Agenda item

Presentation by Tim Bridger - CEO Citizens Advice East Devon

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Tim Bridger, CEO Citizens Advice East Devon (CAED), to the meeting.  Mr Bridger’s presentation on the work of CAED included the following points:

·        An introduction to the CAED service and how it had identified the issues faced and had already been planning for change prior to the Covid-19 pandemic

·        How the service then responded at short notice to the first Coronavirus lockdown in March 2020 and addressed the challenges of remote working in the short, medium and longer term

·        The CAED service would not now return to previous ways of working prior to the pandemic as remote / digital working had addressed the issues which had been identified previously

·        The service, with its strong historic message of being free, confidential and impartial, had identified the priorities of support, innovation and community which were underpinned by its core values

·        CAED had introduced three directorates; community resilience, innovation and communication and quality and learning

·        The use of video booths in partner locations was highlighted and CAED was keen to work with other stakeholders including foodbanks and town halls to provide an integrated digital service on a sector wide basis

·        Projects for 2021 were outlined, including money management, cookery, mental health and wellbeing, improving the aftercare of clients and early warning systems to help clients to proactively avoid falling into crisis

·        The key drivers of success were highlighted as partnership working, effective use of data and openness and transparency

 

Discussion and responses to questions included the following points:

·        The age range of CAED clients has changed significantly, with 40% of clients now under the age of 40 and an increase in the 16-20 age group.  Resources are in place to support the younger age groups

·        CAED volunteers are equipped to work from any location, including home working via Teams software

·        Former clients of CAED sometimes return as volunteers and CAED was looking at offering this as a way of assisting volunteers to get back into employment where appropriate

·        CAED has identified the increased need for redundancy support as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic

·        Money management advice would include helping clients to identify triggers so that behaviour patterns could be changed to avert a future crisis

·        CAED had identified that one of the major causes of poverty was a change in circumstance such as relationship breakdown.  Work was on-going to develop support in the form of questions for clients to provide an early warning that circumstances may be changing for the worse

·        CAED is funded through Devon County Council, EDDC, town and parish councils and Lottery funding for specific projects

·        Approximately half of CAED clients are in poverty according to the definition of poverty used by EDDC

·        Digital services would remain in place and continue after the end of the Covid-19 lockdown and it was anticipated that services would be delivered through partnership working in community hubs

·        Lockdown had contributed to an increase in relationship breakdown and domestic violence.  CAED had trained advisers and a confidential process in place to support those leaving unsafe situations

·        CAED was talking to service providers regarding mobile wifi units to assist clients to access broadband

 

The Chair thanked Tim Bridger for attending the meeting and for his presentation which would be circulated after the meeting.