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Making a Referral: The Project accepts referrals by letter, email, phone or fax and aims to arrange an appointment with the client with 5 working days. An advisor will visit the client to provide a welfare benefits assessment and/or assist with debt counselling. Other issues such as Employment Law, Housing, Energy Advice etc may also be discussed and where appropriate a referral to other specialist agencies may occur. Training Provision: The Project seeks to share its training resources with local groups and agencies. Our recent Housing Law training was provided by Shelter and many places were provided free of charge. This day of training on Housing Law / Homelessness had a special emphasis on vulnerable groups including offenders and those with dependancy problems. Policy Support : The Project seeks to share its policy and pproceedures as resources with local groups and agencies. We believe that this information sharing helps to foster growth in the voluntary sector. If you would like copies of policies for the purpose of reproduction for your organisation we would be delighted to help.
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Together for People
The Walsall Money Advice Project seeks to provide a service to the general public in conjunction with our agencies and voluntary organisations and aims to compliment the work of other groups who work to relieve poverty in the community. The project is an active member of the Voluntary Organisations Liaison Group which, under the directions of the local Benefits Agency, meets to discuss issues facing the community and provides a forum for inter agency working.
The project provides ongoing advice, support and training to numerous groups especially in the area of debt advice work. The project has continued to provide support for Age Concern, NHS Mental Health Teams, Hospital Social Work Teams, Local Authority and other voluntary groups.
“The course notes are a great asset and it is my intention to relay the valuable information I have obtained to the rest of my colleagues ” Feedback Money Advice Training – Mrs G L Perks, Debt Recovery Asst, Walsall MBC
The most successful area of work has been the provision of debt counselling to clients suffering from mental health problems. These clients have often been excluded from advice due to their inability to use office based advice centres and because of a misplaced fear of their disability.
“We wish to convey our appreciation for your assistance and continued support with our patients. Your help has been extremely helpful, assisted by the feedback that we receive. Once again many thanks for your assistance” Ann Lovell & CPN Team – Bloxwich Hospital