Citizens Advice is rolling out extra support for rural
communities and market towns in order to meet a 20 per cent rise in
demand on its services during the recession.
Since the onset of the recession the majority of the region's
market towns have seen unemployment rise by more than 50 per cent,
while demand for services has risen by more than 20 per cent.
Following the West Midlands Taskforce recommendation Advantage
West Midlands has provided a £150,000 support package for
local Citizens Advice Bureaux to deal with increasing demands on
their service.
The aim of the package is to ensure people living in the market
towns and rural areas have access to independent advice on any
employment, financial or social issues they face.
The short term measures to boost the region's market towns and
rural areas covered by Advantage West Midlands also included
targeted support for large rural employers to help them retain jobs
and build resilience and a £250,000 package to help retailers
in market towns.
Sue Wigley, Area Director Central England, Citizens Advice,
said: "The impact of the recession has seen a 21 per cent
increase in clients coming through the doors of Citizens Advice
Bureaux in the West Midlands. We very much welcome the partnership
built with Advantage West Midlands, through the Taskforce. The
partnership funding is providing bureaux with increased capacity to
support the increased community demand. Bureaux are providing
increased levels of advice, alongside working to up-skill more
volunteers to become job ready. We have already helped more than
500 people across the region."
Pictured above: Mark Pearce (Corporate Director for
Economic Regeneration at AWM), Sue Wigely (Area Director of CAB for
central England), Helen Hill (Wychavon CAB volunteer adviser) Ruth
Davies (Wychavon CAB Bureau Manager)
Helen Hill, a recently recruited Wychavon CAB volunteer adviser
and law gradate, said: "I didn't realise how much real demand
there is but there is a huge wealth of expertise and untapped
resource here and we are making a real difference.
"We are seeing a whole range of people who prior to the
recession would never have come across the threshold of CAB. One
senior professional I have seen has been unexpectedly selected for
redundancy. She had no idea what to do but we are helping to
familiarise her with the benefits and support system.
"The taskforce support has helped to ensure we see more people,
more quickly, getting them on the road to help that much faster,
which is crucial.
"At the same time, people like me, who have been recruited to
deliver the additional support service, are being helped to
re-skill to return to the workplace."
Mark Pearce, Corporate Director for Economic Regeneration at
Advantage West Midlands, said: "The region's market towns have
been hit hard by the recession and while measures have been put in
place to help large employers and retailers survive, the Taskforce
wanted to make sure individuals and communities had access to
independent advice and guidance.
"Many of these communities are reliant on a few local employers,
the local high streets and tourism for their livelihoods. When jobs
are lost or people are uncertain about their future it is important
that they have somewhere to go to get good impartial advice,
alongside the support detailed at www.supportwm.co.uk."
The measures introduced are above and beyond Advantage West
Midlands' current rural programmes and will see real benefit to
rural communities across the region.