Community Advice Lisburn & Castlereagh

Public benefits

Purpose One – the advancement of education - The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include: Training of Volunteers from the area of benefit. Education of people from the area of benefit as to their rights in relation to those areas of NI legislation which directly affects them. People from the area of benefit will not suffer through a

lack of knowledge or an inability to express themselves. These benefits will be evidenced through: The number of volunteers trained each year Feedback from clients who use our services Purpose Two – the protection of health - The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include: Claiming welfare benefits for those who have a physical or mental disability. Maximising the income of all clients who are in need. Reducing the levels of stress and anxiety of those in the area of benefit. Providing quality advice to those in ill health. Providing a signposting service to specialist organisations for those needing them. Providing quality advice to all those in the area of benefit who are in distress due to the impact of NI legislation. These benefits will be evidenced by: Amount of yearly benefit maximisation recorded by Lisburn & Castlereagh Citizens Advice. The numbers of people from the area of benefit using our service. Feedback from the people in the area of benefit. Purpose Three – the relief of poverty, sickness and distress The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include: Maximising the income of all clients who are in need due to poverty sickness and distress. Reducing the levels of stress and anxiety of those in the area of benefit. Providing quality advice on managing debt and claiming welfare benefits, tax relief and other practical support to those in poverty, ill health and distress. Helping clients overcome fuel and food poverty. Providing a signposting service to specialist organisations for those needing them. Providing quality advice and advocacy to all those in the area of benefit who are in distress due to the impact of NI legislation. These purposes do not give rise to any harm. The beneficiaries of these purposes are those people residing in the Lisburn & Castlereagh area and across Northern Ireland. A private benefit to Trustees may arise as a result of ongoing training in Good Governance, Finance, and HR. Through this training Trustees gain skills and experience which are transferrable to other settings. These benefits are incidental and necessary to ensure the benefit is provided to our beneficiaries. A private benefit to individual volunteers may arise as a result of their basic training. Volunteers gain skills and experience which are transferable to other settings. These benefits are incidental and necessary to ensure the benefit is provided to our beneficiaries.

What your organisation does

We provide advice, information and advocacy to help people with problems they face and we campaign to improve the policies and practices that affect peoples lives. Our service is free, confidential, independent and impartial. It is committed to justice and equality and opposed to discrimination and its effects.