which led to the all the child's disability benefits being stopped. Lisa helped the client with her appeal against the decision which led to an award for Child DLA; middle rate care and low rate mobility. We also advised to client to make a carers allowance claim which we helped her with . Both claims were successful, leading to a backdating payment of £9,000 and an ongoing annual increase in family income of £9,000 a year. Quite a days work, well done Lisa.

Volunteer forum

Tony Pursell and David Taylor Williams from Citizens Advice Torfaen joined 10 volunteers from Bureau in South Wales at the first Volunteer Forum last week.The forum focused on good and bad things about being a volunteer in your bureau and also included briefings on Research & Campaigning and Discrimination.

Bring in your Mugshots

With an ever growing and changing team of staff and volunteers we have to put some effort into getting to know one an other. We want to create a staff and volunteers board with photographs, names and responsibilities where relevant. 

Dates

Next Bureau Team meeting - correction: Wed 17th September 1pm - 4pm All staff and volunteers are welcome.

Bank Holiday closures: Mon 31 Aug.

Christmas Closure 2015: The Bureau will be closed from 12.30pm on Thu 24th Dec and will reopen on Mon 4th Jan 2016. There will be no outreach sessions on Thu 24th. Bureau staff will need to take annual leave on the following days. 24th (half day), 30th, 31st Dec.

Feedback

I always welcome feedback from staff and volunteers, you can ring me on 01633 876128 send an email at mal.edgson@torfaencab.org.uk, write a letter, comment on this blog, place your comment or suggestion in the comments box in the Cwmbran meeting room, feed it through your line manager or Advice Session Supervisor or come and see me.

This Blog is prepared for the staff and volunteers of Citizens Advice Torfaen

The Bureau - What's in a name ?

What's in a name ?

As part of Citizens Advice re-branding not only do we have a new logo, new colours, visuals and a new 'tone of voice' we are also changing the name that we use everyday.

The introduction of a new tone of voice brings a refreshing and long awaited simplicity and friendliness to what we say. You can read more about this in the brand guidance

Citizens Advice Torfaen will be reflected in our signage, advertising and correspondence.

The re-brand says goodbye to the word 'Bureau' which for many in this modern era is not even a piece of furniture.

You can read more in the brand guidance which is available here

Email is Going Google

Monday will see the launch of Citizens Advice roll out of a new email system based on Gmail and Google Apps. Ultimately this will make it much easier for us to allocate email addresses to volunteers, share documents securely, access documents from anywhere and store documents more securely. It will also cost less to maintain the Bureau computers.

A final call for the Volunteer Forum being help in Cardiff.

If you would like to go to this expenses paid event on the 17th June in central Cardiff please see David Roberts

939 clients helped in May

Citizens Advice Torfaen helped near on 1,000 people last month. A lot of these were by webchat, some by telephone but the majority were face to face through our 6 bureau and outreach locations across Torfaen.

The problems people came to see us about: Debt 41%, Benefits 31%, Housing 8%, Employment 6%, Relationships and Family 3%, All other issues accounted for 11%. Slightly more than half were female and a third of clients had a disability or long term health condition. Around half of our clients are from Torfaen, the remainder spread across England and Wales.

A quarter of our clients required a full casework service.

Bring in your Mugshots

With an ever growing and changing team of staff and volunteers we have to put some effort into getting to know one an other. We want to create a staff and volunteers board with photographs, names and responsibilities where relevant. 

One Person Responds.....

PLEASE can you bring in or email to mal.edgson@torfaencab.org.uk a photograph of yourself for the board. We promise we will not use it for any other purpose. My gratitude goes out to the single person who has so far responded, you know who you are.

Dates

Next Bureau Team meeting - correction: Thu 18th June at 1 - 4pm All staff and volunteers are welcome.

Bank Holiday closures: Mon 31 Aug.

Christmas Closure 2015: The Bureau will be closed from 12.30pm on Thu 24th Dec and will reopen on Mon 4th Jan 2016. There will be no outreach sessions on Thu 24th. Bureau staff will need to take annual leave on the following days. 24th (half day), 30th, 31st Dec.

Feedback

I always welcome feedback from staff and volunteers, you can ring me on 01633 876128 send an email at mal.edgson@torfaencab.org.uk, write a letter, comment on this blog, place your comment or suggestion in the comments box in the Cwmbran meeting room, feed it through your line manager or Advice Session Supervisor or come and see me.

This Blog is prepared for the staff and volunteers of Citizens Advice Torfaen